In August of 2017, Richard Carson Steuart completed the development of the new "La Tromba" Clarino trumpet, an as close as possible "replica" of the special instrument that Johann Sebastian Bach's famous "Solo Trumpeter", Johann Gottfried Reiche originally performed his music on.
Mr. Steuart has named this endevor his "Clarino- Project zu Leipzig" since it honors this, the 350th year of Reiche's birth!

He admits he was greatly inspired by both the mystery behind the famous Elias Gottlob Haussmann portrait of Reiche and by Bach's works, written specifically for him, to be played on his special "Clarino" Trumpet.
Since there are no existing "historical" versions of this original instrument from which to make a copy nor any construction plans (other than Elias Gottlob Haussmann’s portrait itself!) Steuart decided to take the initiative and build the instrument, constructing it as close as possible to the instrument in the painting!

After countless hours of trial and error practise as well as technical study , he sincerely believes he has finally re-discovered Reiche's original playing technique and knows exactly how Reiche was able to perform Bach's extremely demanding works on this mysterious and almost forgotten natural trumpet instrument!

Just as Johann Gottfried Reiche's original instrument, shown in the Haussmann's original painting below, Steuart's La Tromba model, has no valves, no keys, no slides, and certainly no "hinden" intonation-holes of any kind!
This is truly the "real deal" my friends,  just as Reiche played it over 300 years ago!

Steuart's singular, abitious aim with his "Clarino- Project zu Leipzig" iniative is to revive the authentic playing tradition of this historical "Bach Trumpet" and to reaffirm it as the true instrument for which Bach wrote his Clarino parts.
With his initiative he hopes as well to especially inspire young musicians, to once again learn to play this intrument again and thereafter finally perform Bach's works "authenically" on the original Clarino Trumpet!  Yes, as Bach's have not been performed for almost 300 Years!

Steuart reports he has examined and personally tested several instruments from makers who too have quite seriously attempted to construct such a Clarino instrument in the past. One of the best of these, he says, was made in Leipzig more than thirty years ago and is infact on display in the Old City Hall Museum of Leipzig even today. It is from the excellent workshop of Friedbert Syhre.
Although both Friedbert Syhre of Leipzig and Adolf and Rainer Egger of Basel, Switzerland not to forget mention Markus Rachet of Bamberg (who too built an excellent copy of a much later dated intrument, originally from Balthasar Fürst of Ellwangen - 1770, the original of which is on display in the German National Museum in Nuerberg) succeeded in building "almost" playable instruments of this kind, it is in truth virtually impossible to reconstruct such a instrument without direct interaction and cooperation with a truly experienced, virtuoso performers. One who first and foremost clearly understands the instruments original playing technique.
Imagine trying to build a superlative Formula 1 Car without the help of top driver: a Schumacher for Ferrari or the famous Fagio for Mercedes, to test and develop it to it's greatest potential!? Quite impossible!

Since no modern Artist at this level has made the concerted effort to first build and then actually learn to play this special original instrument before, it was necessary for Steuart to start from the very beginning in his research and do the basic, yes, work! and this "from the ground up".
Past artist/historians like Walter Holy of Köln, Germany and most importantly, Donald L. Smithers of New  York City, U.S.A., should be clearly mentioned here aswell, to show do respect for their individual, ground- breaking contributions regarding clear understanding of the original Clarino intrument and it's playing potential.  They are to be noted as important initial sources of both historical as well as practical performance information. Both are/were in any case true inspirations for Steuart's Clarino Project zu Leipzig even though neither had complertely understood nor ever used "hand reflextion" in coordination with tounge and mouth compression techniques.

Steuart says, "it is not only difficult and strenuous to play the natural trumpet musically without non authentic "well tempered" intonation holes , it also requires all the intelligence, experience and sensitivity that a seasoned and serious High Brass playing musician can muster. Therefore most professional trumpeters find it too tedious to spend the necessary time to first understand and then appreciate the Clarino or Tromba da caccia (Hunting Trumpet) as the true Bach Trumpet, let alone try to master it and then perform with it.
It therefore should be understood that only through the combination of several specific prerequisites, as well as years of patient practice, can this instrument be truly mastered!"

He adds, " the Clarino trumpet is an extremely dangerous intrument to perform on at the best of times, because like any natural instrument it is difficult to "control" in the high register, (especially without any intonation holes nor slides nor keys of any kind, as the intrument was originally played ) and both excellent ear training and an advanced emboucher and breathing development are absolutely necessary to perform consistently on this extremely demanding  instrument.
Added to this and most importantly, an understanding and application of the proper playing hand reflextion technique of the instrument cannot be circumvented if one wishes to master it and to authenically play Bach's demanding works on it! "This" he says "is the ultimate challenge when playing the "Clarino" Trumpet!"

There are neither hand-written technical descriptions, printed method books, nor any historical performance explanations as to how this instrument was originally played. Never the less, after working on this project for three years, Steuart believes he has, through his own disaplined and methodical study, (re)discovered the true historical playing technique of the instrument and is now willing and able to share this special knowledge with "the trumpet world"!
His first Clarino Lecture-Concert took place in the "Historical City Hall" in Leipzig, Germany on the 18th of November 2017, the exact location where Johann Gottfried Reiche served his regular musical duties right up to the day of his sudden death in 1734. 

The original painting of Johann Gottfried Reiche (1667-1734) (Oil on Canvas) by Elias Gottlob Haussmann (1695-1774), dates from 1726/27 and hangs in the Historical City-Museum of the Old City Hall in Leipzig (Inv.Nr. Me 470). The instrument held in his right hand is described as a "Trompete in zirkulärer Form" (Trumpet in Cirular Form): Clarino, Jägertrompete, Tromba da caccia, Italienische Trompete. 

Reiche's pure-silver and gold "Clarino" trumpet, obviously the true "Bach" trumpet, is quite without any intonation holes, nor keys, nor slides, nor valves of any kind! Steuart proposes that this special instrument was perhaps a gift from none other than "Kuerfuerst und Herzog" of Saxony Friedrich August I, also known as "August der Stärke" (1670-1733) who was from 1697 in "Personalunion", King August II of Poland and Lithuainia. This must have been a truly "Kingly" gift for Gottfried Reiche, in high appreciation of his exceptional musical service to Saxony and for his King!

Further info:

According to Steuart's research, the Haussmann painting was very possibly comissioned by the City Elders of Leipzig specifically to honor Johann Gottfired Reiche's 60th birthday!
Having been placed in a number of other locations over the past almost 3 centuries, this painting hangs once again in the same building where Reiche, employed his entire professional career by the City of Leipzig- ultumately reaching the status of "Senior Stadtmusicus" (Senior Performing City Musician) in 1719,  perfomed his daily duties as Head "Stadt Pfeiffer".
In the painting Reiche is  holding in his right hand, a pure-silver and gold ornimented "Clarino" trumpet in circular from, (and please, it is certainly not a horn!) which obviously is the true "Bach" trumpet, what else can it be?!  In his left hand he is holding an Abblas Solo, perhaps his own composition?,... very probably! A flashy "signature fanfare" which he very surely performed from the "Rathhaus Turm" as a part of daily musical duties as Senior Stadt Pfeiffer of the City of Leipzig.

Mr. Steuart speculates, that because this instrument was made of pure Silver and Gold was therefore very rare and extremely expensive. it was most probably a personal gift from King August II to Reiche (also for his 60th birthday?) in appreciation of his exceptional musical abilities and continued loyal service to his King! 
Other theories are that it is perhaps infact a much older instrument, made in the Nuernberg workshops of Johann Leonard Ehe I in the late 18th century or even earlier by another famous Nuernberg instrument maker, Johann Carl Ködisch, originally for the Maravian Court of the Markgrafen of Olmuetz and most specifically for the use of the composer and trumpeter Pavel Josef Vejvanovky (1633-1693). This does not "fit" the time line however.

Further speculations suggest it was even much older and that it was infact Anton Schnitzer who had built this special trumpet in the early to mid 16th century since Schnitzer had created the most innovative instruments of his time and even built the very famous Pretzel Trumpet for none other than Cesare Bendinelli, composer, author and principal trumpeter of both the Viennese court from 1567 to 1580 and later in Munich from 1580 till his death in 1617.
These ideas and speculations however interesting and "romantic" in nature are however not historically documented.

Some facts about the Tromba da caccia (”Clarino”) however are very clearly documented:

The German musicologist Michael Praetorius mentions and even clearly illustartes the Clarino Trumpet (in Coiled form) in his "Syntagma Musicom" published in Wolfenbüttel and in Wittenberg in three parts between 1614-1620.  So, this kind of instrument was well known and widely performed upon long before Reiche was even born.

We know too that Cantata 215 "Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen" was written by Johann Sebastian Bach specifically for the special Memorial Concert for King Friedrich August II and performed by Reiche on October 5th, 1734.

We know that Reiche performed on this special Clarino instrument in Leipzig and on the night of October 5th to the 6th, 1734 died of exhaustion (heart attack and then a stroke?) on his way home, following the first performance of Cantata BWV 215!

We know as well that the Concert took place directly in front of the Historical City Hall in Leipzig and under no less than Bach's personal musical direction and that Reiche was most certainly the Solo Trumpeter for whom Johann Sebastian Bach had written this work and most all of his most challenging and difficlut secular and religious compositions involving the Clarino dating from 1723 through to 1734. 

There is also no doubt that a very special colleagial relationship between these two exceptional musicians began immediately after Bach's arrival in Leipzig in 1723, when he assumed the prestegious position of "Director Chori Musici Lipisiensis" (Musical Director of the City of Leipzig), a position he was to maintain until his death in 1750.
Reiche died on the night of October 5th to the 6th, 1734 following his participation as 1st Clarino Trumpeter in the Premier Performance of Bach's Cantata 215; "Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen" a work written by Bach specifically for that special "memorial concert" for the deceased King Friedrich August II!  The Concert took place directly in front of the Historical City Hall in Leipzig and under no less than Johann Sebastian Bach's personal musical direction!

One last fact:
The very last musical statement of Reiche's life, as 1st Clarino in the final Coro: "Stifter Reiche, Beherrscher der Kronen" of Cantata 215, was a beautifully lyrical melody where Reiche was literally allowed to "sing" with his Clarino above the whole ensemble while at the same time perform in perfect balance, intonation and musical inflection with the soprano voice part.

Steuart, who in an attempt to perfect it's construction and understand and revive the original playing technique, has been seriously researching, building and rebuilding his "Clarino" trumpet since 2015. He firmly believes that the special musically relationship between Reiche and Bach (although only a total of 11 years!) created the historical opportunity for the art of trumpet performance to develop above and beyond it's former limited role of only dramatic musical "sound and fury" and limited military fanfare style but in fact to be suddenly set it at the fore front of Bach's more sensitive and interactive musical expression.
The combination of Bach's music for the trumpet and Reiche's special performance abilities was the beginning of  a more musically lyrical profile and character for the instrument. One, that with his special technique, Reiche quite obviously had perfected!

Steuart has since 1980, cooperated in research and development capacties on modern instruments aswell, interacting and consulting with among other international instrument makers, the Yamaha Musical Instrument Company of Hamamatzu, Japan (when creating special instruments for the Bamberg Symphony Orchestras Trumpet Section and for the "original" German Brass Ensemble), with Herbert Laetzsch / Hans-Hermann Nienaber, Bremen and  Josef Tilz /Hablowitz and Josef Klier, Diespeck and Neustadt an der Eisch, Germany for La Tromba Mouthpieces and last but not least with Kanstul Musical Instruments of Anaheim, California.
He has worked in both California and Germany since 1997 with Kanstul on many instrument design, research and development cooperations , including Traditional and Romantic German and Austrian rotary-valve Symphonic Trumpets for both Soloists and Orchestral Musicians and as well and specifcally for Baroque Music: his most remarkable contribution to the world of the trumpet artistry to date, the celebrated Kanstul Model 1520 Bb/A/G piccolo trumpet!  The original La Tromba Prototype "BAG", a Kanstul/ La Tromba Cooperation from 1997, is in fact shown on the R and D section of this website.

Richard Carson Steuart continues to research and build refined instruments and mouthpieces, both of historical and modern design, primarily, but not exclusively for his own Artistic needs and these under his own exclusive La Tromba Brand in Germany.
The most recent example of this, the new La Tromba “Clarino” trumpet pictured below, will, together other "prototype" and original La Tromba Instruments as well as the newest Kanstul/La Tromba Cooperation Instruments, were presented and performed on for the first time in public by Richard Carson Steuart, in a special lecture / concert-- that was film- documented on the 18th of November, 2017 at 3 P.M., in the "Historical City Hall" in Leipzig, Germany.
This Lecture/Concert with Interview was open to the general public and admission was free of charge!
The Film Documentation of this event is being prepared for release in the Spring of 2018.

Photos: Bernd Cramer 

Soprano and Trumpet Concert on Novemeber 17th, 2017 in Würzburg

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