Trumpet Concerto No. 1

The Trumpet Concerto of prominent Estonian composer Eino Tamberg in many ways quintessentializes the so-called “new wave” in Estonian music, embracing an antiromantic neoclassicism that was distinctly modern. The concerto, comprising three movements, was commissioned for the renowned trumpeter Timofei Dokshitzer, who called it “a truly Estonian concerto was written that incorporated authentic Estonian folk music, as well as original technical demands.” The first movement establishes a dynamic landscape, marked by expansive intervals, pronounced dynamic shifts, and lively passages interspersed with mellifluous segments. The lyrical second movement unfolds with the trumpet engaging in a rhythmic dialogue with the piano, leading to a climactic moment. Tamberg skillfully weaves Estonian folk influences into the concerto, a nod to his cultural roots. Characterized by four distinct motives, this middle movement showcases Tamberg’s adept handling of fragmented motifs that coalesce into a logical pattern. The final movement, lively and symmetrical, introduces diatonic scale patterns and thematic transformations, seamlessly referencing motifs from the concerto’s earlier movements.