A Pedagogical Approach to a Stylistic Analysis of the Vingt Etudes of Marcel Bitsch

The Vingt Etudes for trumpet are some of the most demanding etudes ever composed for the instrument. They require a great deal of endurance on the part of the performer, as well as a highly developed sense of musicianship. These are works which are reserved for the most advanced trumpet students, and the ability to work on these works alone testifies to a great deal of mastery on the part of the performer. These compositions are atonal, but as will be seen in the course of the different analyses, they contain many elements which can be defined as tonal. It is this apparent hybridization of different compositional features which makes these particular etudes such a fascinating study, and what makes their analysis such a challenge. By understanding the way the different stylistic features fit together, the teacher can impart to the student musical conent of much greater depth. The objective of this volume is threefold. With the Vingt Etudes serving as the foundation for this study, the author is attempting to combine theoretical analytical techniques used by Marcel Bitsch in the process of composing these twenty compositions with established pedagogical methods. In addition, the historical context, not only of these etudes, but also of these compositional devices will also be explored. The purpose of pedagogical, theoretical, and historical information being combined into one entity is to create a macroenvironment. This volume attempts to present an overarching picture of the composition of these etudes. The emphasis throughout is on developing not only an understanding of the style of each etude, but also in gaining a proper understanding of the style of the era Bitsch penned them. - Introduction and Purposes.