The faintest hint of a trombone (not a phrase you often hear) can be seen in the below painting I just added to the 17th century timeline (2nd half). A barely-visible angel playing trombone is found in the middle of…
Trombone Images
Polyhymnia, Muse of Trombone?
Earlier today I added a second image of Polyhymnia, muse of sacred poetry and hymns, to the 16th century timeline. The new one, shown below on the right, is an anonymous image held in the Louvre, but it is almost…
Photo of Sousa with Trombone Soloist
I just added the below photograph and caption to the 19th century timeline (2nd half). The photo does not identify the trombonist, although it is well known that Arthur Pryor was a frequent soloist with Sousa, so Pryor is definitely…
Another 17th Century Trombone Print
I just added the lower caption and image to the 17th century timeline (1st half). In several details—the posture and dress of the player, the style of the chair, and the rendering of the trombone—it bears a strong resemblance to…
Paper Serpents
As I mentioned in an earlier post on paper trombonists, an interesting little subset of music history images exists in the form of contemporary 19th-century military figurines. These figurines include military musicians, and, more specifically, serpent players. Although a number…
Trombone in Stained Glass
Several months ago I posted Canvas, Paper, Silver, and Glass: St. Cecilia Trombone Image in Many Forms, which included a trombone image in painted glass. Trombone images of this type seem to be relatively rare, but last week I added…
Another Early Rear-Facing Trombone
A couple of months ago I posted an article on HubPages called Backward Advances: Rear-Facing Trombones Throughout History. It features 29 different images from 7 different countries. Three of the most interesting examples are pre-19th century. In a similar vein,…
Merry Christmas, Trombones! The History of Trombone and Christmas
Check out this new article highlighting the history of the trombone and Christmas. Lots of interesting stuff, including paintings, videos, and interesting historical tidbits.
Maximilian in Color
The famous series of woodcuts entitled The Triumph of Maximilian, executed primarily by artist Hans Burgkmair, includes the trombone in four different plates. The series depicts an imaginary procession of the court of Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519), who died before the…
Trombone History: A Soldier I Will Be, Part 2
I’m told that more and more musicians in the job market are turning toward military bands as symphony orchestras struggle in the current financial climate. Interestingly enough, the history of the trombone in military bands actually goes back farther than…