[Trombone-l] Berlioz, Beethoven

[Keith Marr]

> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: Howard Weiner
>

> Thus it has to be concluded that Albrechtsberger's "alto" trombone was
> in B-flat, which agrees with other information concerning the "alto"
> trombone in Vienna at the turn of the 18th to the 19th century.
>
Backing up Howard's comments here there is an old saying we have in the UK 
"the proof of the pudding is in the eating" . . . If one attempts the 
concerto on a small tenor trombone (I used a 1916 Conn SLP [precursor of the 
2H]) one immediately finds that, although having a high tessitura for a 
"tenor", the lips trills are more achievable and the piece sits nicely on 
the instrument. Playing the piece on an E flat trombone is certainly no 
easier and many of the ornaments require a trill valve which I am sure would 
not have been available to players in 1769.

The only question for me is the choice of model of Bb trombone as the 
spikiness of the small bore sound needs to be avoided in Viennese playing. 
It is necessary to cultivate a soft warm sound. My 44H vocabell works very 
nicely. Maybe one of the German makes, with a bell krantz, would be worth a 
try?

Cheers!

Keith in Bb/F/D
Bass Trombone: St Albans Symphony Orchestra and Page Three Big Band
Soloist: Alto, Tenor and Bass Trombones