CONTENTS IN THIS CHAPTER:

Latest updated 16/4 – 2023

1 – THE BAROQUE (1600-1750)

2 – THE TRUMPET

3 – SPECIAL TRUMPETS and PLAYING METHODS

4 – THE BAROQUE TRUMPET REPERTOIRE and THE TRUMPETERS

5 – THE CORNETT

6 – THE HORN

7 – CORNO DA CACCIA and CORNO DA TIRASI

8 – THE POST HORN

9 – THE TROMBONE

10 – THE SERPENT

11 – MUSIC FOR THE ROYAL FIREWORKS

12 – THE MANNHEIMER COURT ORCHESTRA

1. THE BAROQUE (1640-1750)

 

BAROQUE SPLENDOR: CAROUSSEL 1622

Engraving, National Library, Paris

In the Baroque the instrumental music changes both in form and in the composition of instruments. Music for smaller ensembles (chamber music ) and bigger ”orchestra like” groups – build around strings ( violin 1 and 2, viola, cello and double bass) with a different strenght of wind instruments – appear. But always with the basic group: the continuo group ( the rhythm group of the Baroque) which existed of a chord instrument (like a cembalo, organ or lute) and a bass instrument (like a viola da gamba, cello, theorbo (bass-lute) bassoon, and rarely a trombone). Brass instruments played on turn and very seldom at the same time.

One of the orchestra’s that was created during the Baroque and that kept on during later periods was the Court Emperor’s Orchestra of Vienna. In 1721 the strenght was 72 musicians. Even if it was an extremely big strenght, it shows the need of brass instruments of that time: 6 organ players, 23 violinists, 1 viola da gamba player, 4 cellists, 3 violone players (double bass players), 1 lute player, strangely no flute players, even if the flute was highly in fashion, 5 oboists, 4 bassoonists, 2 cornett players, 16 trumpeters (the court trumpeter corps would have been included) , 1 huntsman’s hornist, 4 trombone players og 2 timpanists

 

 

 A TRUMPET, TROMBONE AND FRENCH HORN MAKER AND HIS WIFE. C.1730 – 1750

Printed by Martin Engelbrecht (1684–1756) Augsburg, German.

 

2. THE TRUMPET

 

 

THREE TRUMPET PLAYERS UNDER SWEDEN’S ATTACK ON THE DANISH CAPITAL COPENHAGEN 11 FEBRUARY 1659

The painting is located at the Frederiksborg Museum, Denmark.

From Vienna, 1566 – 1576 exist an overview of the 16 trumpeters at the court music. Four of them is called musical trumpeters – a testimony that the trumpet was on its way to art music. 1608, Mondeverdi write for trumpets in the introduction (Toccata) to the opera L’Orfeo. The music is not improvised – all voices are written down, but in the traditional trumpet corps style. The music is played 3 times, and the last time with mutes and doubled by instruments from the orchestra.

 

 

The Baroque was a real period of splendor for the trumpet. The trumpet music was full of virtuosity and heroic expression. The two way of playing the trumpet was still in use: Clarino – playing in the high register and Principal – playing in the low register. The phrase Messa di voce (one long tone that grows and falls in strength) came from the Clarin, and the famous trumpet trumpeters of the day was known for their ability to play softly in a singing vocal style. The tongue technique and the fanfare-like character came from the Principal, as we see in the start of the Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach:

 

TRUMPET PARTS FROM THE START OF THE CHRISTMAS ORATORIO BY J.S. BACH.

In trumpet groups, these 2 ways of playing were put together and the ideal of time was actually to focus on the deep tones! Thereby not only overtones could be created but also undertones. This contrasts with today’s focus on dominant 1st trumpet part in all kind of music in orchestras, wind bands and big bands etc.

 

 TRUMPET MUTE – from Mersenne

 

 

 DANISH NAVY TRUMPETERS

PLAY FOR THE SWEDISH KING KARL 10. 1658. (Pudendorf)

 

 THE TRUMPETER AS A MESSINGER

Gerard ter Borch (1617 – 1681): OFFICER WRITING A LETTER, WITH A TRUMPETER(1659)

 

Fig.7  THE ART OF PAINTING – BY JOHANNES VAN MEER (1632-1675)

The painting (1666-1669) is filled with symbols. The female figure must be the “Clio”, the muse of history, and she carries a trumpet as a “messenger” – in this case representing both the artist himself, his city (Delft) and his country (Holland).

 

The Trumpet Corpses of the Court were still going strong in the Baroque, and there still was a certain special prestige in being a court-trumpeter. As long as the trumpeters came from the Trumpet Corpses of the Court, their restrictions and privileges were in a way still in force. In a lot of orchestra’s the players were dressed in the same way, like an uniform, but often the trumpeters were allowed to decide which garment they should wear. The British trumpeters of the Court had – even in the time of Henry Purcell – to have permission of their Sergeant trumpeter to perform at concerts if there were musicians other than their own colleagues from the Court. The art of playing the trumpet was definitely high esteemed: In Great Britain the trumpet soli were played, when standing in front of the orchestra, next to the vocal soloists, a privilege that the other musicians would not attain. Today, this practice can still be experienced in England.

 

FOUR TRUMPETS, THE KETTLE DRUMS, FOUR TRUMPETS, THE SERGENT TRUMPETER AND THE SIX CLERKS

– an engraving by Nicholas Yeates, London, 1687.

 

TRUMPETER CORPS FROM THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS, 1753

 

TRUMPET BANNER FROM THE 1700’s

 – with the words ‘Dieu et Mon Droit’ (God and my right) embroidered

 

ANTHONIC PALAMEDES (1601-1673): AN OFFICER BLOWING A TRUMPET

– (1. HALF OF THE 17. Century)

 

 GERRIT DOU (1613-1675) A TRUMPET PLAYER IN FRONT OF A BANQUET (1660 – 1665)

 

WILLEM VAN MIERES (1662-1747): THE TROMPETER (1700)

 

ELIS BRANDT: QUICK-LUNCH FOR A TRUMPETER (1706)

 

DUTCH TRUMPET PLAYER

Painted on a tile from Delft, Holland 17th century.

MAN WITH A TRUMPET ON HORSEBACK

an anonymous American woodcut, logo of the Boston Gazette newspaper 1719-1734.

 

GIROLAMO FANTINI (ca. 1602 – ca. 1675

 – was seen as the leading trumpeter of his time, ”the monarch of the trumpet on earth today”. He wrote one of the first books on trumpet playing – Modo per imperare a sonare di tromba – and he was a pricipal to lead the trumpet into art music. He could play Messa di Voce , could play tones outside the natural harmonic series and as a forerunner for the trill as we know it, he could play “groppo”, ( or ”gruppo”) a rapid alternation between two notes in a non legato style, and “trillo”, pulsations on a single note: “shake”.

The ever growing demand on the playing technique of the trumpet made that the instrument in itself got a few minor changes. To be able to reach the higher tones both the bore and the bell became smaller in the 17th century, and even if the most wanted pitch was C or D, trumpets in another pitch were build. Some had an extra piece added to lengthen the tube, thus being able to tune to a lower pitch. The biggest problem was the intonation of the ”out of tune” natural tones nr 11 and 13 in the harmonic series. Being out of tune could possibly be tolerated in the trumpeter corpses, (being somewhat charming) but in art music it absolutely could not. In many years it has been a mystery how it was possible to master the clarin part and play tones outside the natural harmonic series. Nowadays we think that the answer lays in one or more of these five possibilities:

3. SPECIAL TRUMPETS and PLAYING METHODS

 

 

1 – SLIDE TRUMPET

 

In 3 of Johann Sebastian Bachs cantatas, BWV 5, 20 og 77,  the score ask for a tromba da tirasi, a slide trumpet. Only one slide trumpet from the early baroque has survived, today it is in the musical instrument museum in Berlin. It was created circa 1650 and was obtained by the museum in 1890 from the Wenzelskirche in Naumburg. This trumpet is somewhat similar to the slide trumpet from the renaissance.

TROMBA DA TIRASI made by C. BOSC, ITALY

 

FLATT TRUMPET

RECONSTRUCTION by MATTHEW PARKER, ENGLAND

In 1694 Henry Purcell wrote music for funeral of Queen Mary 2, including a procession mourning march and a canzona for 4 flatt trumpets.

It is believed that the flatt trumpet was a trumpet with a trombone like slide carried backwards next to the face.

 

 

2 – HAND STOPPING

An other possibility was the technique of hand stopping the notes. By inserting the fingers of the left hand joined together into the bell, you can lower the pitch, or bend the natural tones. It makes it possible to correct the pitch of the natural tones 11 and 13 that are out-of-tune.

 BENDINELLI’s TRUMPET

The Italien trumpeter Cesare Bendinelli (c.1542-1617) (the principal trumpet player of the Viennese Court from 1567 to 1580) had build a very special trumpet, where it was possible with one hand to reach the bell, and “stop” the tones. He has written the book: Tutta l’arte della Trobetta (1614)

 

GOTTFRIED REICHE (1667 – 1734)

Painting from 1727by Gottlob Haussman. Reiche has a spiral formed trumpet, like the Huntsman’s Trumpet of Prætorius, It was easy to use this hand stopping technique on that instrument. Gottfried Reiche was a town musician in Leipzig, known as Bach’s “star trumpeter”, and he probably has played most of Bach’s trumpet parts (but not the trumpet part in the Brandenburg Concerto nr. 2, because that was written for the Margrave of Brandenburg, and had its premiere in Coethen in 1722).  In Leipzig Reiche got the title of “Oberste Stadt Pfeiffer” starting in that position in 1719 right up to his sudden death in 1734. To show the virtuosity of Reiche, he has a music part in his hand with a tremendous virtuoso phrase:

 

 

COPY OF GOTTGFIED REICHES COILED TRUMPET, Photo: Ina E. Brosch of Iphofen

The copy is made by Trumpet player Richard Carson Steuart together with his Construction Master, Mr. Heinz Poggensee for the company LA TROMBA MUSIC  Productions of Würzburg Germany www.latrombamusic.com In 2017. Since there is no existing original version of this instrument  Mr. Steuart has build his version as close as possible to the instrument shown in the painting.

 

RICHARD CARSON STEUART

playing on the Reiche coiled trumpet using stop technique.

 

REICHE PERFORMING ON HIS SPIRAL FORMED TRUMPET

Reiche was in Leipzig much earlier than Bach, and this picture should show Bach’s predecessor Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722) conducting a cantata. We can see Reiche with his round Instrument and two of his trumpet colleagues with long trumpets.

3 – HOLES IN THE INSTRUMENT

2 trumpets made by William Shaw, England,  in 1787 have a set of vent holes, and a trumpet (now In Frankfurt Historsches Museum) made in 1790 by G.Haltenhof of Hanau had one hole. The holes are placed on special places, and when keeping them open, the natural tones are ”pushed”, so more tones are available. Likewise, there is a hypothesis: you could make a bigger hole (like at the cornett) that could raise the pitch with a fourth. In that way you could play the problematic tones nr. 11 and 13 as the ”save” natural tones nr. 8 and 9. Many ”Baroque-trumpets” that are produced today have 3 or 4 holes, but there is actually no historic evidence that these holes should be there?

4 – THE ACCOUSTICS OF THE INSTRUMENTS OF THE BAROQUE

The interior of the modern brass instruments is very smooth, which gives a Stabil sound, and that of course is a big plus. The old instruments were made of hammered pieces of metal, which gives a more or less rough surface. That makes it easier to play ”off-side” the natural tones.

5 – THE PLAYING METHOD IN THE BAROQUE

The dynamic possibilities of the baroque trumpet are much less compared to the modern trumpet (even if the sound and splendour of the instrument has its brilliance).That is why it was not uncommon for 3 trumpeters to accompany one single soprano voice, or have one trumpeter playing in balance with a recorder, as in J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto nr. 2. An other thing was the aesthetic sense of the period which shows in the playing method. The trumpeters copied the phrasing method used by singers and string players: to bind two notes together, with an accent on one. To bind two notes together – to play two notes in one bow – is ofcourse a kind of ”natural” bowing technique for string players. But when doing so on a trumpet, giving more accent on the ”secure” natural tones and less accent on the ”difficult” tones in between, the performance became less problematic.

The dynamic difference between the notes is shown by f and p: forte and piano.

 

From JOHANN ERNST ALTENBURG (1734-1801): VERSUCH EINER ANLEITUNG ZUR HEROISCH-MUSIKALISCHEN TROMPETER- UND PAUKERKUNST, HALLE, 1795. (An Essay on the Introduction to Heroic and Musical Trumpeter’s and Kettledrummers’ Art)

 

Fig. 27   From FANTINI: MODO PER IMPARARE A SONARE DI TROMBA

The difference in accents between the notes are shown by using sounds /words.

 

All manuals on trumpet playing emphasize the necessity of practise and hard work! Witnesses from that time testify though that it was an illusion to be able to play all trumpet tones in tune. But the influence of the real virtuosi who could play in tune, was tremendous.

So, even if it sounds incredible, almost all trumpet parts in the Baroque are played on a single natural trumpet. And with success, because the composers kept on writing even more and complicated parts for the instrument.

3. THE BAROQUE TRUMPET REPERTOIRE and THE TRUMPETERS

 

 

CONCERT AT THE COURT IN SWERIN, GERMANY

Painting from 1770 by G.D. Matthieu. Leader of the orchestra is the composer Johann Wilhelm Hertel (1727-1789) who wrote 3 concertos for trumpet and a double concerto for trumpet and oboe. The trumpet player to the left is supossed to be Hertel’s 1.trumpet player Johann Georg Hoese (1727-1801).

 

JOHANN GEORG HOESE

is more clearly seen in this close up with his trumpet and trumpet-part.

ANOTHER PAINTING SHOWING THE SWERIN COURT ORCEHSTRA:

 

The trumpet was the most used brass instrument of the Baroque, both in solo performances and in orchestra’s. A great deal of trumpet music came from Italy: i.e. by Torelli (1658 – 1709) and Vivaldi (1678 – 1741). There is music by Pavel Josef Vejanovsky (1639 – 1693) from Bohemia. In France the trumpet was the symbol of the unlimited power of the King, and it shows in the proud trumpet music of Lully (1632 – 1687), Rameau (1683 – 1764) and Charpentier (1645 – 1704).

 

FRENCH TRUMPETERS

The King on his way to the church. Detail from Antoine Danchet: The Crowning of the French King Louis XV, 1732.

Joseph Fux (1660 – 1741) and Johann Georg Reutter (1708 – 1772) in Vienna wrote music for the ”maestro in trumpet playing”: Johann Heinisch (1725-1751) (Fux called him a “ein ganz besonderen Virtuos“, an extraordinary virtuoso). Henry Purcell in Britain got his trumpet music performed by a whole ”family” of trumpeters, the brothers Matthias and William Shore, together with William’s son John, the latter undoubtedly being the most famous of them all (it was he who invented the tuning-fork.) The socalled Trumpet Voluntaries were trumpet-like pieces for organ but the best known piece – Jeremiah Clarke’s: The Prince of Denmark’s March – can well be played on a natural trumpet. Georg Philip Telemann (1681 – 1767) in Hamburg composed also for trumpet: Among his pieces is a wonderful Concerto for trumpet and strings in D. Finally we ought to mention the two giants J.S. Bach (1685 – 1767) and G.F. Handel (1685 – 1759), who not particularly wrote Trumpet Concerto’s as such, but used the trumpet in a great part of their music, for example as an obbligato instrument in vocal arias. Bach wrote a complete cantata for soprano and (slide) trumpet: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, (Exult in God in all lands, BWV51) but best known is the aria for bass in the Christmas Oratorio: “Grosser Herr und starker König” (Great Lord, O mighty king, BWV248). Handel also wrote an aria for bass and trumpet in Messiah (1741) : ”The trumpet shall sound” especially for the trumpeter Valentine Snow.

 

 

THE ENGLISH TRUMPETER VALENTINE SNOW (1700-1770)

“THE FINEST TRUMPETER IN ENGLAND AND AMONG THE BEST IN EUROPE”, painted around 1753. Notice the special “trumpeter posture”. Valentine Snow (c. 1700-1770) was the Sergeant-Trumpeter to King George II and King George III from 1753 until his death in 1770. Prior to holding that office, he was one of 16 State trumpeters under the leadership of Sergeant-Trumpeter John Shore. His talent on the natural trumpet was legendary. By this time of his appointment to Sergeant-Trumpeter to the King, his reputation as a musician and executant stood very high, and it was for him that Handel composed the various obbligati we find in his oratorios and operas. The Sergent-Trumpeter received an annual salary of ₤100.

Upon Valentine Snow’s death around 1770, this epitaph was inscribed upon his gravestone:

“Thaw every breast, melt every eye with woe,
Here ‘s dissolution by the hand of death;
To dirt, to water’s turn’d the fairest Snow,
O! the King’s trumpeter has lost his breath.”

 

SLICE OF GOBELIN on ROSENBORG CASTLE, COPENHAGEN

showing landing at Råå 29 June 1676, during the War between Denmark and Sweden . In the Baroque period the trumpet was still an important communication medium in the military

 

YOUNG MAN SOUNDING A TRUMPET

Etching by Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609-1664).

 

 A MUSICAL GATHERING INCLUSIVE A TRUMPET PLAYER

by an unknown artist, North America, 18th century.

 

 

TRUMPETER

1st Troop of Horse Guards c. 1750. Painting by DAVID MORIER (1705?-70). Possibly painted for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland

 

GROUP OF TRUMPET PLAYERS

This painting made by Indian artist Nainsukh of Guler between 1735 and 1740.

4. THE CORNETT

 

 THE VIRGIN OF MONSERRAT

– painting from 1693 by Francisco Chihuantito, Peru, located in the parochial church of Chichero, Cusco, includes a trombonist and a cornett player.

The cornett continued flourishing into the sixties of the 17th century. It even became an alternative to the violin, and both instruments shared their repertoire, which though after a while got more and more violinistic. And as the cornett gradually was regarded ”oldfashioned” it got back to its old role as an instrument to double choir voices. As such it was used by Bach in 11 Cantatas and later in 1762 by Gluck in the opera Orfeo and Euridice. An odd example of the ”original” use of the cornett – an instrument in a wind ensemble used by town musicians – is Bachs Cantata nr. 118: O Jesu Christ, mein Lebens Licht (O Jesus Christ, light of my life). This cantata exists only of one part, and it is especially written for outdoor use. The orchestra that accompagnies the choir exists only of brass/ lipwind instruments: two Litui (trumpets or horns), one cornett and three trombones.

 

 

STADTPFEIFER GABRIEL SCHÜTZ WITH CORNETTO.

Engraved portrait from 1656

 

 

LODOWIJK VAN DER HELST, CORNETTO PLAYER EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF AMSTERDAM

Painting by Michiel Servaesz Nouits 1670

5. THE HORN

 

 BAROQUE HORN

– build by Starck, Nürnberg 1667. This is the oldest existing horn. Music Museum, Copenhagen.

During the 17th century the horn was used more and more and it got its status as an huntsmens instrument. Like the trumpeters in the military, the huntsmen communicated with each other through different horn signals. The characteristic form of the horn, with ”windings” made it easy to handle – the musician could ride a horse, with the reins in one hand and the horn in the other. The inside of the bell was often painted, to prevent blinding the other riders and horses behind, the Parforce horn. It was pitched in F, but one octave higher than the horn of today. The instrument got different names, and some of them refer directly to the hunt: Germany – Waldhorn, France – Cor de Chasse, or Cor Allemand (German Horn) and in England – French Horn. A little hunting horn is sometimes called Fürtst Pless is only c. 130cm. half the length of the Parforce horn.

 

 

   HORN WITH PAINTED BELL

 LITTLE SIGNAL HUNTING HORN

– by Wolf Wilhelm Haas, Imperial City of Nürnberg, 1754-1759. This notable signal horn is the sole survivor of its kind. The bell has hunting figures applied to the garland (the extra layer of metal on the bell – in German called kranz), horseman, a dog, and a fox are applied to the garland, reflecting the original context of use—a fox hunt in the woods.

 

 

STATUE OF MORITZ BURG, DRESDEN, GERMANY

– from 1733 showing the special “hunting horns posture”

In England they still kept the straight horn for use at hunting parties, whilst the french horn got quite a different function – it was used for playing duets – for outdoor amusement – with two horns being held opposite one another (in reverse). It became a fashion for the upperclass to have a horn duo in their reign, which gave certain prestige.

 

 

  TWO HORN PLAYERS PLAYING ”IN REVERSE”

– from “New instructions for the French Horn”, about 1770.

The french hunting music had its own playing method with a raw, almost shrill sound. One of the characteristic elements was the so called Tay-ya-te, a quick switch from the tone to the upperlaying natural tone and back igen, like a trill on the beat.

It is been said that the honour for the lower pitch and darker sound of the horns of today must be given to the Czech count F.A. Spörck. During a big round trip through Europe, he came to Paris in 1681, where he heard the royal hunting music of Louis XIV. He got so enthusiastic that he ordered two of his men to learn to play the horn. Back home again in Bohemia the horn playing was cultivated and the instrument got more windings, and therewith a darker timbre. The different parts of the instrument were often not solded but hold together with leather strings. But even as the sound got darker and more full, the baroque horn sounded still more trumpet-like than the later versions (with the hand placed in the bell).

 

HUNTING HORN PLAYER

Drawing by Frans van der Meulen (1632 Brüssels-Paris 1690)

 

A YOUNG GIRL PLAYING THE HORN

– BUT HOLDING IT INCORRECTLY. DRAWING BY VITTORIO MARIA BIGARI (1692-1776), ITALY

 

HORN PLAYERS AT A HUNTING PARTY

Engraving by Johann Elias Ridinger (1698 – 1767). You can see that the horn has ”grown” (if the picture is true).

 

HORN PLAYERS IN AN ORCHESTRA

Anonymous, (1700-50), Venice, Italy

 

TWO HORN PLAYERS

– PAINTING ON A GOBLET MID 18th CENTURY

 

CONCERT IN THE SCHUMACHER GUILD HOUSE IN ZURICH (1753).

Lost original painting. Reproduction Zurich, Central Library.

 – WITH 2 HORN PLAYERS:

 

It is not clear at what period the horn started to become an ”orchestral” instrument. There is an opera from 1639 and a ballet from 1664 with ”hunting scenes” build on natural tone series, but it is unknown whether they were played by horns, or by horn-imitating strings. It is true though that in 1705 in Hamburg Germany there were two Cor de Chasse in an orchestra, but otherwise the horn was definitely an outdoor instrument, and if they were used, it was not as part of the orchestra but in an ensemle, ony to give some ”hunting” atmosphere. In 1717 Lady Mary Wortley Montagu wrote a letter from Vienna to a friend describing a Carnaval: “The music was good if it was not because of this dreadful habit of mixing it with hunting horns, which was quite deafening”.

Anyway, in this very year, 1717, the horn got two prominent roles in two wellknown pieces of two famous composers: For the first time horns were used by Haendel in his Watermusic and Bach used three horns in his Brandenburger Concerto nr. 1. The first Horn concertos by Vivaldi date from this Baroque period and Telemann writes a series concertos for one, two and three horns. To be able to play these concertos, written in different pitches, horns were build in different seizes/lenghts – from the high C (C-alto) to the low C (C-basso). The Viennese instrument maker Michael Leichnamschneider (1676 –after 1746) realized that by jointing in different extra metal hoops, known as “crooks” the overall length of metal tubing could be varied. And finally in the beginning of the 18th century a smart system was develloped with extra tubes to lenghten or shorten the instrument, and with these it was possible to change the pitch of the horn.

In France the hunting horn was pitched in low D and in Germany in low Eb.

 

HORN PLAYERS PERFORM WITH “BELLS UP POSITION”

by Zocchi (c. 1711–1767), Florence, Italy.

 

 A MUSICAL GATHERING WITH 2 HORN PLAYERS, ALSO WITH “BELLS UP”

By Nicolaes Aartman, c. 1720-1760 Pen and black ink and brush and gray wash over black chalk on paper.

HORNS WITH BELLS UP:

A miniature from Le Insignia degli Anziani Consoli depicts a reception in honor of Carlo Emanuele III of Sardinia in the Palazzo d’Accursio’s Galleria degli Anziani. 1742—Bologna, Italy. Bologna Archivio di Stato.

The close up shows the 2 horn players

6. CORNO DA CACCIA and CORNO DA TIRASI

 

There are 2 baroque horns which are known exclusively from the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. None of them have survived so, so one has tried to re-construct them for use in performances

Bach use a little horn called Corno da Caccia (hunting horn) for parts which require the same virtuosity as the trumpet parts. There is no definitive definition of the instrument but it has about half the length of the large hunting horn. Maybe Gottfries Reiche is holding a Corno da Caccia on Fig.17 ? corno da caccia can been heard in cantatas BWV 14, 16, 65, 107, 109, 143, 208 and 213.

 

CORNO DA CACCIA WITH HOLES

– Reconstruction of Matthew Parker

The corno da tirarsi (“pull horn”) is an instrument. J.S. Bach wrote for in 3 cantatas, BWV 46, 162 and 67, when he was working in Leipzig, and it appears to have been played for him by Gottfried Reiche. Its characteristics are debated, but it was most likely a horn with a trombone like slide.

 

 CORNO DA TIRASI

Reconstruction by  blechblas-instrumentenbau Egger, Switzerland

7. POST HORN

 

FLYING POST MAN 1606

PRAGUE POST MUSEUM 

Ever since the European Post was established in the 1600rds and until the time the mail was brought to the people’s front door, the arrival of the horse-drawn post coaches was announced by the postillon playing a signal on the post-horn. This instrument was a little spiral formed horn, looking like the Fürst Pless hunting horn, and tuned in Bb, F, Eb or D.

 

POST-COURIER FROM BOSTON 1675

 

 SWEDISH POST-COURIER 1682

 

 

POST COURIER

– from Austria with a spiral horn (1648)

 

PORTRAIT OF FERDINAND VON THURN UND TAXIS (1704-1773)

Unknown artist

 

 

 

 AUSTRIAN POST HORN 1745

8. THE TROMBONE

 

WIND BAND WITH TROMBONES

– AT THE CORONATION OF LOUIS 14 AT THE CATHEDRAL OF REIMS. FRANCE 1654. ENGRAVING BY JEAN LE PAUTRE’S.

The trombone got through the Baroque without many alterations in its construction, but like all other instruments it became more decorated. From the beginning of the 17th century the trombone was used in many connections. In the ”Symphoniae Sacre” (Sacred Symphonies) by Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) for example are two pieces for bass voice, four trombones (sackbuts) and continuo,: no. 13 Fili mi Absalon and no. 14 Attendite popule meus, legem meam. Among other pieces are two sonatas by Daniel Speer (1636-1707) for three trombones and a sonata for four trombones (1687), and being a bit of a curiosum there is a piece by Tiburtio Massaino (1550? -1608? ): Canzoni per sonare con ogni sorte di instrumenti ( No.33 – Canzona for eight trombones). Strangely enough very few solo pieces were written for the trombone. There is an exception: La Hieronima for trombone and continuo by Giovanni Cesare (1590-1667).

 

PERFORMANCE OF A BACH CANTATA

– an engraving by Johann Christoph Dehne , the frontispiece from Johann Georg Walther’s Musikalisches Lexicon, 1732, clearly includes a trombonist in a performance of sacred music.

 

During the Baroque ”Trombonism” developed in very different ways in the European countris.

The Emporal Court in Vienna had a range of splendid trombonists and composers and between them (on a local plan) a unique solistic playing method arose. The trombone surely was more seen as a solo instrument than an orchestral instrument. In the period between 1698 – 1771 there were five members of the Christian family employed as court-trombonist: Christian Christian , Hans Georg Christian, Leopold Christian senior , Leopold Christian junior – and Leopold Ferdinand Christian. Looking at the repertoire they must have been extremely skillful. When Leopold Christian Junior asked for a higher salary, his superior Johann Joseph Fux supported his request in saying: ”he is a virtuoso who never has met his liking, not in the past nor will he in the future”. In the orchestras the trombone often was used as an obbligato solo instrument. The composing Emperor of Austria Joseph Ist. even wrote an aria Alma ingrate for soprano voice, trombone and continuo.

 

TROMBONE SOLO PART FROM “SONATA FOR VIOLIN, TROMBONE AND CONTINUO” BY DARIO CASTELLO

At the Emporal Court there were not less than two ensembles, existing of one or two violinists, trombone and continuo. Their repertoire, written amongst others by Antonio Bertali (1605 – 1669) and Dario Castello (ca. 1625 – ?), was primarily used as a contribution to the service in church. The trombone plays at the same level and in duet with the violins and the part includes ”breakneck” sections.

In Germany, France and England the trombone played a much lesser role. It was absolutely not regarded as an orchestral instrument, more like an oldfashioned Town-music instrument (just as the cornett.) In 1713 the German composer and music theorist Johann Mattheson (1681-1764) writes in his thesis ”Das neu eröffnete Orchestre”, that ”trombones are seldom used, but exceptionaly at dignified occasions and in churches”. It could well be that the trombone was overruled, partly by the baroque horn, which had a more brilliant sound, and partly by the bassoon which had a far bigger mobility in the deeper tones than the trombone. The trombone was mostly used as an instrument to double choir voices and often the composer not even wrote a specific part for the trombone, but only a note that the trombone should follow the choir voices. This traditional writing method is used by Bach in some af his cantatas, and also by Haendel, although he gave the trombone a bit more substantial stuff, for example in the ”Death March” in the oratorio ”Saul”. The soprano trombone, like its antipole the contrabass trombone was seldom used and both instruments never got really in vogue, so the classical trombone trio became a trio of alto-, tenor- and bass trombone.

 BAROQUE TROMBONES

As seen the tuning of the trombones changed in the Baroque era.

 

 

SOPRANO TROMBONE in Bb 1781

Inscriptions stamped on garland: IOHANN IOSEPH SCHMIED MACHTS IN PFAFFENDORF 1781.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BOSTON

 

 

 

ALTO TROMBONE in Eb

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY COLLECTION

 

 

TENOR TROMBONE in Bb

imperial city of Nürnberg 1701. Engraving on bell: MACHT · IOHANN CARL · KODISCH · NVRNB 1701.  Ex coll.:  Ernst Buser, Binningen, Switzerland.

 

 

 

Bass Trombone in F 1612

– Isaac Ehe (1586 – 1632), Nürnberg

 

 

 

Contrabass Trombone in BB 1639

– Georg Nicolaus Oller, with the swedish trombonist Nicholas Eastorp

The trombone was saved by Biblical significance. The visions of the Biblical Doomsday speak about seven angels playing an instrument that reigns over life and death. In the Latin bible it was the Roman tuba, but when the Bible in the beginning af the 1500s was translated into different European languages,  the choice of the Doomsday instrument was not alike in the different translations. In England the Roman tuba became a trumpet and that is why Haendel uses the English favorite angel instrument – the trumpet – as an obbligato solo instrument in the Doomsday aria ”The Trumpet Shall Sound” in his ”Messiah”. In Germany the tuba became a ”Posaune” (trombone) and that is why we hear a trombone (- angel) play at the same text (but now in Latin) in the ”Tuba-Mirum” of Mozarts ”Requiem”.

 

AN ENGLISH TRUMPET ANGEL AND A GERMAN TROMBONE ANGEL

 

 

TROMBONE PLAYER

ENGRAVING by JOHANN CHRISTOPH WEIGEL, c. 1720, NÜRNBERG, GERMANY from “Musicalishes Theatrum”. The subtitle clearly describes the trombone’s status as a sacred instrument supporting choir voices. The text below the engraving reads: “Trombone: I am searching for glory in every place, In antiquity, as well as in effect, One can see what I can do in both Testaments, I destroyed walls when spoken to in a proper manner, No offering or feast could be properly conducted without me, And nowadays I adorn a large choir”

 

 ANOTHER OF THE VERY RARE PICTURES OF A TROMBONIST IN AN ORCHESTRA IN THE BAROUQUE PERIOD (identical with fig.46): A miniature from Le Insignia degli Anziani Consoli depicts a reception in honor of Carlo Emanuele III of Sardinia in the Palazzo d’Accursio’s Galleria degli Anziani. 1742—Bologna, Italy. Bologna Archivio di Stato.

The close up shows the trombone player:

 

MUSIKSTILLEBEN

Painting from 1663 by Franz Friedrich Franck (1627-1687), Augsburg, Germany

9. THE SERPENT

There is a Tenor Cornett shown in Michael Prætorius’ book: SYNTAGMA MUSICUM, and from this instrument the bass instrument of the cornett family, the Serpent (Italian: SERPENTONE) – also called the grandfather of the modern tuba – was grown. (Although some will state that however the Serpent may be closely related to the Cornett, it is not part of the family, due to the absence of a thumb hole). The instrument is claimed to have been invented by Canon Edmé Guillaume in 1590 in Auxerre in France and it was mainly used to strenghen the sound of choirs in plainchant and in churches. Later the serpent got a status as a bass wind instrument in military bands and even later also in (symphony) orchestras.

In 1783 music critic Charles Burney averred that it was “like a huge, hungry, or rather angry, Essex calf, badly blown and out of tune.”

 

SERPENT

The mouthpiece of the Serpent is about the same seize as the mouthpiece of a modern euphonium, the finger holes have a diameter of 13mm and between the holes is about 45cm. That is why the Serpent has its meandering form, otherwise it would not be possible to reach the holes with your fingers. This S-form gave the instrument its name: Serpent means snake. It is not easy to play. The sound is rather diffuse and the intonation is problematic, which resulted in many different ways of fingering. There is a saying that the fingering for an up-going scale just as well could be used for a down-going scale.

 

A TROMBONE PLAYER AND A SERPENT PLAYER

– from “instrumenti musicali e boscarecci “ by Giovanni Battista Bracelli c. 1639, Rome

 

CHARLES WILD (1781-1835): THE CHOIR AF ANIENS CATHEDRAL, FRANCE

– showing the high altar and choir with 2 serpentists. From “Twelve Select Examples of the Ecclesiastical Architecture of the Middle Ages, Chiefly in France” (c1826). Courtesy of Douglas Yeo (www.yeodoug.com), used with permission.

A close up view of the serpentist on the north side of the Amiens choir:

 

The sound and difficult playing technique of the serpent made it not easy for it to become a popular instrument, and it was not often looked upon with great delight. When G.F. Händel for the first time heard a serpent he cried out: ”That was definitely not the Serpent that seduced Eve in Paradise!” It must have been in lack of something better that the serpent got some kind of succes though. In tutti parts, however, where its sound was dulled by other instruments, the serpent was a effective bass instrument. And so even Haendel wrote a part for serpent in his Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749).

 

MUSICIAN IN THE MILITARY HOLDING THE SERPENT UPRIGHT

The Serpent got an important role as bass instrument especially in wind ensembles, and during the 1700s the Serpent came into use for military music, where they not only were played during troop movements, but even during actual battles. To marching musicans in the military it was almost impossible to hold and play when marching. (It was easier to use them on horseback). First they tried to hold it upright, like it is shown on this picture, but later they began to hold it horizontally – probably after a suggestion from the English King George II. This way the marching musicians did not get the instrument between their legs, and the soldiers behind could better hear and enjoy its bass tones.

 

 ENGLISH MILITARY MUSIC CORPS WITH SERPENT HOLD HORIZONTALLY, about 1750

The player in the back plays a “ranket”, (also called “sausage bassoon”, German: “Wurstfagot). At the back of the group is a ”Turkish” percussion session, a popular percussion group that was used in wind- and in opera orchestras.

 

SERPENT-ANGEL

Narbonne Cathedrale, France 1739

10. MUSIC FOR THE ROYAL FIREWORKS

 

 

 

 

 DIE FELDMUSIK EINES REGIMENTES 1720

Instruments: One trumpet, 2 horns, 3 oboes and one bassoon.. Engraving by Christof Weigels Witwe. Heeregeschichtes Muesun, Wien

During the Baroque era there were smaller military wind ensembles (fig.59). But in 1749 one saw the largest wind band ever existed – until then.

After the War of the Austrian Succesion peace came in 1749. Peace was to be celebrated in London 15 Mai 1749.with a spectacular event that featured fireworks and music. The MUSIC FOR THE ROAL FIREWORKS was written by George Friederich Händel. There was 12000 present in the audience. The music was written for 3 horn parts, 3 trumpet parts, 2 oboe parts, bassoon part (with doubling of contra bassoon and serpent) timpani and side drum. The parts was doubled to a wind band consisting of c. 60 players, among them 9 trumpet players and 9 horn players. The music was a success, but the fireworks were a disaster. There were 12000 people in the audience.

 

HAND COLORED DRAWING OF THE ROYAL FIREWORKS 15 MAI 1749,

– as it might have looked if it hadn’t exploded prematurely!

11. THE MANNHEIMER COURT ORCHESTRA

 

 

THE MANNHEIMER COURT ORCHESTRA

– was the most famous orchestra in Europe in the latter half of the 18th century, known for their disciplin and virtuosity. The father of the orchestra is considered to be the Czeck composer Johann Stamitz. . The English historian and pomposer Charles Burney (1726-1814) described 1773 the players in the orchestra before a performance as: “An army of generals, equally fit to plan a battle they are going to win”. The Mannheim Orchestra had 50 players, among them 2 trumpet players and 2 horn players, as shown on the picture ( with horns playing “in revers” and with “bells up” )