1926

Edwin Evans includes a very thorough discussion of the trombone family in his Method of Instrumentation. About bass and alto trombones he says, “There are (or rather used to be) three trombones in use–the alto, tenor and bass. Of the latter there were also formerly three types; but now, for practical purposes, the bass trombone in G may be taken as understood, where nothing contrary is expressed. In the same way, the alto may be taken as in E flat; although, formerly, there also existed another type in F” (Evans 76). He also includes position charts for all 3 sizes (alto, tenor, bass) that clearly show alto in E-flat (Evans 77, 79), also referring to alto trombone in E-flat while discussing pedal tones (Evans 81). Finally, he expresses his opinion that using 3 tenors instead of alto, tenor, and bass degrades the trombone and results in unfortunate orchestration, such as doubling bass lines: “It may be admitted that, generally speaking, the tenor trombone is the best type of instrument; but the unfortunate result is that all players affect it to the exclusion of the others. Its use is so prevalent that it has become unsafe to write even for the bass trombone, as there is no certainty of its being present; though, should the trombone parts be important in a composition, the change from the mixed trio to three tenor trombones would be very noticeable. The outcome of it all is to degrade the instrument; for, while composers are uncertain how their trombone parts are to be treated, they naturally arrange matters to suit any event, and accordingly we find the trombones doubling the bass and having other servile work instead of having pure and independent parts of their own” (Evans 81).