'Just' Natural Trumpet Anniversary and Giuseppe Araldi, Method for Trumpet with Keys and Valves (c.1835), translated and edited by Russell Gilmour

3 August 2026, 05:00

To celebrate two years since ‘Just’ Natural Trumpet was launched, I'm delighted to be launching several new publications today.

Firstly, having renegotiated the rights to use all 133 images for an eBook version, the long-awaited PDF Download Edition of ‘Just’ Natural Trumpet is now available: click here to find out more information or to order from our PDF Download Store.

Secondly, I am delighted to launch the first complete English translation and edition of Giuseppe Araldi’s Method for Trumpet with Keys and Valves—a fascinating nineteenth-century trumpet method written by the First Trumpet of La Scala, Milan, in c.1835. This historically significant book is available in a very limited print run, and as a PDF digital download. Please see below for details of how to order this method.

Thirdly, Giuseppe Araldi’s Method for Trumpet with Keys and Valves is also be available as a PDF download.

Fourthly and fifthly, I've also edited two collections of trumpet duets by Gius. Araldi: one is a collection of 12 Waltzes, and the other is a collection of ‘Souvenirs’ from Vincenzo Bellini's La straniera.

Giuseppe Araldi Method for Trumpet with Keys and Valves

Written by the first trumpet player of the Imperial Royal Theatre La Scala, Giuseppe Araldi’s Method for Trumpet with Keys and Valves (c.1835) documents a pivotal period in trumpet history, revealing that natural, keyed, and valved trumpets were all familiar to the principal trumpet player of this celebrated Italian opera house.

Araldi’s method includes natural trumpet exercises, concise études for natural, keyed, and valved trumpets, and additional studies based on Motivi di Opere (‘Opera Motifs’) by composers including Giuseppe Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, and Saverio Mercadante.

Edited by Russell Gilmour (author of ‘Just’ Natural Trumpet), this edition offers modern notation and the first complete English translation alongside corresponding facsimiles of the original nineteenth-century print, making Araldi’s method accessible in a clear and practical format for performers, teachers, and researchers.

A must-have for those passionate about historical performance, and also valuable practice material for modern trumpet players.

How to purchase:

Printed edition (with free UK postage) from our website shop for physical products
Printed edition (for international buyers) on eBay using the Global Shipping Programme
PDF digital download from our PDF download store

Two additional collections of duets by Araldi are also newly available as PDF downloads:

Souvenir della Straniera del Sign. Mo. Bellini - on our PDF download store
12 Valzer per Trombe a chiavi - on our PDF download store

Launch Offer: 20% off all Araldi titles until 10 August 2026.

Researching Giuseppe Araldi’s Trumpet Method

The trumpet method by Giuseppe Araldi, written in the first half of the nineteenth century (c.1835), came to my attention in December 2022 when I was preparing to play on the album In the Shadows (Erato, 5419787982) with the tenor soloist Michael Spyres and the French period-instrument orchestra Les Talens Lyriques, directed by Christophe Rousset. The programme included the aria ‘Meco all’altar di Venere’ from Norma by Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835); this opera originally premiered at La Scala in Milan on 26 December 1831. The trumpet parts require non-harmonic tones in the middle register, which tends to suggest that instruments with ‘transitional systems’—most likely keys or early valves—would be required.

It was while researching ‘Meco all’altar di Venere’, and trying to decide which instrument to use for our recording (I eventually opted to use a keyed trumpet in E♭), that I stumbled upon Giuseppe Araldi’s trumpet method. I had been hoping to find out who played at La Scala during this period and the following text on the title page of Araldi’s trumpet method matched my search terms very closely: Prima Tromba dell’I. R. Teatro alla Scala (‘First Trumpet of the Imperial Royal Theatre La Scala’). This fascinating method indicates that the ‘trumpet without keys’ (i.e. natural trumpet), keyed trumpet, and valved trumpet were all familiar to the first trumpet player at this famous Italian opera house, around the year 1835.

This book is dedicated to my son, Alfred, who was born just as this project was completed.

Russell Gilmour

writing on music, photography, engraving, travel and life as a freelance professional musician.

Russell Gilmour's innovative new book, 'Just' Natural Trumpet, is now available: please click here for more information.