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 queen’s day” (Parrott, Grett and Solompne Singing).

c. 1600—London, England: Records of St. George’s Day celebrations at Whitehall note, “There was short service, the clergy all being in their rich copes, with princely music of voices, organs, and cornets and sackbuts, with other ceremonies and music” (Parrott, Grett and Solompne Singing).

1636—London, England: Charles Butler voices his opinion against using strings in church services in his Principles of Musick: “Becaus Entata [string instruments] ar often out of tun; (which soomtime happeneth in the mids of the Musik, when it is neither good to continue, nor to correct the fault) therefore, to avoid all offence (where the least shoolde not bee givn) in our Chyrch-solemnities onely the Winde-instruments (whose Notes ar constant) bee in use” (Parrott, Grett and Solompne Singing).

1644—London, England: Expressing a Puritan element within the Anglican church, Sir Edward Dering says, “One single groan in the Spirit, is worth the Diapson of all the Church-Musick in the world. Organs, Sackbuts, Recorders, Cornets, &c. and voices are mingled together, as if we would catch God Almighty with the fine ayre of an Anthem, whilst few present do or can understand” (Parrott, Grett and Solompne Singing).