Hörsdorf B-flat Rotary, double trigger, vented valves, extra tuning slide with C & A key, extra set of heavy valve caps, removable sound-post, silver & hard-gold plated.
Exactly three years after buying an excellent Hörsdorf Heavy C trumpet I decided time had come to also replace my old German B-flat Rotary trumpet with a new top-class instrument. Of course it couldn’t be anything else than a Schagerl.
I contacted Karl, because my specific demands were quite contradictory. It had to be a very fast responding trumpet, especially in the low register, but with ample possibilities to produce a big orchestra sound in large settings. At the same time the sound needed to have enough core to make it perfect for performing solo pieces such as the Haydn, Hummel or Neruda.
When it arrived I felt instantly at home with the instrument.
Low and soft articulated notes seem to just roll out of the bell without taking any special effort or precaution, high register is effortless and precise, over-all resistance is low but comfortable, pitch is truly AMAZING and the maximum volume the instrument can be played with is almost limitless.
After having tried out all set-ups with the different valve caps I will mainly use this:
-Solo concerts; with standard caps. The response is extremely fast, flexibility is huge. The sound is compact and centered, yet warm. Precisely as I prefer for solo playing.
-Lower parts in large orchestra, or general chamber orchestra playing; also with the original valve caps. Great response: the lips start to vibrate almost immediately when playing low and soft phrases. The compact sound helps to project the lower register and blends perfectly with a rotary C-trumpet. This is especially helpful when using two Rotary C-trumpets for the first two parts and one or two B-flat trumpets for the others, when playing in larger sections.
-General large orchestra playing; I use heavy caps on the first and third valve, but a normal cap on the second (personally I don’t like to use a heavy cap on the second valve, because it hardens the sound). This set-up is ideal for Bruckner, Mahler, R.Strauss, etc. The sound is enormous, open, round and warm, but also rich with loads of harmonics, core and character. In short: full and heroic.
Honestly, I’ve never played anything like Schagerl trumpets and I am happy that I’ve found a great set of instruments that allows me to concentrate for 100% on phrasing and making music, rather than having to adjust the many shortcomings that most other brands put you up with.
Recently I bought a “vintage” small bore Schagerl C-trumpet from around 1990, the very first era when the Schagerl family started to produce their own instruments. Already the quality and playing abilities of this instrument are simple stunning.
Will Schagerl become “the Heckel” of this century? As far as I am concerned they already are!
Maarten van Weverwijk
Principal Trumpet “OSPA”,
Picture (from left):
Hörsdorf B-flat
Mank C 1990
Hörsdorf Heavy C