Arban's Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet is a method book for students of trumpet, cornet, and other brass instruments. The original edition, Grande méthode complète de cornet à pistons et de saxhorn, was written and composed by Jean-Baptiste Arban (1825-1889) and published in Paris by Léon Escudier in 1864. It was reissued by multiple publishers, with notable revisions made by published in 1879 by J.W. Pepper; Edwin Franko Goldman, published in 1893 by Carl Fischer; and Claude Gordon, published in 1982 also by Carl Fischer. It contains hundreds of exercises ranging from basic to advanced compositions, with later editions also including a selection of popular themes as solos and duets by various composers, and several original compositions by Arban including his famous arrangement of Carnival of Venice.

Structure Introduction In the introduction, Arban covers the range of the cornet (trumpet). He also details alternate fingerings and describes the use of the tuning slide. Arban says in his opinion that the mouthpiece should be two-thirds on the lower lip and one-third on the upper. Arban then stresses the proper "attack" technique. He uses the "tu" pronunciation, which in French is said with the tongue in the "tee" position. Arban concludes with proper breathing technique (see diaphragmatic breathing).

I. First Studies Arban then begins his method with a focus on tone (Studies 1-10). The next studies (11-50) familiarize students with fingerings and develop their range. These studies intend to instill in the student precision in attacking the notes. The next section, devoted to syncopation, goes from a simple quarter-half-quarter rhythm to a sixteenth-eighth-sixteenth repeated rhythm. Arban next focuses on the dotted eighth-sixteenth and eighth-double sixteenth rhythms. He ends the First Studies with 10 studies on the meter.

II. Playing Methods: Slurring or Legato Playing This section focusses on slurring and legato playing. It begins with simple slurs that are accomplished by the variation of valves. The suggestion is made pronouncing "taw-ee" while playing. The editor recommends adding little more air on the top note. (Such a technique is also needed to accomplish trills.) Arban devotes half of the whole section to lip slurs. He concludes with a series of advanced studies combining slurred and staccato playing.

III. Scales

Arban's series on scales includes studies of major, minor, and chromatic scales, as well as numerous variations thereof. Arban admits to giving minor scales "limited treatment," but Gordon refutes this by citing the nonexistence of "limits on the use of the Trumpet and Cornet."

IV. Ornaments

Next, Arban teaches the student the various ornaments that can be played on a trumpet or cornet. He details the simple appoggiatura, grace note (short appoggiatura), portamento, double appoggiatura, the turn, the trill, and the mordent. Arban concludes the fourth section by combining the various ornaments and integrating them into various tunes.

V. More Advanced Studies The "more advanced studies" include studies on intervals; broken octaves and tenths; triplets; the four-sixteenth rhythmic figure; major and minor arpeggios; the dominant seventh arpeggio; and cadenzas.

VI. Tonguing Next, Arban focuses on triple tonguing, double tonguing, and fanfare tonguing. Arban uses various "tu-ku" pronunciation combinations, and Gordon subsequently replaces these with "tee-kee" combinations. In his studies on double tonguing, Arban includes a score of studies in which he combines double tonguing with slurs occurring on various beats and within them.

The Art of Phrasing: 150 Classic and Popular Melodies The Art of Phrasing was written by Arban in 1866, but was never added to the original French edition of the Method. These songs and duets first appeared in the American Edition of the Arban Method published by the Jean White Company in 1872. This new version added 28 duets entitled 28 Recreations, 32 Melodies, and 100 Art of the Phrasing songs. J.W. Pepper and Carl Fischer also added the Art of Phrasing to their Arban Methods in the late 1800s.

68 Duets for Two Cornets As in his other sections, Arban progresses from simple pieces to more challenging ones. Compositions # Arban's Title Composer (if given) 1 Sacred Song "Portniansky" (Dmitry Bortniansky) 2 Russian Hymn 3 Cradle Song Carl Maria von Weber 4 Melody 5 Melody 6 Melody Saverio Mercadante 7 Adeste Fideles 8 God Save the Queen / America 9 Air by Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 10 Air by Gretry André Grétry 11 Noel Ancien 12 Air by Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven 13 Arabian Song 14 Serenade André Grétry 15 La Romanesca 16 Romance from "Joseph" Étienne Méhul 17 Romance Jacques de Gouy 18 Noel Ancien 19 March Jacques de Gouy 20 Song of Master Adam 21 Le Souvenir 22 Richard of the Lion Heart André Grétry 23 The Two Savoyards 24 Silent Sorrow Samuel Webbe 25 Melody 26 The Lion Hunt Saverio Mercadante 27 L'Elisir D'Amore Gaetano Donizetti 28 I Would That My Love Felix Mendelssohn 29 Prayer to the Virgin Saverio Mercadante 30 Spanish Royal March 31 March of Two Misers 32 Melody 33 Country Wedding 34 Bivouac Song 35 Birthday Festival 36 Melody 37 German Song Friedrich Wilhelm Kücken 38 Richard of the Lion Heart André Grétry 39 March Jacques de Gouy 40 Tic e Tic e Toc 41 Carnival of Venice 42 Nel Cor Piu Giovanni Paisiello 43 Bolero Jacques de Gouy 44 Norma Vincenzo Bellini 45 Melody 46 Last Rose of Summer 47 Evening Prayer Saverio Mercadante 48 Cavatina from "Somnambula" Vincenzo Bellini 49 Austrian National Hymn Joseph Haydn 50 Freischutz Carl Maria von Weber 51 French Air 52 Burning Fever André Grétry 53 L'Elisir D'Amore Gaetano Donizetti 54 Air from "Somnambula" Vincenzo Bellini 55 Wind and Wave 56 Tyrolienne 57 Italian Air 58 Alpine Horn Heinrich Proch 59 The Hermit Michel Lambert 60 Freischutz Carl Maria von Weber 61 Flower of Damascus Saverio Mercadante 62 Waltz from "Puritani" Vincenzo Bellini 63 Prayer from "Moses" Gioachino Rossini 64 Siege of Rochelle Michael William Balfe 65 Hail! Star of Mary Heinrich Proch 66 The Two Friends "Laurent" 67 Martha Friedrich von Flotow 68 The Fox Hunters

14 Characteristic Studies Before his final 12 fantasias, Arban provides 14 challenging characteristic studies. His concluding remarks are: Those of my readers who… want to attain… perfection, should… try to hear good music well interpreted. They must seek out… the most illustrious models, and… purify their taste, verify their sentiments, and bring themselves as near as possible to that which is beautiful. These passages are challenging and are longer than all of the previous sections' pieces. Each is a full page long (in the platinum edition), and they crescendo in difficulty as they progress; the fourteenth study is two pages long and the only piece in this section in time. Characteristic Studies No. Tempo Marking Written Keys Meter Subdivision 1 Allegro moderato 96 C major, E major, D major, and G major Sixteenth note 2 Legato 120 E major and E major Sixteenth note and Eighth note 3 Moderato 86 C major, F major, D major, and G major Sixteenth note triplet and Sixteenth note 4 Allegretto 88 E minor, G major, C major, A minor, and A major Sixteenth note triplet and Sixteenth note alternation 5 Allegro 104 C major Sixteenth note triplet and Sixteenth note alternation 6 Moderato 76 F major and D major Sixteenth note 7 Allegro 104 C major, A major, and B major Sixteenth note triplet and Eighth note 8 Allegro moderato 104 D minor and F major Sixteenth note 9 Allegro 124 B major Sixteenth note 10 Allegro 124 G minor, C minor, and D major Sixteenth note 11 Allegretto 96 C major, A major, and D major Sixteenth note 12 Allegro moderato 100 F minor, D major, and C major Sixteenth note 13 Allegro non troppo 96 C major Sixteenth note triplet 14 Legato chromatique 76 C major and F major Sixteenth note and Thirty-second note

12 Celebrated Fantasies and Airs Varies In addition to the eleven fantasias (fantasies) for B-flat cornets, there is one for the A cornet ("Fantasie and Variations on Acteon"). Arban's celebrated composition "Fantasie and Variations on The Carnival of Venice" is the eleventh fantasia in the list. Pieces No. Arban's Title Concert Key Structure 1 Fantaisie and Variations on a Cavatina from Beatrice di Tenda by V. Bellini B major Introduction, Theme, Var. I, Var. II, Var. III and Finale I, and Finale II 2 Fantaisie and Variations on Actéon D major Introduction (in D minor), Theme, Var. I, and Finale 3 Fantaisie Brillante B minor Introduction, Theme, Var. I, Var. II, and Var. III 4 Variations on a Tyrolean Song B major Introduction (in F major), Theme, Var. I, Var. II, Var. III., Var. IV, and Rondo 5 Variations on a song Vois-tu la neige qui brille (The Beautiful Snow) E major Theme, Var. I, Var. II, Var. III, and Finale 6 Cavatina and Variations B major Introduction (in F major), Theme, Var. I, Var. II, and Var. III 7 Air Varié on a Folk Song: The Little Swiss Boy B major Introduction, Theme, Var. I, Var. II, Var. III (in G major), and Var. IV et Finale 8 Caprice and Variations E major Introduction (in B major), Theme, Var. I, Var. II, and Var. III 9 Fantaisie and Variations on a German Theme E major Introduction (in B major), Theme, Var. I, Var. II, Var. III, and Finale 10 Variations on a favorite theme by C.M. von Weber E major Introduction (in B major), Theme, Var. I, Var. II, Var. III, and Var. IV (in B major) 11 Fantaisie and Variations on The Carnival of Venice E major Introduction, Theme, Var. I, Var. II, Var. III, and Var. IV 12 Variations on a theme from Norma by V. Bellini B major Introduction (in E major), Theme, Var. I, Var. II, and Finale

Titles and versions Arban’s book has been published with different titles, and with variations for different instruments.

Arban ́s Complete Celebrated Method for the CornetArban, Jean-Baptiste. Arban ́s Complete Celebrated Method for the Cornet. Europäischer Musikverlag. 2014.

My First Arban; For the Developing StudentArban, Jean-Baptiste and Foster, Robert E. My First Arban; For the Developing Student. Carl Fischer Music Publisher. 2001.

Arban Method for Trombone and BaritoneArban, Jean-Baptiste. Arban Method for Trombone and Baritone. Carl Fischer Music Publisher. 2013.

Arban’s Complete Conservatory Method for TrumpetArban, Jean-Baptiste. Arban's Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet. Dover Publications. 2011.

Arban’s Famous Method for TromboneArban, Jean-Baptiste. Arban's Famous Method for Trombone. Carl Fischer. 1936.

Complete Conservatory Method for CC TubaArban, Jean-Baptiste. Arban: Complete Conservatory Method for CC Tuba.

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