Taps (Il Silenzio)

[Lazarus]

You may never have heard the full rendition of Il Silenzio, otherwise

known as "Taps". This is a most beautiful rendition.

The girl's name is Melissa Venema and is playing with maestro Andre Rieu from Maastriecht in the Netherlands . She is 13 and has been performing for years. This performance is in 2008 Masstriecht where city officials sealed off the town square and closed everything down so they get perfect noise control.

I am sure all of you that have studied music will appreciate such talent from such a 13 year old young lady. This is the first time I have ever heard the full rendition of Taps and I enjoyed it very much. It is a wonderful performance.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4l3Rgq-L1M

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[cx]

I don't know diddly about music, but I'd say that would be accepted as a very fine performance for any player of that horn. :)

[John Bridge]

Very nice. Doesn't sound like the Taps I know, but it's nice. :)

Andre Rieu is one of may favorites. I've got two or three of his CDs.

[jgleason]

A beautiful piece. Not "Taps" though.

Taps has been around since the mid 1800's.

The composition the young girl is playing is Il Silenzio, written in 1965 by trumpeter Nini Rosso. It is a derivative work sharing a few similarities to "Taps" as we know it.

A really good article on the history of Taps - http://www.west-point.org/taps/Taps.html

[John Bridge]

Good article, Joe. :)

When I was in basic training at Ft. Carson, Colorado, in early 1958 they played several bugle calls during the day and evening over a loudspeaker system. There was, of course, Reveille in the morning (in French it's pronounced Rev-aye); other calls during the day that I don't recall; Retreat and To the Colors when the flag was lowered in the afternoon/evening; and Taps and Tattoo at bed time.

I remember lying in my bunk listening to Taps and Tattoo. In fact, I can still play them on my harmonica. Used to be able to do Retreat and To the Colors, but I've forgotten. :)

[cx]

Yes, tres interesting, Joe. I knew I couldn't hear what I'd always known as Taps in that piece the girl played, but I just figgered we got the watered down version in the Coast Guard and never heard the formal origins of it. :D

After all, most places where I woulda heard it, it was played on a record player.

I only heard it played by a real, live person a few times in the five years I spent in the military. And it's a tough tune to forget when you hear it that way. :shades:

Still gotta say that little girl plays a mean trumpet. That is a trumpet, right?

I think the most impressive part of her playing might how she can get enough wind outa that little skinny body to make the horn work. But she do, eh?

[jgleason]

Yep, she's playing a trumpet, not a bugle.

I used to play trumpet when I was in high school. Nowhere near as well as she plays though.

[sandbagger]

"Taps" is clearly evident in the opening and toward the end, but no, nothing like the version we played around with in school band. I must say her "form" is a little unorthodox in the way she holds the horn and positions the mouthpiece. Of course, they used to say that about Arnold Palmer's golf swing, too. :D

[jgleason]

I wasn't a big fan of Dizzy Gillespie's style either but the sounds coming out are all that counts. :D

[Davestone]

When i used to do funeral detail the bugler would hide behind a tree off in the distance,sometimes it would be foggy, it made it sound very eerie.:bow:

[sandbagger]

yep, good ol' Dizzie. :tup2:

and speaking of child prodigies, I was a little surprised awhile back to learn that Doc Severinsen was one. (http://www.docseverinsen.com/biography.htm) Much like this little gal, in fact. ...with the help of his father and a manual of instructions, the seven-year-old was so good that he was invited to join the high school band. At the age of twelve, Little Doc won the Music Educator's National Contest and, while still in high school, was hired to go on the road with the famous Ted Fio Rito Orchestra. Doc now has his own line of custom, handmade trumpets. Supposedly he "test drives" every one before it is sent to the buyer. I suspect Melissa could sound pretty good on one. :cool: