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On this day, January 17, 1967, David Mason recorded the piccolo trumpet solo for "Penny Lane."
Last edited Fri Jan 17, 2025, 05:31 PM - Edit history (3)
Hat tip, This Day in Music
What Happened Today In Music
January 17th
1967 - David Mason
40-year-old David Mason recorded the piccolo trumpet solo for The Beatle's 'Penny Lane' at Abbey Road Studios in London. He was paid £27, 10 shillings ($42) for his performance. In August, 1987, the trumpet he used was sold at a Sotheby's auction for $10,846.
January 17th
1967 - David Mason
40-year-old David Mason recorded the piccolo trumpet solo for The Beatle's 'Penny Lane' at Abbey Road Studios in London. He was paid £27, 10 shillings ($42) for his performance. In August, 1987, the trumpet he used was sold at a Sotheby's auction for $10,846.
Edited to add, to clarify which David Mason this was:
David Mason (trumpeter)
Born: 2 April 1926; London, England
Died: 29 April 2011 (aged 85); London, England
Occupation: Trumpeter
David Mason (2 April 1926 – 29 April 2011) was an English orchestral, solo and session trumpet player. He played the flugelhorn for the premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams's ninth symphony and the piccolo trumpet solo on the Beatles' song "Penny Lane".
{snip}
Penny Lane
Main article: Penny Lane
On 17 January 1967 at Abbey Road Studios Mason recorded the piccolo trumpet solo which is a prominent part of the Beatles' song "Penny Lane". The solo, inspired by Mason's performance of Bach's 2nd Brandenburg Concerto with the English Chamber Orchestra, is in a mock-Baroque style for which the piccolo trumpet is particularly suited, having a clean and clear sound which penetrates well through thicker midrange textures.
Mason recorded the solo using a piccolo trumpet in A (this uses a slightly longer leadpipe than the piccolo trumpet in B-flat, which itself is an octave higher than a standard B-flat trumpet). Although such piccolo trumpet solos became almost commonplace in some types of pop, this was innovative at the time and was among the first such uses: George Martin later wrote, "The result was unique, something which had never been done in rock music before".
Mason also contributed to several other Beatles songs, including "A Day in the Life", "Magical Mystery Tour", "All You Need Is Love" and "It's All Too Much".
{snip}
Death
Mason died of leukaemia in April 2011, at the age of 85.
{snip}
Born: 2 April 1926; London, England
Died: 29 April 2011 (aged 85); London, England
Occupation: Trumpeter
David Mason (2 April 1926 – 29 April 2011) was an English orchestral, solo and session trumpet player. He played the flugelhorn for the premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams's ninth symphony and the piccolo trumpet solo on the Beatles' song "Penny Lane".
{snip}
Penny Lane
Main article: Penny Lane
On 17 January 1967 at Abbey Road Studios Mason recorded the piccolo trumpet solo which is a prominent part of the Beatles' song "Penny Lane". The solo, inspired by Mason's performance of Bach's 2nd Brandenburg Concerto with the English Chamber Orchestra, is in a mock-Baroque style for which the piccolo trumpet is particularly suited, having a clean and clear sound which penetrates well through thicker midrange textures.
Mason recorded the solo using a piccolo trumpet in A (this uses a slightly longer leadpipe than the piccolo trumpet in B-flat, which itself is an octave higher than a standard B-flat trumpet). Although such piccolo trumpet solos became almost commonplace in some types of pop, this was innovative at the time and was among the first such uses: George Martin later wrote, "The result was unique, something which had never been done in rock music before".
Mason also contributed to several other Beatles songs, including "A Day in the Life", "Magical Mystery Tour", "All You Need Is Love" and "It's All Too Much".
{snip}
Death
Mason died of leukaemia in April 2011, at the age of 85.
{snip}
Penny Lane
US picture sleeve
Single by the Beatles
A-side: "Strawberry Fields Forever" (double A-side)
Released: 13 February 1967
Recorded: 29 December 1966 – 17 January 1967
Studio: EMI, London
"Penny Lane" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a double A-side single with "Strawberry Fields Forever" in February 1967. It was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. The lyrics refer to Penny Lane, a street in Liverpool, and make mention of the sights and characters that McCartney recalled from his upbringing in the city.
The Beatles began recording "Penny Lane" in December 1966, intending it as a song for their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Instead, after it was issued as a single to satisfy record company demand for a new release, the band adhered to their policy of omitting previously released singles from their albums. The song features numerous modulations that occur mid-verse and between its choruses. Session musician David Mason played a piccolo trumpet solo for its bridge section.
"Penny Lane" was a top-five hit across Europe and topped the US Billboard Hot 100. In Britain, it was the first Beatles single since "Please Please Me" in 1963 to fail to reach number 1 on the Record Retailer chart. In November 1967, "Penny Lane" was included on the US Magical Mystery Tour album. In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the track at number 280 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2006, Mojo ranked the song at number 9 of "The 101 Greatest Beatles Songs".
In 2011, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
{snip}
US picture sleeve
Single by the Beatles
A-side: "Strawberry Fields Forever" (double A-side)
Released: 13 February 1967
Recorded: 29 December 1966 – 17 January 1967
Studio: EMI, London
"Penny Lane" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a double A-side single with "Strawberry Fields Forever" in February 1967. It was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. The lyrics refer to Penny Lane, a street in Liverpool, and make mention of the sights and characters that McCartney recalled from his upbringing in the city.
The Beatles began recording "Penny Lane" in December 1966, intending it as a song for their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Instead, after it was issued as a single to satisfy record company demand for a new release, the band adhered to their policy of omitting previously released singles from their albums. The song features numerous modulations that occur mid-verse and between its choruses. Session musician David Mason played a piccolo trumpet solo for its bridge section.
"Penny Lane" was a top-five hit across Europe and topped the US Billboard Hot 100. In Britain, it was the first Beatles single since "Please Please Me" in 1963 to fail to reach number 1 on the Record Retailer chart. In November 1967, "Penny Lane" was included on the US Magical Mystery Tour album. In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the track at number 280 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2006, Mojo ranked the song at number 9 of "The 101 Greatest Beatles Songs".
In 2011, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
{snip}
Wed Jan 17, 2024: On this day, January 17, 1967, David Mason recorded the piccolo trumpet solo for "Penny Lane."
Tue Jan 17, 2023: On this day, January 17, 1967, David Mason recorded the piccolo trumpet solo for "Penny Lane."
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