Frequent use of the “upward glissando” was
made by the trumpet soloist, Louis Armstrong and many of his imitators and
admirers. It can be utilized, if there is time, by the first trumpeter who
might be apprehensive of an octave skip or might think that it would add
to an otherwise pedestrian arrangement. The latter motive is perilous and
should never be given as an explaination to a disapproving arranger or
conductor.
The “Rip” or “Flare”
As the term implies, the rip up is a rapid glissando
up with all the roughness of a ripping sound. The rip touches on all the
harmonics on the way up so many people do the rip up with all the valves
down rapdily switching to the appropriate fingering when the target note
is overtaken. Ascending through the harmonics by contracting the lips does
not produce the brashness that is expected from the ornament, so most players
use a sudden increase of pressure, a painful choice, or an Olympian blast
of air, a more sensible approach. In the heat of battle, an apt metaphor
in some trumpet sections, the player will probably use all three methods
and it is not unusual for the player to hunch his shoulders, curl his toes
and tighten his sphincter. If the practicer has a fairly strong embouchurem
has practised the glissando and lip-trill exercises, the rip should be fairly
easy.
The rip, like the upward glissando, is more than an
ornament, being a boon to the uncertain player faced with a difficult interval.
Push the valves down, push, blow, and let her rip, disembarking on the proper
stop.
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