Armando Ghitalla

Mikester · Veteran Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 374

This is truely a loss to the trumpet world. I was at the University of Michigan while he was there. His department had many fine students.

I did not recieve personal instruction by him. But his students spoke highly. So did Jerry C. while I was in NY for a lesson.

lindastaggard · Posted: Sun May 05, 2002 11:08 pm Post subject:

A shame he's gone. Does anyone know where I can get CD recordings of his playing? Particularyly, Concerto in F minor by Oskar Bohme. He had such a wide sound.

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

WITH RESPECT...in an effort to share info...

Mr.Ghitalla was talked about on another forum only yesterday... THE FOLLOWING INFO IS'NT FROM ME ---IT WAS POSTED FROM A PLAYER ON TPIN>>>

>>>As great a player as Armando Ghitalla was, I heard countless stories of him crashing and burning especially as a soloist.

He was also a fine teacher having been a major influence on me and my two most significant teachers, Tim Morrison, and Bill Lucas.

Yet I have also heard many stories of guys that he supposedly ruined. He changed people's embouchures more than any other teacher I've heard about.

On the one hand, he had guts and was willing to go for it with students. On the other hand, maybe not all students can handle a change.

Or maybe the changes weren't the right ones for the player or maybe the student didn't do what he/she needed to do to be successful with the change.<<<

***WAKE UP AND READ THIS: I would'nt put this here except the guy that posted it had lot's of lessons with Mr.Ghittala.
=============================

NOW ONTO SOME POSITIVE COMMENTS...

In my recent interview with Italian Screamer Andrea Tofanelli ...HE ABSOLUTELY credits AG with sorting out a chop problem..I quote...>>>

>>>But the teacher who really changed completely my life of trumpet player
was lamented trumpeter Armando Ghitalla, absolutely the greatest
influence on my trumpet playing ever!
At today, still i cannot think of a good way to thank him. I jealously preserve the last
letter he sent me from the hospital a few weeks before he died, in which
he did a lot of compliments for my playing on my cd "Mattia's Walk"...
I really owe my range, sound and endurance to him. I have no words
enough...<<<

the whole interview is here if you have'nt already seen it.....

http://www.R-o-d-d-y-T-r-u-m-p-e-t.cC/tofanelli.html

Rgds. Roddy o-iii<O
_________________
Yours Roddy o-iii<O
www.R-o-d-d-y-T-r-u-m-p-e-t.cC

[ This Message was edited by: Roddyo-iii<O on 2002-06-13 03:33 ]

zachenos · Posted: Tue May 07, 2002 1:25 pm Post subject:

Roddy-

Can you please provide a link to the post or name of the "guy" who you quoted in this thread regarding Ghitalla? I'm curious about all these solos Ghitalla crashed and burned on, I had never heard of that before, I'm sure it happened here and there but for a man who has had as great an impact on classical trumpet playing as he had to be remember as someone who crashed and burned a lot is odd to me, I mean there are SO many positive things that he left us with that we could talk about instead.

Zach

pfrank · Posted: Tue May 07, 2002 2:05 pm Post subject:

It was 1971 in a small town in the woods of Massachusetts...one day, a public school trumpet teacher said something like: "Ghitalla's the MAN, the 1st chair in that orchestra down in Bahston, and HE SAYS, center the embousure, use more outer lip than before, Roll In, not alot, but enough to frame the lip muscles to set the mouthpiece.
For that, and for the beautiful, transcendant sound he made, any criticism of Mr. Ghitalla I take with a pound of salt.

_________________
"Truth is not in the heights but at the bottom of all things."
Paul Twitchell

[ This Message was edited by: pfrank on 2002-05-08 08:54 ]

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

Gents...I've sent you the whole post and the poster who was on TPIN privately...If you have any questions please ask him. He is pretty much an accurate character and I'm sure would'nt mind you asking him.

As I stated above...the poster has had numerous lessons with Mr.Ghitalla and knows some very well connected ex-Ghitalla students.

I must point out that also in my above post Andrea Tofanelli can't speak highly enough of Mr.Ghitalla.

Roddy o-iii<O

pfrank · Posted: Wed May 08, 2002 6:41 am Post subject:

If Ghitalla's methods were controversial, maybe he was doing something right...ha ha, better than playing it safe! The same goes for the "crash and burn" description of his performances (although I never saw that when he was with the BSO) but anyway, I would rather hear an impassioned performance than a "perfect" one. Seems to me that many classical performances nowadays are like some modern jazz performances, much too "technically perfect", too clean, (as well as too fast and loud).

One more point, it is a player's responsability to judge for themselfs if a radical change is a good thing or not. I don't care if a teacher's reputation is hyped to the yingyang, getting his advice straight from the god of trumpets, if something doesn't work or feel right after making the initial effort, stop it! There is too much passivity among hype and authority intimidated folks today, and too much self-analysis and self doubt leading to a state of sheep-hood. If someone is out there blaiming someone else for their problems on trumpet, saying they have been a victim of bad teaching, they should go take a good look in the mirror.

trumpet2 · New Member Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Posts: 3

Roddyo-whoever you are

To imply that Ghitalla 'crashed and burned' often,I can only wait till I hear your next performance! Ghitalla played from his heart- something that can't be said about many of todays players. True, he was not as accurate as some, but he was one of the best Musicians to ever play the trumpet (there is a difference between a great trumpet player, and a great musician who happens to play the trumpet) (And if I have to explain that to you, there is no hope!) As far as students, there are those that things work for, and those that don't. If a student was having emboucure trouble, and it's not working out with Ghitalla, see someone else ! Crashing and burning is something we all do at times playing the instrument- If you've never done it, congratulations, you truly must be a God! (I'd still love to hear it!) HOW DARE YOU criticize a man who has done more for the profession than you probably ever will. If these words seem strong, THINK before you post such an ignorant statement again
Bob

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

I have tried to make my above post a bit clearer with an edit [cutting nothing out]...the email of the gent who posted the above crash/burn clip to TPIN was given to the other people who expressed concern. I would have loved to have had a lesson with the great man!

Roddy o-iii<O
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