Concerto for Trumpet in E-flat, Hob.VIIe: 1: Full Orchestra, Solo Brass with Ensemble, Conductor Score

This concerto occupies a rare historical niche: it's a major work written for an instrument that no longer exists in its original form, yet it remains deeply playable on modern valved trumpet. The writing is elegant and idiomatic without being show-offy, and the orchestra is genuinely engaged throughout rather than relegated to accompaniment duty. Redlich's edition with rehearsal numbers and transposed parts makes what could be a logistical headache into a practical, performance-ready score.

Bright and virtuosic without bluster. The solo part dances above a transparent classical orchestration, with moments of real lyricism in the slow movement that showcase the instrument's singing capability. There's a celebratory quality throughout, this is Haydn honoring a craftsman's accomplishment and a musician's ambition.

Orchestras seeking a trumpet concerto with genuine classical credentials and a compelling historical narrative. Your trumpet soloist should be comfortable in high registers and capable of shaping longer lyrical lines, not just executing rapid passagework.

• Balance the solo trumpet clearly without sacrificing the classical aesthetic; Haydn's orchestra was built to support rather than overwhelm, so transparency matters more than volume.
• Treat the keyed trumpet's historical context as an asset in program notes and pre-concert talk. Audiences respond to the specific story of Weidinger's innovation and Haydn's response.
• Work the second movement's expressive range with care. The writing sits in a lyrical space that demands genuine singing rather than mere technical display.
• Coordinate horn and trumpet transpositions early in rehearsal planning. Redlich's inclusion of both original and transposed parts removes ambiguity, but your section leaders need clarity on which version you're using.

Pair this with other Haydn symphonies to create a program centered on his range and craft, or use it as the centerpiece of a concert exploring the history of the trumpet and instrument innovation. The concerto works equally well opening a program (its brightness sets an energetic tone) or mid-program as a showcase moment that gives the orchestra a breather before deeper symphonic work.

• Playing secure high passages on trumpet with clear articulation and intonation
• Balancing solo and tutti roles within a classical ensemble texture
• Reading and executing transposed parts (E-flat trumpet)
• Shaping longer melodic lines with historical style awareness
• Coordinating conductor cues across extended formal structures (three-movement concerto)