Practicing orchestral excerpts from a wide range of repertoire, spanning from Bach to Berg and Schoenberg, is vital for trumpet players for several significant reasons. There is no other set of excerpts that go as deep into the contemporary as this set does, and here is why it is so important.

You will learn Technical Versatility because different composers and eras demand diverse technical skills. Baroque works by Bach require a mastery of ornamentation and contrapuntal lines, while 20th-century pieces by Berg and Schoenberg challenge trumpet players with complex rhythms and extended techniques. Practicing this variety hones a player’s technical versatility.

You will gain Historical Understanding. The trumpet has evolved over centuries, and repertoire from different periods offers insight into the historical context of trumpet playing. Understanding the development of the instrument helps players interpret and perform music authentically.

You will develop your own Interpretation and Expression as each composer’s style carries distinct nuances and expressive elements. Learning these differences through practice enriches a player’s ability to convey the intended emotions of the music. Bach’s counterpoint, for instance, demands clarity, while the atonal works of Berg and Schoenberg require exploration of dissonance and expression.

You will practice Orchestral Integration, since Trumpet players often perform as part of an orchestral ensemble. Mastery of orchestral excerpts from various composers equips them to seamlessly fit into the ensemble, adapt to different styles, and contribute to a cohesive musical performance.

You will achieve the highest level of Audition Preparedness. Orchestral excerpts are a common component of trumpet auditions. A well-rounded repertoire practice, from Bach to Berg and Schoenberg, prepares trumpet players for orchestral auditions, where versatility and a broad musical understanding are essential for success.

In Hermann Neuhaus’ five-book set of excerpts that range from Bach to Schoenberg and back again, you will learn that practicing orchestral excerpts from a diverse range of composers and eras is essential for trumpet players to develop technical skills, historical knowledge, interpretive abilities, orchestral integration, and readiness for auditions, ultimately making them well-rounded and accomplished musicians.

To the left you will find samples from each volume, and below you can find the full repertoire list. Click above once you check it out to grab an immediate digital download.

Table of Contents

Volume 1: Verdi Operas

1. Rigoletto
2. Troubadour
3. Sizilianische Vesper
4. Maskenball
5. Macht des Schicksals
6. Don Carlos
7. Aida
8. Othello
9. Falstaff

Volume 2: Symphonic Works

1. “Suite No. III in D Major,” Bach
2. “Cantata No. 110 (On the First Christmas Day),” Bach
3. “Exult in God in Every Land,” Bach
4. “Overture to Leonore No. 2,” Beethoven
5. “Overture to Leonore No. 3,” Beethoven
6. “Symphonie fantastique,” Berlioz
7. “Roman Carnival Overture,” Berlioz
8. “Overture to the Hebrides,” Mendelssohn
9. “Symphony No. 1 in E Minor,” Brahms
10. “Symphony No. 2 in D Major,” Brahms
11. “Capriccio Italian,” Tchaikovsky
12. “Fifth Symphony,” Tchaikovsky
13. “Sixth Symphony,” Tchaikovsky
14. “The Bourgeois Gentleman,” Strauss
15. “An Alpine Symphony,” Strauss
16. “Petrushka,” Stravinsky
17. “Carmina Burana,” Orff
18. “The Happy Hand” (Die glückliche Hand), Schoenberg

Volume 3: Symphonic Works

1. Magnificat, Bach
2. Messiah, Handel
3. Requiem, Verdi
4. Scheherazade, Rimsky-Korsakov
5. Pictures at an Exhibition, Mussorgsky
6. La Mer, Debussy
7. Symphony of Psalms, Stravinsky
8. Von deutscher Seele, Pfitzner
9. Bolero, Ravel
10. Piano Concerto in G, Ravel

Volume 4: Stage Works

1. Carmen, Bizet
2. Der Jahrmarkt von Sorotschintzi, Mussorgsky
3. Boris Godounov, Mussorgsky
4. Die verkaufte Braut, Smetana
5. Tiefland, D’Albert
6. Die toten Augen, D’Albert
7. Cavalleria Rusticana, Mascagni
8. Der Baiazzo, Pagliacci, Leoncavallo
9. Firebird, Stravinsky
10. Arabella, Strauss
11. Mathis der Maler, Hindemith

Volume 5: Stage Works

1. Macbeth, Verdi
2. Das Glöckchen des Eremiten, Maillart
3. Hänsel and Gretel, Humperdink
4. Königskinder, Humperdink
5. Wozzeck, Berg
6. Dantons Tod, V. Einem
7. Oedipus Rex, Stravinsky
8. Pulcinella, Pergolesi-Stravinsky
9. The Right of Spring, Stravinsky
10. The Rakes Progress, Stravinsky