Trombone History: The Trombone and Altarpieces

I recently added the below altarpiece to the 16th century timeline. The religious significance of the early trombone is actually reflected in several altarpieces from the 16th and early 17th centuries; I’ve included 5 others in this blog post, all of them currently shown in the timeline. Unlike the trombones on organ cases, which are clearly centered in Germany, the altarpieces seem to be spread throughout Europe.

Peter Spring altarpiece, Fribourg

1592-1601—Fribourg, Switzerland: The Augustinian monastery’s altarpiece by Peter Spring depicts a group of angel-musicians, including an angel playing a trombone (see above image; public domain) (Wold 82).

Detail, The Engagement of St. Ursula and Prince Etherius

The Engagement of St. Ursula and Prince Etherius

c. 1520—Spain: The Engagement of St. Ursula and Prince Etherius, sometimes also titled St. Ursula and Prince Etherius Making a Solemn Vow, a panel painting from the Master of Saint Auta Altarpiece, depicts a trombonist with a wind band performing from a loft or window. The painting may represent the earliest visual depiction of a black trombonist (see above detail and full image; public domain) (Lisbon, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Inv. No. 597) (Bowles, Musikleben 30-31).

Detail, Hans Baldung, Coronation of the Virgin

Hans Baldung, Coronation of the Virgin

1516—Freiburg, Germany: Hans Baldung’s painting, Coronation of the Virgin, the central panel of an altarpiece located in the Freiburg Cathedral, includes an angel-trombonist among a group of angels playing wind instruments above and to the left of the Virgin (see above detail and full image; public domain) (Burkhard pl. 2).

 

Detail, Elsheimer, The Exaltation of the Cross

c. 1595—Frankfurt, Germany: Adam Elsheimer’s, The Exaltation of the Cross, part of an altarpiece of several copper panels, portrays an angel playing trombone among a group of other angel musicians. Elsheimer, known for his variety of light effects, places the trombonist near the burst of light at the top of the painting (see above detail; public domain: wikimedia commons) (Klessmann).

Lastmann, David in the Temple

1618—Pieter Lastmann’s altar scene, David in the Temple, portrays a trombone performing with voices, tamborine, pommer, and 2 string instruments (see above image; public domain) (Kinsky 177; Buchner 254).

Bueno and Cano, Virgin of the Rosary altarpiece

c. 1620-24—Seville, Spain: The altarpiece of the Virgin of the Rosary of the Parish of Santa Ana, probably painted by Diego López Bueno and Miguel Cano, includes a depiction of an angel playing trombone (see bottom-right of above image; public domain image) (Alonso Cano 613).

Trombone History: A “Grand Trombone Solo” in New Orleans

Added the following to the 19th century timeline (1st half) about a solo performance by Felippe Cioffi. Cioffi, who is mentioned numerous times in the 19th century timeline, was a remarkable trombone soloist who spent his career in New York, New Orleans, and London.

St. Charles Theatre

1835—New Orleans, Louisiana: An advertisement for a “grand ballet dance” at the Saint Charles Theatre mentions a trombone solo by Felippe Cioffi: “In this beautiful dance Signior Cioffi will accompany Madamoiselle Celeste in a grand Trombone Solo. The whole of the music by Carl Maria von Weber” (New Orleans Commercial Bulletin).

CD Cover Art

Just noticed today that the cover jacket for Christian Lindberg’s new CD, The Baroque Trombone, released last September, uses one of the images included in the Trombone History Timeline. The image, shown below, was added to the 17th century timeline in October 2008. I came across the painting for the first time while tracking down another painting by the same artist, Lionello Spada; that painting is also shown below. I think they’re two of the most beautiful depictions of the early trombone in visual art.

1615—Reggio Emilia, Italy: Lionello Spada’s fresco in the cupola of the Chiesa della Ghiara includes depictions of numerous angel-musicians, including an angel playing trombone (see facing image; public domain) (Quintavelle, plate 81; Monducci 130).

c. 1610—Rome, Italy: Lionello Spada’s painting, Concert, which shows a group of musicians presumably preparing for a performance, includes a clear depiction of a musician removing the outer slide of a trombone (see below image; public domain) (Egan; Monducci 81).

Valve Trombone Image

Added the below image and caption to the 20th Century Timeline. The artist spent the bulk of his career in Paris, so the depiction is as likely to be a French trombonist as a Spanish one.

c. 1901—Spanish artist and writer Santiago Rusiñol i Prats (1861-1930) draws a series of musicians, including a valve trombonist (see facing image; public domain; source: wikimedia commons).

Out of Doors: Two Late 19th-Century German Paintings

Recently added 2 paintings by German artist Wilhelm Carl August Zimmer to the 19th Century Timeline (2nd half). Dating from the end of the century, they both depict trombone performing in outdoor settings. Outdoor settings seem to become more and more common in visual depictions of trombones through the course of the century.

1882—Germany: Artist Wilhelm Carl August Zimmer (1853-1937) depicts a trombonist among a group of brass musicians in the painting The Bowling Champion (see facing detail and full image, below; public domain; source: wikimedia commons). For another painting by the same artist that includes trombone in an outdoor setting, see The Orchestra, Biergarten, below (c. 1900).

c. 1900—Germany: Wilhelm Carl August Zimmer depicts a German village band that includes a trombonist in The Orchestra, Biergarten (see facing image; public domain; source: wikimedia commons).

Earliest Depiction of Black Trombonist?

Today I added a color version of the below image, along with a nice detail of the musicians, to the 16th century timeline. An apt example of the trombone in the wind band tradition (alta ensemble, waits, pifferi, Stadtpfeifer), it is one of only a small handful of trombone paintings from late 15th/early 16th century, and it may be the earliest existing visual depiction of a black trombonist in trombone history.

c. 1520—Spain: The Engagement of St. Ursula and Prince Etherius, sometimes also titled St. Ursula and Prince Etherius Making a Solemn Vow, a panel painting from the Master of Saint Auta Altarpiece, depicts a trombonist with a wind band performing from a loft or window. The painting may represent the earliest visual depiction of a black trombonist (see facing detail and full image below; public domain) (Lisbon, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Inv. No. 597) (Bowles, Musikleben 30-31).

Adam Woolf Sackbut Tutor Now Available

A number of months ago I mentioned in this blog that Adam Woolf, member of His Majesty’s Sagbutts & Cornetts and many of the other leading early music ensembles in Europe, would be publishing a sackbut method book in the near future. This welcome addition is now available here. To my knowledge, there are no other comparable resources available today. I’ll be getting one for my college trombone studio! Below are some highlights of the book, as described on his website:

Released in 2010, this tutor-book is the first of its kind. A compilation of exercises and advice based on years of specialist performing and teaching experience and many historical references, this book includes advice, exercises, explanations, studies and complete solo and ensemble works to challenge, encourage and inspire players of any level.

•Over 200 pages of advice, exercises and repertoire.

•Something for players of any level.

•Specifically written studies and exercises for articulation, ornamentation and tuning in temperaments.

•16 complete solo pieces including 8 sets of divisions.

•Duets, trios and more…

•Translations of vocal music.

•Excerpts from larger ensemble and ‘orchestral’ repertoire including Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers and Schütz’s Christmas Story.

Alto Trombone Makes the Papers: More Primary Sources from the 19th Century

I recently added 3 entries to the 19th Century Timeline (1st half, 2nd half) and Alto Trombone History Timeline from 19th-Century American newspapers. All three entries deal with the alto trombone. Two are from advertisements, the other a report of a fire. In terms of key, the advertisement from Dodworth of New York actually specifies “alto trombone in E-flat.”

1843—Hudson, Ohio: An advertisement in the Ohio Observer labeled simply “Boston,” (though offering a Cleveland street address) mentions numerous musical instruments for sale, including “Alto & Tenor Trombone” (Ohio Observer).

1852—Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Among a number of instruments lost to members of the Milwaukee Musical Society in a fire is a “trombone alto” (Milwaukee Daily Sentinel).

1882—Raleigh, North Carolina: Dodworth of New York advertises several instruments for sale, including an alto trombone in E-flat (Raleigh News and Observer).

Perching on the Pipes: Trombone & Organ Images

I’ve recently added quite a few images of trombone sculptures on organs to the Trombone History Timeline. The dates of origin of these sculptures are difficult to nail down, as the organs on which they are housed tend to have multiple re-builds and renovations throughout their given histories; it is very likely that I have some of the dates wrong. Nonetheless, they make an interesting little collection of images. The commonalities are 1) with one possible exception, they all appear to depict angel-trombonists, and 2) with one exception, they all originate from Germany. Obviously, the importance of the trombone in German sacred music (and the German religious tradition in general) is a likely factor.

____________________________

1643—Berne, Niedersachsen, Germany: Renovations of the organ at St. Aegidius Church are completed by Harmen Kröger. It is probably at this time (or possibly at the 1714 renovation by Christian Vater) that a sculpture of a trombonist is added to the organ case (see below image; public domain) (Seggermann 29, 53).
1658—Schöningen, Germany: Jonas Weigel completes the organ for St. Vincenzkirche, which includes a sculpture of an angel-trombonist on the organ case. The angel-musician on the opposite side plays the cornetto (see detail and full image below; public domain).
1697-1703—Görlitz, Germany: Eugenio Casparini’s famous organ in the church of St. Peter und Paul features decorative sculpures of angels sitting atop the pipe structure. Each angel holds 2 instruments; 2 of the angels, sitting on opposite outside edges of the structure, hold trombones while playing trumpets (see below detail for trombonist on right) (Sonnaillon 92).
1701—Lauffen am Neckar, Germany: The organ housing at the evangelische Kirche St. Regiswindis includes 2 sculptures of angel-trombonists, the angels apparently playing one-handed (see detail and full image below; public domain) (Völkl 50).
1714—Lüneburg, Germany: A major rebuild of the organ in Johanniskirche is completed by Matthias Dropa. One of several rebuilds and renovations after the organ’s original installation in 1551-53, it is probably this early 18th-century rebuild that adds the sculptures of what appear to be 2 angel-trombonists perched atop the organ pipes (see detail and full image below; public domain).

1740—Coburg, Germany: A Schuke organ is installed in St. Moriz Church. Atop the pipes are two angel-trombonists (see below image; public domain).

1746—Prague, Czech Republic: An organ by Tomas Schwarz is completed and installed in St. Nicholas Cathedral. Atop the pipes of the organ are numerous angels playing musical instruments, including trombones (see below image).
1770-73—Salem (Baden), Germany: The organ in Salemer Münster, or Salem Abbey, includes a sculpture of a trombonist atop a set of pipes (see detail and full image below; public domain) (Könner, Abb. 99).

Peace and Calm: New Compilation CD

Gabriel Faure’s “Pie Jesu,” arranged for alto trombone and organ, originally recorded for my solo CD, Collage, is now featured on a compilation CD by Tantara Records titled Escape to a Place of Peace and Calm. I don’t have the CD available on this site yet, but it can be purchased directly from Tantara here. It features a nice variety of really beautiful music. It’s good to be a part of it!