The Alto Trombone: Evolution as a Chamber Music Instrument in Selected Works from the Baroque to the Twentieth Century

Abstract

Abstract Starting in the Renaissance, the alto trombone was considered by many to be a sacred consort instrument that doubled the voices in church choirs or performed independent parts in church music. In the Baroque period, the alto trombone became a chamber instrument that was used as an obbligato instrument paired with voice, which composers of Vienna started the trend in accompanying voice. This gradually decreased in the classical period as the instrument was incorporated into orchestral music. The composers of the Romantic era used the alto trombone rarely except in some orchestral literature, but this diminished over time as the tenor trombone proved more versatile than the alto trombone. When chamber music works from the Baroque era were rediscovered in the 20th century, the alto trombone experienced a revival and gained popularity with composers of the 20th century. The alto trombone was used as the highest tessitura voice in chamber music from the 20th century, which gave it a role as a soloist in chamber works from this time. This document examines how the alto trombone has evolved in chamber music from being an obbligato instrument that accompanied vocal lines in the Baroque period, to having a less important role as an obbligato instrument with voice in the Classical period, became nearly obsolete in the Romantic period, and developed into an essential instrument in chamber works of the twentieth century. Through the musical works of Franz Ignaz Tumå, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Malcolm Forsyth, Virgil Thomson, Alfred Hornoff, and Donald Appert, this document examines each work by including an analysis of the alto trombone part, how it fits into the chamber work, and provides information on the historical context of the work and composer.