| Timeline of the Trombone Renaissance Ca. 1450. The trombone developed from the slide trumpet. Both the exact date and the identity of the originator of the moveable slide are unknown. The connected double tubes of the slide represented a significant advance over the awkward slide trumpet and reduced the distances between notes, greatly improving technique. The smaller slide movements also rendered tenor-range instruments practicable. These were known as the saque-boute or trompone. Ca. 1540. The earliest surviving instruments date from the mid-16th century. Three types were used in this period: an "ordinary" sackbut in Bb (gemeine-posaune), and Eb alto (mittel-posaune), and a bass (grosse-posaune) also known as quart- or quint-posaune, indicating the intervallic distance from the Bb gemeine-posaune. Trombones in other keys were sometimes made as well. 17th Century Ca. 1600. The same pattern continued with the addition of a contrabass instrument (octav-posaune), although it is unclear to what extent it was actually used. Sackbuts were regularly used in all types of ensemble, from large court bands to small mixed consorts where it could blend with the softest instruments. A "vocal" style was cultivated that was free of any influence from the trumpet. The capacity to blend with voices caused the sackbut to be widely used in church music. It was also common in municipal bands along with cornett and shawms, or in a consort of 2 cornetts and 3 sackbuts. Venetian composers Giovanni Gabrieli and Massaino wrote for the instrument regularly, occasionally calling for exceptionally large forces. Ca. 1685. A small trombone pitched an octave above the tenor made its appearance in central Europe and was used mostly for playing chorale melodies in trombone ensembles. 18th Century Composers increase their use of the trombone in a soloistic role: Ca. 1755. Concerto by Georg Wagenseil (alto trombone) Ca. 1762. Concerto by Leopold Mozart (alto trombone) 1763. Larghetto by Michael Hayden (alto trombone) 1764. Divertimento in D by Michael Hayden (alto trombone) 1769. Concerto by Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (alto trombone) Ca. 1780. The trombone began to be used in opera to lend dramatic effect to certain scenes, as in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Magic Flute. 19th Century Ca. 1800-1850. During the early 19th century, composers increasingly called for three trombones in the orchestra. Parts were included in Beethoven's 5th and 9th symphonies. The normal trio of Eb alto, Bb tenor, and F bass began to give way as alto parts were often played on the tenor. A large-bore trombone in Bb was occasionally substituted for the bass in F. The also trombone was retained (as it is today in central Europe) for parts requiring a high tessitura and light balances. Ca. 1828. The new valve trombone was introduced, and, while it received acceptance in bands, it was little used in orchestras. 1839. C.F.Sattler of Leipzig introduced the first Bb-F trombone. The change to the F attachment was (as it is today) made by a rotary valve. Ca. 1850. From the mid-19th century, German trombones became larger in bore and bell and took on their traditional wide-bow construction. French trombones of the Courtois type retained a smaller bore and bell taper. Large bass trombones in F or Bb/F became the rule in German sections. A smaller bass trombone in G was used in brass bands and orchestras in England for almost a century. 1876. A contrabass trombone in BBb with a double-tubed slide was constructed for Wagner's Ring. Ca. 1890-1920. During these years, small-bore Courtois-type trombones were popular in France, England, and in bands in the U.S. Players in American symphony orchestras preferred large-bore German instruments and these influenced the development of the modern American symphonic trombone (which combines the best features of French and German instruments). 20th Century Ca. 1939. The trombone gained widespread popularity through the influence of bandleaders such as Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller and its used in jazz. Tommy Dorsey, in particular, left his mark on all trombonists for his remarkable control and smooth legato. Ca. 1950. American-type orchestral trombones became standardized throughout the world, in some cases (as in England) displacing traditional small-bore instruments, in Germany and Austria, but German trombones continued their independent line of development. Ca. 1952. Several American bass trombonists were frustrated by the limitations of the Bb-F instrument in producing good notes immediately above the pedal range. They experimented with an additional length of tubing connected to the F attachment by a second valve that lowered the pitch to E. This was later altered to Eb or D, and the dependent double-trigger bass trombone soon became standardized. Ca. 1965 Hans Kunitz invented the in-line independent double-valve large bass-contrabass trombone, tuned F/C-D-Bb. Ca. 1970. Dr. B.P. Leonard independently invented the in-line design. From Leonard's patented design, tuned Bb/G-E-D. Other versions, tuned Bb/F-G-Eb or Bb/F-Gb-D, were developed and produced commercially as bass trombones. Present. Large-bore tenors with and without F attachment and in-line double-rotor bass trombones are used in orchestras and bands today. While small-bore trombones are rare, medium and medium-large bores are widely used by students and in the jazz and recording fields. Alto trombones are used for certain repertoire (particularly in Germany). Modern versions of traditional German trombones are preferred in Central Europe. The valve trombone is now only found in jazz, where it is an important solo instrument. Parts for the contrabass trombone are usually played on the bass trombone, due to the increased capability of the in-line double-valve instrument but there is increased use of the modern forms of the contrabass instrument. Thanks to http://www.geocities.com/yigoto2b/trombone.html#Timeline |
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