Carnegie Hall Trombone Master Class: Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries

Berlin Philharmonic principal trombone player Thomas Leyendecker coaches Carson King-Fournier on Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. carnegiehall.or...
Select members of the Berlin Philharmonic woodwind and brass sections led two days of master classes focusing on orchestral repertoire and audition preparation. Participating young artists attended panel discussions with the master class leaders and heard the Berlin Philharmonic in performance, led by Sir Simon Rattle, at Carnegie Hall.
Trombone Master Class Participants:
Carson King-Fournier
Amanda Logue
Christine Mounger
Berlin Philharmonic Master Class playlist:
• Berlin Philharmonic Ma...
Weill Music Institute playlist:
• Education and Social I...
Masterclasses playlist:
• Playlist

[@joaquinauzenne]

To everyone in the comments, the students tone is the prettiest of the two in the video, but the teachers tone is the most correct and accurate to the piece being played, it's not supposed to be a pretty song, it's apocalyptic and violent

[@Evanw10282]

Yeah

[@classicalperformances8777]

The student has a nice sound. A conductor would give him clearer advice. If the C b good

[@Evanw10282]

although, I’m pretty sure the upper register is supposed to sound a lot more open

[@EstebanMonestel]

Actually Thomas has such a pretty sound, the mic is not doing justice lol hear him playing bass or tenor is so damn cool

[@hariboi8840]

"They're supposed to be very beautiful. Maybe there's some kind of erotic eh...." *awkward silence* "...part in that as well." 1:59 :D

[@Evanw10282]

💀💀

[@tijuanamarisol666]

"put more dark energy in your sound" >inb4 physics

[@QuantumMatrix2000]

i thought he said direct energy with a german accent. maybe you're right though. either way its physics.

[@TheNoobyGuy1]

+QuantumMatrix2000 lol I heard him say more dark energy.

[@LeoBeastmode]

Physics be damned!!

[@lolloPelz]

What he means is:" Play German", that is aggressive and wild.

[@justenwilliams8379]

Not fully. He means play with the emotion of which German players and composers like Mahler would write and how people would play it.

[@justenwilliams8379]

This is why he references the lack of dark energy in his playing

[@1thirdstone1]

@@justenwilliams8379 Carson needs a little more fire in his breathing. Outside of that very impressive.

[@hariboi8840]

It's not wild! Wild would be playing the long notes loud and aggressive! This is more like a calculated brutality. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. I might not be a musician, but I'm definitely German.

[@aboriginalmuur1661]

German players really know how to lay it down.

[@chartle1]

There are thousands of students that would kill for this kind of instruction. This is real world stuff and he is telling like it is.

[@michaelheath5615]

I don't know if I would place 'The Ride of the Valkyries' anywhere among the real world. But he's teaching otherworldly stuff quite well. He's like a good therapist.

[@chartle1]

@@michaelheath5615 wow a blast from the past. As I recall it wasn't the piece played but the instruction of how to think about how the piece should be played. Or the attitude you should have in your head.

[@davidvo84]

"It's not funny. And it's not, uh... evil, it's REALLY evil, it's Darth Vader evil. It's really, really, really bad what's going on" LOL I love this guy. In all seriousness though, they're both really good players!

[@CoralPolyps]

"They have to bring all the dead bodies to Valhalla, they don't have time to waste" "Right" lmaoo

[@Evanw10282]

💀

[@giseladeppendorf3628]

Don‘t call him harsh! In germany wasting the other’s time is considered to be impolite. So he is just showing his respect by being on the point. Maybe it sounds harsh for an american audience, but I don‘t think that is what Thomas intends.

[@tromboneman4517]

I didn’t see ANYTHING in here that was even remotely harsh. The teacher was very nice and respectful, while still giving good advice.

[@DonaldMohrMusic]

"It needs to be more serious" Translation: Quit thinking of Elmer Fudd singing "kill the wabbit, it shows"

[@DonaldMohrMusic]

It warms my heart that so many people over the years got my humor. If anyone wants to check out my stuff, you can find #GOMLpodcast and #FreeformFridays here on KZbin.

[@SynergyXE]

Sounds like a trombone Gordon Ramsay

[@GoldenFreddy-io9zs]

WHERE'S THE SLIDE OIL?!

[@tromboneman4517]

@@GoldenFreddy-io9zs, that's not entirely accurate. It's "WHERE"S THE BLOODY SLIDE OIL?!?!?!?!"

[@GoldenFreddy-io9zs]

@@tromboneman4517 that is better

[@tromboneman4517]

Golden Freddy 22, just helping out a fellow human being.

[@SynergyXE]

​I heard he uses angel tears for it

[@aaronfsmall]

Why are you people complaining about the way Mr Leyendecker is teaching? Obviously the student wanted to participate in this master class, which is essentially asking mr. Leyendecker to show him how he would play this particular excerpt.

[@Morphetus]

I think he is a great teacher. At this level I think his students get it and appreciate the way he talks to them.

[@bcwest56]

What he is trying to do is get the man emotionally involved with piece

[@rickdynes]

The teacher's sound is freaking amazing!

[@PosauneundPapier]

Believe it or not, this video actually inspired me to go to Germany to study with Prof. Leyendecker for several days during a masterclass program there. It was a really eye-opening experience!

[@carnegiehall]

Master Class participants apply from all over the country. A wide range of schools were represented in this master class, including Colburn, Curtis, Eastman, Indiana University, Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Northwestern, Peabody, Rice, University of Michigan, University of Southern Mississippi, and University of Southern California. carnegiehall . org / workshops

[@Felsenherzz]

This happens if you start a war wearing a suit.

[@mvilika]

Hehe

[@benwalton7565]

Counter argument: Hitman

[@Discoduchess]

Awesome intonation! Love this master class series.

[@carnegiehall]

Thanks for watching!

[@MastodonRockss]

I think he'd get the sound he was looking for if he put a bit more space between the long notes and made the sound a bit more edgy. Just an idea.

[@trentjohnson4635]

Agreed

[@destinhoskins3798]

yep.

[@BillBenzon]

This is all about how to get the 'lizard brain' into the music. We're going beyond the notes to the deep music, the soul of the sound. Great teaching.

[@MastodonRockss]

I like how he talks about the plot. Anytime you play Wagner, you should be aware of what's going on in the story. It's too weird and crazy to not know lol.

[@nelsonarias4560]

Could you read mein kamf and re do this please with anger is what the instructor should have said.

[@TheNoobyGuy1]

Might be the greatest thing I've read in a while lol.

[@jonthorne337]

nelson arias I can feeeeeel your anger! Let the hate FLOW through you!

[@tuboplover]

nelson arias lol

[@Felsenherzz]

women in armor...hell who knows what he thought :-D

[@musicianfriendly2005]

Paul Stein hot steamy sexual encounters after and before battle.... that’s what I thought

[@JordanCarterTrombone]

I didn't mean to come across as insulting Carson's playing, because I think it's at a very high level. I think I can do it decently, and I say that because I've graduated from university for music. That's irrelevant, though. I'm well aware that you need to have that kind of sound to win a job, but it personally annoys me because to me it doesn't sound interesting. It sounds like audition committees want super human robots (perfect), but aren't humans meant to make mistakes and take chances?

[@JordanCarterTrombone]

I like how he speaks about how you shouldn't play each note equally and how he focuses on the character of the music. I've run in to too many people who strive for a perfect. even kind of sound and it just frustrates me.

[@bassbonemexie]

student was like --------, and the teacher wanted --^^^--, but he went ^---------, and the teacher was like no --^^^--, and the student ended up ^^^^. rip.

[@mechwarrior5727]

Me, practicing: I need a better tone! this teacher: TOO NICE

[@amadoherreros7408]

more anger !!!!!

[@SJG94]

>there is nothing democratic about music, every note is different ;)

[@NeuKrofta]

I wish my trombone teacher was this guy

[@Equb3d]

"you lack emotional content" i do like the video though

[@tomoakhill8825]

At 6:38 Thomas Leyendecker plays it the way he thinks it should be played. It blew me off my seat! OMG!!

[@aronpierce2623]

A players emotion is an extremely big part of playing, you get so much of an experience when the musician is visibly experiencing the emotion of the song, it makes it contagious

[@truettberglund4854]

Go Carson! My trombone coach at the Minnesota All-State Orchestra Camp (2021-2022).

[@ajproductionsmusic]

Piu aggressivo! Overblow it if you have to just to get the weight as the instructor did. Or you could ask him as an exercise to play the whole lot staccatissimo and then work down as i sometimes do with my players. Nice video. Thanks :-)

[@Overlycomplicatedswede]

Hearing a native German talk about Valkyries and loud Wagner pieces is oddly fitting when i picture Germans

[@danontuba9]

what Thomas was not able to get across is the weight, the accents on first beat of each measure..... that is what is lacking.

[@1thirdstone1]

He did try.

[@bradleybunk6463]

Is it 3/4 or 6/8 time?

[@TheNoobyGuy1]

Wow both of them are bosses!

[@TheNoobyGuy1]

+The Undescribable k

[@james_subosits]

+John Averin Aslakhanov The teacher's audio is coming from a different mic than the student is playing into.

[@crazymongoose2006]

i am in seventh grade I WILL PLAY THIS SOME DAY I WWWIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

[@TheStickyKey]

crazy mongoose why not tommorow?

[@nicholasneyhart396]

Perhaps that day is today? You never learn without challenging yourself so try slow and maybe throw in a incentive to not mess up but that still helps you like arpeggios or lip slurs.

[@pega17pl]

I think Mr. King-Fournier started to internalize how to play Ride of the Valkyries. Sometimes his playing sounds I know from performances at opera houses. :thumbs-up:

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

I think he means to really bark it out...mean and nasty.

[@pablobasstb]

Difference between US approach and German approach, at least to this kind of music..

[@gabrielbarba7434]

One of the things my BD told me when I would play loud, dark, full parts is to take off the coat, roll up the sleeves, and angle my head down a bit, just in practice. Get into the mindset, keep the mindset, and then put the coat back on. Holy hell though, they’re both great. Student has some MAD potential

[@jwd0808]

Not sure why he (Carson) is not taking a big intense breath in the beginning of each section...

[@Dylan2007sha]

he isn't...

[@Evanw10282]

@@Dylan2007sha can you read

[@BillBenzon]

He's GOT to be on those horses himself and be riding them into battle.

[@ZachMacLurg]

I love how he gets such a big sound out of his horn!

[@gabrielbarba7434]

10:20 I think that’s the first time the student put some growl in it and it makes a huge difference

[@KimberlyDupres]

Agreed. I think this is why I am requested by many organizations to play trombone for them. I like to add character to my playing. There's a time for beautiful playing and sometimes there isn't. You've got to know the difference.

[@B1GFREAK]

Europeans place much emphasis on the first beat and third beats in 4/4, for example. Americans have a more homogeneous sound on each beat. It's a bit oatmeal sounding if done that way. Tell the story!

[@Angelus1612]

Carson King-Fournier(the student) is playing on an Edwards T396-A. Not sure about Mr.Thomas Leyendecker though.

[@achimd4717]

To me it seems Mr. Leyendecker is playing a trombone made by Meister Hans Kromat.

[@Jaumiusk13]

THANKS PAUL

[@B1GFREAK]

Put some athleticism into the artistry. Paraphrasing CSO french horn legend Dale Clevenger.

[@johnbiswas2024]

Hey you gave me some pretty good tips to play the trombone I just started off in band

[@santiagobustosguitarra9080]

Maybe could ask about how he feels when he is angry. And later ask why he is playing this music.

[@hollyday2313]

What a difference when the professional musician plays, wow!!

[@tromboneman4517]

Why are people so offended by the teacher in the comments? He’s quite nice in my eyes, even in his criticism. People are just snowflakes who can’t handle criticism. Lol. I actually thought he was too nice, because the player in the video is making really unacceptable mistakes like wrong rhythms.

[@Timrath]

The whole first 7 minutes could have been resolved instantly if he had just told him to play portato rather than staccato.

[@Lurcanio1]

Maybe, but the student would just play it differently because he was told to do so. It is about understanding the music and what has to be expressed. And to get the student out of his comfort zone and daring to play less polite and beautiful for this particular excerpt

[@dreamtheaterfanboy4421]

I wish I could sound that good.

[@leonardpermana2222]

i love trombone!!

[@benderbendingrofriguez3300]

when you hear that sound, its mean the Air Cav is coming so get the fuck outta and run as fast as you can.

[@KITTYKAT1100101]

too nice play with the fierocity needed almost to blat on the machine It sounds lousy , but , such power is needed in certain pieces

[@Robert...Schrey]

Thus guy needs more beer.

[@saiyan171]

anytime a professor used to put me there visually I feel like my playing always changed after I really like that

[@Pantheragatos]

I like the kids sound for sure.

[@JDVmusicSound]

The student sounds like a trombone player. One note phrases and over thinking the quality of each note. Play the phrases man!!! This was tough to watch.

[@ado4224]

Its so interesting professors always like when you make a face when playing (sweet or strong) ''waw much better'' ahah

[@austinkulm8517]

Looking for recordings of this excerpt and of course Carson King shows up

[@blsharpley]

The principal player in arguably the world's best orchestra. Clearly he has no idea what he's talking about.

[@farquell5782]

i want to study with this guy!

[@TickleMeElmo55]

>>If he thinks it's a glorious victory music, then he's right. If he thinks it's a sad music, than he's right too. Everybody decides what music means to him/her. The absence of logic is strong with you. "My feelings!"

[@dreamtheaterfanboy4421]

LandInbetween, that's liberalism for you!!! Emotion over logic.

[@Smood47]

I think the teacher is trying to convey the commonly accepted (at least in the orchestral world) interpretation of the piece. Hes quite right that its more battle music than just some nice pretty flowery music like the student is playing. Of course the student can play it however he wants and say thats how I feel. But for now as a student he should learn the commonly accepted interpretation.

[@walnutbrosproductions1604]

Agreed, I honestly think (without trying to be rude) that the composers intent and style should usually be followed. Sure, music can mean different things to different people, however, I feel in classical music you can never play/perform or interpret anything other than the composer's desire. (Especially with Wagner)

[@dpainter1526]

Er no, the composer is the one who decided what the music is.

[@Evanw10282]

@@walnutbrosproductions1604 If you’re making your own arrangement of it, go for whatever.

[@anibalbarca8724]

napalm? not!

[@lisah9992]

How good are griego alessi mouthpieces

[@bran01mc]

i have one it depends on what type you get but there really good i recommend it

[@leogolive]

This instructor wants him to pretend he’s Adolf Hitler, and instead of giving a speech he’s playing trombone!

[@ShuffleSk8Ter]

He tries to play this instrument like a video game lol

[@alexisdiaz9583]

4:28 Teacher plays

[@alexisdiaz9583]

6:39

[@philipph.1914]

Thomas Leyendecker is actually the 2./3. Trombonist of the Berlin Phil, not the Principal, whom are Christhard Gössling and Olaf Ott for years. You can find him playing basstrombone in the Berlin Phil as well.

[@Evanw10282]

11:07 to 11:09 does that explain his pinched tone?

[@akarcher5417]

He was associate principal not second they fill in when other members are off or will play the extra bass part in stuff like alpine or Wagner

[@ALF8892]

I can't get over not hearing the tuba

[@zacharyzapico7]

Looks like he's playing on an Edwards and a griego alessi mpc.

[@martybrodeur111]

darth vader evil is really really really bad.

[@808sivart]

What kind of mouthpiece is he playing?

[@tombonele]

Where do these kids go to school?

[@LowReedExpert1]

are those detachable bell-flare trombones?

[@fannybuster]

ok

[@claytonalsop3940]

whach with captions

[@stoya2s]

Woow. I'm quite surprised.

[@spaceagedude]

Growl!

[@zhenghaorocks]

wow so cool!

[@dreamtheaterfanboy4421]

I'm playing this for my solo competition.

[@dreamtheaterfanboy4421]

I flopped it.

[@BluesDivinity]

Dream Theater Fanboy that’s big tough

[@ValzainLumivix]

Oops

[@tromboneman4517]

This the same guy many years later! I’m now in music school. Needless to say, flopping an excerpt I probably should not have learned in middle school had zero impact on anything long term… 😂😂😂😂😂

[@LeiderVerdrueckt]

Is the teacher playing a Thein?

[@brassybreathing7417]

no its a kromat

[@caineburleson3612]

VoGnEr

[@bradley_gober]

The student looked so annoyed

[@montyplays853]

That was beautiful wtf are u talking about

[@maxf6304]

This is weird as fuck

[@PatRobAl95]

The principal player is excellent but needs to improve his people skills (but I guess musicians don't have to be nice)

[@PhilCollenz]

Can you play the ride even half as good as Carson? Honestly, to win a job, you have to have that kind of sound. Nobody wants to listen to someone who is uneven or inconsistent. You can have character, but you NEED to focus on your sound first.

[@Lurcanio1]

Carson is a brilliant and very advanced player. His sound is fine so why should they work on this. He tries get him out of his comfort zone and be emotionally more involved. Carson will keep sounding fine but he might take something from this short lesson that may help him to be more daring and expressive

[@adamjohnson8988]

So, King never really played anything different than what he did on the first run through. I would normally call it rude to be this stubborn, but he honestly wasn't getting very good advice. Excerpts like this are prepared for the purpose of auditions. It's not for a solo recital where the performer's goal is to portray their own musical interpretations. The real goal here is to be as robotic, and in tune and possible to show that he can play well with others. This may be different in European auditions but he did exactly what he was trained to do and did it incredibly well. Pretty sure his teacher, Joe Alessi would agree.

[@andrewfielden284]

Well said. I think the lad played it outstandingly well. Anything else is down to interpretation, and the teacher's was different. But what the student played would be more than acceptable in any performance, as part of the whole trom section.

[@1thirdstone1]

@@andrewfielden284 What if the whole Trombone section was playing like Thomas?

[@Lurcanio1]

@@1thirdstone1 it might sound as the Berlin Philharmonic then

[@sebthi7890]

oh ihr Posaunisten, wollt die die Sänger unbedingt jammern hören... die heutigen Orchster sind einfach zu laut für unverstärkte Gesangsstimme. Warum werden die modernen Blasinstrumente immer weiter auf dicken und brillianten Ton gezüchtet, wir Sänger sind die Verlierer, das Publikum auch... 😭

[@lyassp651]

1. Leyendecker spielt auf einer Posaune, die so gebaut ist, dass sie den Klang einer deutsch-romantischen Posaune um 1850 anstrebt. Wagner hat seine Musik für diese großen Posaunen geschrieben. Das Argument können Sie gerne bei klassischen Stücken bringen, aber nicht bei Wagner. Es gab sogar Posaunen um diese Zeit, die einen deutlich heroischeren und pfundigeren Klang hatten. 2. Bei den Stellen, die hier gespielt werden, ist kein Gesang dabei, lediglich bei den Schlusstönen. 3. Bei Probespielen werden Stellen teilweise dynamisch anders gespielt, als im Zusammenspiel in einem Orchester, da man einerseits die Emotionen als Einzelperson und andererseits die Emotionen als Orchester dem Zuhörer vermitteln muss. Die Jury will in der Regel auch sehen, dass man einen großen dynamischen Umfang hat. Weniger kräftig und leiser geht immer.

[@webbrov]

Pfeiffe. So unterrichtet man nicht einen begnadeten Posaunisten...

[@philipph.1914]

Wer bist du, um ein solches Urteil abzugeben? Ich finde es unverschämt, jemanden so zu beleidigen.

[@suepogson621]

I'm not sure if this is edited but if not the teacher is far too negative. Two stars and a wish ... This was good, I liked this, It will be even better if you do this .... The trombonist is becoming dispirited. Positives, then negatives. Maybe it was time restraints but that was generally poor and demotivating feedback from the master.

[@willfellows1273]

He's not there to tell him he's good, he's there to make him better. It's obvious he's good in the first place, he's at Carnegie Hall, as a Juilliard student doing a masterclass with a principal trombonist from a world class orchestra... This is Wagner ugh.

[@dreamtheaterfanboy4421]

sue pogson, trust me, that teacher isn't negative. You want negativity? Go see Ms. Mallow in Texas. She destroys our band every time she comes to "teach" our band. There's a fine line between instruction and negativity.

[@andrewfielden284]

I guess as a budding pro, you have to get used to negativity, because the standards are so high. It goes with the job. But as an amateur I wouldn't stand for all that negativity being piled on to me. I play for fun!

[@Evanw10282]

Teachers will generally tell you that you’re good, it’s just that they don’t want you to be too cocky

[@cameronclark9814]

People who just play for fun don't purposely sign up for these workshops. The teachers jib is to make you better, nit make you feel good about yourself.