Rafael Mendez - Scherzo in D minor

Another great video of Rafael Mendez. This time an excerpt from his video special entitled "The Trumpet." This is the first song he plays on the special. I have the whole thing so I'll be uploading it all in parts.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• trumpet
• rafael
• mendez
• orchestra
• virtuoso
• concert
• solo

[ivantpt89]

I have the transcript, and well it doesn't look too special, it's the tempo, he's playing 16th notes on 6/8 time... the end is just 8 measures with a pick up. to even follow it as he's playing is hard enough... Mendez is the standrd by which trumpt players must be measured.

[newromantic1]

2 words......Holy s***

[katiemay1856]

awsome.

[lunageologist]

I have to agree Nabookov50, this recording totally ruins the music, but he is an amazing player, I really wish I could hear it in better audio.

[OniMurasame]

@Nabokov50 The recording totally RUINS the awesomeness of the performance. But even with the crappy recording, you can FULLY recognize the level of mastery of the instrument. Hearing him play just makes myself want to quit playing and study harder altogether!

[Bflat1]

What I like, besides his obvious mastery of the horn, is the ease in which he plays it. He's got a big sound and you know he had hours and hours and hours of chops.

[hataken666]

I can only say woooowwww--iii<0

[hataken666]

I can only say woooowwww

[trumpsahead]

@RafaelSatchmo

After that comment, I'm taking your side. There can be no argument that Rafael Mendez had such unbelievable command of his axe; 'though he was not a jazz musician, he could have created anything on the spot he wanted and play it flawlessly. So, yeah, come to think of it, classical musicians of a couple hundred years ago improvised all the time - like Mozart - as that was the music of the day and improv or new compositions on the spot were probably more commonplace than today.

[RafaelSatchmo]

@trumpsahead You're right to a degree. But most jazz folks have worked out their riffs and so on ahead of time; just listen to their different recordings of the same piece. The comment by one musician associated with Mendez in the 1940s and 50s is that he DID improvise on the spot in many of his concerts. And up until the mid-1960s, he performed upwards of 120 concerts in six months each year.

Yes he stands at the top of all trumpeters. I've been working on "Virgen..." for years. Maybe next year

[trumpsahead]

@RafaelSatchmo

Hi, I listened to "I Know..." played by Mendez and Orchestra. Yes, fantastic performance. I don't question his virtuosity btw, I think he was by far the greatest trumpet virtuoso that ever lived.

I would call "I Know..." an "arrangement" but not necessarily an "improvisation" unless you know for a fact that he was improvising. Most big band songs are arranged or at least the improv is very rehearsed so there are no surprises.

I'm gonna learn Virgen de la Macarena I just heard.