Milan: Fashion, Opera, and Trombone?

Luini Angels

Milan is a city known for both high fashion and opera (home of Giuseppe Verdi and La Scala opera house). But trombone? I recently added a number of entries centering around Milan to the Trombone History Timeline, revealing a fairly active trombone performance tradition in that city. The history of the trombone in Milan seems [...]

Six Valve Trombone by Adolphe Sax

Audition

Added the following to the 19th century timeline (2nd half): 1864—Paris, France: Two prints in the illustrated newspaper L’Illustration depict instruments by Adolphe Sax. The first, Audition des nouveaux instruments d’Adolphe Sax, shows a man demonstrating instruments on a stage. The second shows several instruments up close, including a “Nouveau trombone,” the six-valve instrument situated [...]

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 [...]