Arthur Pryor's Exercises: Memories and Manuscripts From Jack Bigelow, a Former Pryor Student
Schultz, Wendy Elizabeth
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/85756
Description
Title
Arthur Pryor's Exercises: Memories and Manuscripts From Jack Bigelow, a Former Pryor Student
Author(s)
Schultz, Wendy Elizabeth
Issue Date
2005
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Elliot Chasanov
Department of Study
Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
A.Mus.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Music
Language
eng
Abstract
Arthur Pryor forever changed the public's perception of the trombone as a solo instrument. His practice techniques are what made him a legendary performer. Trombonists today continue to strive to achieve his incredible dexterity, flexibility and lightning speed as demonstrated by his recordings of his own compositions. This study contains sixteen exercises used by Arthur Pryor that were given to Jack Bigelow, a former Pryor student in the late 1930s. These exercises have summarily been edited according to Jack Bigelow's recollections of his lessons with and commentary made by Arthur Pryor. In the technical passages of Pryor's own compositions, one finds the same figures as are presented in the exercises in this study. Thus, this study provides a developmental missing link of preparatory material, mainly based in scales and arpeggios, for the performance demands required by Pryor's own solo compositions. Though not written in Pryor's own hand, these exercises provide a bridge to allow students to approach his compositions, and in so doing, provide a unique addition to the body of technical studies for the trombone. During his lifetime, Arthur Pryor chose not to publish any exercises or studies for the trombone. Thus, any of the materials he used, or was thought to have used in his performance would be very valuable. This project may serve as a link between Arthur Pryor's legendary performance skills and the modern trombonist by allowing students and performers to experience a sampling of his practice routine in preparation for performing his solo compositions. Jack Bigelow's recollections have provided a historical perspective of Pryor's astounding technique and specific guidelines to aid the modern trombonist in approaching Pryor's facility on the trombone.
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