This trumpeter performed an epic Mahler solo and turned PURPLE with effort

11 September 2018, 10:43 | Updated: 11 September 2018, 10:46

Just an awesome trumpeter from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, playing the opening brass fanfare of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and going completely purple in the face.

Being chosen to play the opening solo of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony is a pretty big deal for a trumpeter.

The soloist has to play a whole 16 bars of music before anyone else in the orchestra comes in, including some fiendishly long high notes and triplets. In other words, your breath control has to be 10/10.

And Paul Beniston, dedicated Principal Trumpet of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, totally nails it. In fact, he turns completely purple in the face of the superhuman effort needed to play this music.

Paul’s face during that high B flat:

Don’t miss the London Philharmonic Orchestra playing this epic symphony at London’s Southbank Centre today, 25 April. Click here for tickets.