1920

Daubeny, in his book, Orchestral Wind Instruments, makes the following observation about the trombone: “The trombone is undoubtedly the most versatile wind instrument of the orchestra as far as quality of tone is concerned. When played pianissimo, in minor and broken chords, it can express the most hopeless gloom and sadness—no better example of such use could be quoted than a passage for three trombones and tuba at the end of Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony. When used in unison or harmony in a slow mezzo-forte movement, the tone of the trombone assumes a deeply religious character, while in double forte passages, especially in the middle register, it is superbly noble and arresting. It is with this tone of proclamation and lofty grandeur that one realizes the inner truth of the name trombone—a big trumpet. When played fortissimo the tone is fearful and menacing: it speaks with an air of wild and passionate tragedy quite unobtainable on any other instrument save the human voice (Daubeny 98).