Added the following image and entry to the 19th Century Trombone History Timeline (2nd half):
c. 1883—Paris, France: Jean Beraud’s painting, The Box by the Stalls, offers a view, through a patron’s box seat, of a Parisian orchestra. Included is a clear depiction of a trombone (see facing image; public domain).
Trombone History: 17th Century Ensemble
October 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Added the image below to the 17th Century (first half) timeline. Seems like the trombone’s always in the back…(see also here).
1600s—Italy: An anonymous Italian painting portrays an instrumental ensemble with diverse dress and a mixed grouping of winds, strings, and keyboard (see facing image; public domain).
Trombone History: Lyon & Healy Alto Trombones
July 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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 multiple models of E-flat alto trombones in the late 19th century.
1894—Chicago, Illinois: The catalog for Lyon & Healy, an instrument distributor and manufacturer, advertises numerous valve alto trombones, all specified as E-flat instruments. Several bear a resemblance to valve alto trombones offered by other US distributors during the same time period, such as Montgomery Ward and Sears & Roebuck (see 1895, 1897) (Lyon & Healy 1894, 35, 39, 43, 50). In addition, the catalogue offers a slide alto trombone in E-flat, not pictured (Lyon & Healy 1894, 53).
Trombone History: Painting of Female Trombonist
June 25, 2009 By 1 Comment
Although it has perhaps not been widely known, there are records of female trombonists throughout trombone history, dating back to the 16th century. The Trombone History Timeline shows, for example, entries from 1594, 1600, 1613, 1618, 1630, and 1632 that detail activities of trombone-playing nuns in the Italian cities of Ferrara, Venice, and Bologna. The following painting by Italian Pietro Paolini (or his school), dating from c. 1625, offers a rather clear representation of a female trombonist among a group of musicians (source: Patrizia Giusti, Pietro Paolini: pittore lucchese, 1603-1681. Maria Pacini Fazzi editore in Lucca, 1987, p. 158).
Pietro Paolini, Gruppo di giovani suonatori con vaso di fiori
Mystery Trombone Image
June 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I have encountered many interesting images that include trombones while compiling the Trombone History Timeline. The 17th century, in particular, seems to be full of artwork that includes trombones–oil paintings, frescoes on church ceilings and castle walls, engravings, carvings, manuscript title pages, festival books, etc. However, one of the more intriguing images that I have not been able to trace historically is this engraving from Dover’s Music, A Pictoral Archive of Woodcuts & Engravings: 841 Copyright-free Illustrations for Artists & Designers (compiled by Jim Harter; New York: Dover, 1980). No artist or source for the image is given, and the picture doesn’t seem to be used in any of the common trombone history books or articles.
The picture includes a trombone (possibly an alto trombone) performing in a small wind ensemble accompanying a puppet show. It appears to be an old image. However, in speaking with a university art professor, it was not clear whether the picture was an authentic 17th or 18th century work, or a more recent image simply designed to look old. If you happen to have any information or documentation about it, let me know!