1700—Leipzig, Germany
Bach’s predecessor, Johann Kuhnau, writes a novel (Der musikalische Quacksalber) in which he includes several passages about trombone. In the first, a character states, “I played the trombone. Most recently in a town I did the city pipers the honor of composing for them for the second Sunday of Advent a spiritual song using nothing but trombones and helped them perform it from the tower. For this I used the discant trombone and the people were so delighted by my playing some even thought Judgment Day had arrived and the Angel was sounding the trumpet” (Kuhnau 26-27). Later, a different character says, “Rather, I only want to talk about those instruments that must be blown by the mouth. What do the angels, those heavenly and most perfect musicanti play other than these? For if we encounter something about music in the Scriptures, we hear either of a trumpet or a trombone” (Kuhnau 28). Finally, a third character, arguing before Apollo and the muses that wind instruments are superior to string instruments, explains, “Nothing comes so close to the human voice as do the wind instruments. Just listen to a well-played trombone, cornet, or oboe; if words were spoken to it, one might well swear that he was hearing the most beautiful castrato or other vocalist. On the other hand, with zithers, violins, lutes, and the like and with even ten voices joining in, no one would ever think of a vocalist, much less of an equivalent to the human voice. One notes this all the more if one hears a choir of wind instruments from afar. Experience shows that when, say, our municipal pipers play a church song on trombones only from the tower, we are moved beyond all measure and imagine we are hearing the angels sing” (Kuhnau 133-134).
Late 17th Century—Bologna, Italy: An angel holding what is possibly a rear-facing trombone sits atop the organ case/backdrop of the older of two organs in San Petronio (see below image; special thanks to Adrian King, photographer).
Late 17th century—Germany: Dietrich Buxtehude’s Ihr lieben christen freut euch nun, BuxWV 51, calls for 3 trombones (Collver 97).
Late 17th century-18th century—Au am Inn, Germany: A painting at the Klosterkirche Maria Himmelfahrt includes a depiction of an angel playing trombone among a cluster of angel musicians (see detail and full image below; public domain).
