Trombone
The word trombone derives from the Italian tromba, meaning trumpet, combined with the suffix -one, which indicates largeness. This linguistic root established the instrument's identity as a large trumpet variant during its emergence in the 15th century. Court records from 1495 first documented the English term shakbusshe, while Spanish sources attested to similar terminology as early as 1478. The French equivalent appeared in 1466, and German references long predated the slide mechanism itself. During this Renaissance period, the instrument was known as the sackbut and served primarily as the contratenor part in dance bands. It functioned alongside shawms in bands sponsored by towns and courts across Europe. Trombonists were employed in German city-states to stand watch in towers and herald important arrivals, an activity that signified wealth and strength in the 16th century. These heralding players often operated separately from skilled groups like alta capella wind ensembles. Performances took place in religious settings such as St Mark's Basilica in Venice during the early 17th century. Composers including Claudio Monteverdi, Heinrich Schütz, and Giovanni Gabrieli wrote for the instrument. The trombone doubled voice parts in sacred works, though solo pieces emerged in the early 17th century. When the sackbut returned to common use in England during the 18th century, Italian music influenced the name change back to trombone.
Christoph Willibald Gluck became the first major composer to use the trombone in an opera overture with Alceste in 1767. He subsequently employed it in operas such as Orfeo ed Euridice and Iphigénie en Tauride in 1779. Mozart utilized the instrument notably in scenes featuring the Commendatore in Don Giovanni and in his Requiem. The prominent solo part in the Tuba Mirum section of his Requiem remains a staple audition piece today. Early symphonies featuring trombones include Anton Zimmermann's Symphony in C minor, likely composed during the peak of his activity in the 1770s. Ludwig van Beethoven used trombones in his Symphony No. 5 in C minor from 1808 and his Symphony No. 9 Choral. Felix Mendelssohn, Hector Berlioz, Franz Liszt, and Richard Wagner all incorporated trombones into their orchestral works. The trombone trio combined with cornetts evolved into sections of three tenor trombones by the mid-19th century. Military musicians received instruments while court orchestras reduced employment. Trombonists adopted the tenor model because it could generally play any of the three parts in scores. German and Austrian orchestras kept alto trombones longer than French ones, which preferred three tenors until after World War II. Richard Wagner added a contrabass trombone to Der Ring des Nibelungen, and Gustav Mahler included a second bass trombone. Most orchestral works still utilize the standard mid-to-late-19th-century low brass section configuration.
The development of the F-attachment trigger marked one of the most significant changes to trombone construction in the 20th century. Christian Friedrich Sattler originally developed this valve attachment in the late 1830s for a B tenor trombone built with wider bore dimensions. Modern instruments retain the essential design unchanged from that era. Different materials were used throughout the century, including yellow brass composed of 70% copper and 30% zinc. Rose brass contains 85% copper and 15% zinc, while red brass holds 90% copper and 10% zinc. Some manufacturers offer interchangeable bells made from solid sterling silver. The bore size increased significantly over time, with typical slide bores reaching 0.459 inches for orchestral models. Valve attachments aid in increasing the lower range and allow alternate positions for difficult passages. Thayer axial flow valves emerged among orchestral players in the early 1980s alongside open wrap tubing designs introduced by Larry Minick. British orchestras abandoned small bore tenors in the 1940s in favor of American or German large bore choices. French orchestras followed suit during the 1960s. Plastic instruments like the pBone emerged in the 2010s as cheaper alternatives to brass versions. These plastic models found popularity as practice tools and travel-friendly options for beginning players.
In the 1900s the trombone played bass lines and outlined chords to support improvisation by higher-pitched instruments. It began to be used as a solo instrument during the swing era of the mid-1920s. Jack Teagarden and J.J. Johnson became early trombone soloists who defined this new role. Arthur Pryor played with the John Philip Sousa band and formed his own group before becoming one of the most famous trombonists. Trombones are common in swing, jazz, merengue, salsa, R&B, ska, and New Orleans brass bands today. The trombone glissando creates remarkable effects used in popular music like The Stripper by David Rose. Modern composers such as Stuart Dempster, Vinko Globokar, and Mike Svoboda influenced by experimental works like Solo for sliding trombone from 1957/58. Contemporary pieces utilize extended techniques including vocalized, multiphonic, and percussive sounds. The slide enables microtonality while modifying F attachments can control second bells or other instruments. Jazz trombonists often choose shallower mouthpiece cups for brighter tone and easier production of higher notes. Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie utilized slide cornets made as novelties during the 20th century.
The modern system features seven chromatic slide positions on a tenor trombone in B flat. Andre Braun first described this system circa 1795. Joseph Fröhlich wrote about differences between the modern system and an old system using four diatonic positions in 1811. Each successive position outward produces a note one semitone lower when played in the same partial. Tightening and loosening lips allows players to bend notes up or down without changing position. Notes on the seventh partial tend to be out of tune regarding twelve-tone equal temperament scales. A4 is nearly always 31 cents flat of the minor seventh. Skilled players produce falset notes between fundamental B1 and harmonic E2 with relatively weak sound quality. The addition of an F attachment allows intermediate notes to be played with more clarity. The lowest attainable note on standard B tenor trombones is E1 requiring full tubing length. Pedal tones below B1 become increasingly difficult to produce and insecure in quality. Trombonists use higher harmonics to produce pedal tones giving them bright and hollow tone qualities. Some contemporary orchestral writing calls for notes as low as pedal C, B, or double pedal B on bass trombones.
German Konzertposaune instruments differ substantially from American designs in many aspects. Mouthpieces are typically small and placed into slide sections with leadpipes at least 16 inches long. Whole instruments are made of gold brass using very thin metal especially in bell sections. Many have metal rings called Kranz on the rim of bells producing even sounds across dynamic levels. Bell sizes remain very large in all German trombone sizes exceeding 11 inches diameter. French trombones were built in smallest bore sizes up to end of Second World War. Tenor trombones produced in France during 19th and early 20th centuries featured bores around 0.459 inches with small bells not more than 10 inches diameter. French music employed sections of three tenors until mid-20th century. Most trombones made today in Germany follow American fashion being much more widely available and cheaper. Higher-end manufacturers like Thein make modern iterations of classic German models alongside American-style trombones with German features. British orchestras used G bass trombones from mid-19th century surviving into 1950s particularly in brass bands. Contemporary mainstream manufacturers include Bach, Conn, Courtois, Edwards, Getzen, Jupiter, King, Rath, Schilke, S.E. Shires, Thein, Wessex, Willson and Yamaha.
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Common questions
What is the origin of the word trombone and when did it first appear in English records?
The word trombone derives from the Italian tromba meaning trumpet combined with the suffix -one to indicate largeness. Court records from 1495 first documented the English term shakbusshe while Spanish sources attested to similar terminology as early as 1478.
Who was the first major composer to use the trombone in an opera overture and what work did they compose?
Christoph Willibald Gluck became the first major composer to use the trombone in an opera overture with Alceste in 1767. He subsequently employed it in operas such as Orfeo ed Euridice and Iphigénie en Tauride in 1779.
When was the F-attachment trigger developed for the trombone and who originally created this valve attachment?
Christian Friedrich Sattler originally developed this valve attachment in the late 1830s for a B tenor trombone built with wider bore dimensions. Modern instruments retain the essential design unchanged from that era.
How many chromatic slide positions does the modern system feature on a tenor trombone in B flat and when was this system first described?
The modern system features seven chromatic slide positions on a tenor trombone in B flat. Andre Braun first described this system circa 1795 while Joseph Fröhlich wrote about differences between the modern system and an old system using four diatonic positions in 1811.
What are the typical bore sizes and bell diameters of German versus French trombones during the 19th and early 20th centuries?
Tenor trombones produced in France during 19th and early 20th centuries featured bores around 0.459 inches with small bells not more than 10 inches diameter. Bell sizes remain very large in all German trombone sizes exceeding 11 inches diameter.