Serpent & Ophicleide: History and Images

Gallegos choir practice

I recently came across two humorous ophicleide images from 19th century France (1847 and 1862, below) while doing some trombone history research. The ophicleide, by the way, is a fellow low brass instrument—a 19th century invention that is considered a predecessor to the modern tuba. An extension of the keyed bugle into the bass register, [...]

Canvas, Paper, Silver, and Glass: St. Cecilia Trombone Image in Many Forms

st cecilia glass

Last week I posted Evolution of a Trombone Painting, which traced a painting through several sketches to fruition in a church fresco. This new post similarly shows several permutations of an image, though in this case, the images span a longer period of time, as they are copied by various artists. They also encompass an [...]

Trombone History: Another E-flat Alto Trombone Source

Wirth 1870

Added the following to the Trombone History Timeline (19th century), Alto Trombone History Timeline, and Alto in Treatises pages. Notice that, as with the vast majority of written sources, the alto trombone is not only in the key of E-flat, but is also the only trombone shown in alto clef. 1870—London, England: Adam Wirth’s trombone [...]

Trombone History: Waits Images

Added the below image to the 19th Century Timeline (2nd half). There are a couple of other images related to waits in the timeline—they’re also included below, along with their captions. Waits were evidently taken more seriously in the tradition’s early centuries. Several other entries on waits can be found in the 16th century, 17th [...]

Angel-Trombonists, Italian Painters, and the 17th Century

Proso di Piuro detail

Added another image of an angel-trombonist to the Early 17th Century Timeline (see images and timeline entry, below). Trombone history seems to replete with these striking paintings, particularly by Italian artists, depicting the sacred nature of the trombone. See especially 17th Century (first half) and 17th Century (second half). _______________ c. 1641—Prosto di Piuro, Valchiavenna, Italy: A [...]

Trombone History: Trombone in English Church Music

Added several entries to the 16th and early 17th century timelines using information gleaned from Andrew Parrott’s Early Music article, “Grett and Solompne Singing: Instruments in English church music before the Civil War” (April 1978): 1599—London, England: Edmund Hooper, master of the children at Westminster Abbey, receives payment “for the cornets and sackbuts upon the [...]

Trombone History: Two British Images

Smith organ case

Added two new images, both of them British in origin, to the Trombone History Timeline, 17th century (first half) and 17th century (second half)— 1643—London, England: A painting on an the case of an organ by Christian Smith depicts a trombonist (see facing image; public domain) (Parrott, Grett and Solompne Singing). c. 1680—England: A wash [...]

Trombone History: Two Very Different Images

Balen banquet detail

Added the following images, quite a bit different in character, to the 17th Century (first half) and 19th Century (2nd half) timelines, respectively. The similarity, of course, is that they both include a trombone. _______________ c. 1610—Antwerp, Belgium: Hendrick van Balen’s painting, The Banquet of the Gods, includes a trombone resting on the ground among [...]

Trombone History: Pair of images from The Graphic

German-Band

Added a pair of images from The Graphic, an illustrated weekly newspaper published in London, to the 19th (2nd half) and 20th century timelines. The first one appears to be a somewhat satirical depiction of a German band, which would seem to fit into the general pattern of satirical or humorous images from the late [...]

Trombone History: Lyon & Healy Alto Trombones

L & H 1894 p35

Added the below entry to the Alto Trombone History Timeline. Lyon & Healy, a Chicago company that later specializes in manufacturing harps, offered numerous models of alto trombones, both slide and valve, all pitched in E-flat. Several other companies, including Zimmerman (Germany), Boosey & Co. (England), Sears & Roebuck (US), and Montgomery Ward (US) offered [...]