Concertino, Op. 178, No. 1 (1835/2025)

Program Notes:

This Concertino for Eb trumpet and orchestra is held in the Thuringian State Archives in Rudolstadt, Germany as a set of handwritten manuscript parts. These parts are dated 1835 (although it is unclear whether this is composition or copying date) and the composer is only given by the last name of "Nicolai". It seems most likely that the composer was Otto Nicolai (better known for his opera The Merry Wives of Windsor), although this is not entirely certain. The piece was first published in 1999 and has gained popularity since then.

Chuck Steck approached me in March 2025 and asked if I would be interested in transcribing this piece for use with the St. Joseph Municipal Band. I was clearly very interested, but discovered that the only published edition is rental only. I figured that more people might be interested in the work (and not willing to work through regional German bureaucracy over the course of two months), so once I tracked down the original set of parts I determined I would also release an edition of the original orchestral version out of spite.