The alto trombone (German: Altposaune, Italian and French: trombone alto) is the alto type of the trombone family, which are brass instruments. It is smaller than the tenor trombone. The alto trombone usually sounds a fourth higher than the tenor trombone, often in the key of E♭. Some are occasionally in the key of F. From the 1600s to the 1700s, the alto trombone was often used in church music to help the alto voice sound stronger, especially during the Mass. Music written for the alto trombone is usually written in the alto clef.
History
The trombone first appeared in its earliest form, called the sackbut, in the 15th century. However, the exact origin of the smaller alto-sized trombone is not clear. The first known records of the alto trombone appear in 1590. These records are found in Aurelio Virgiliano's book, Il Dolcimelo, and in Syntagma Musicum by Michael Praetorius, which includes a drawing of an alto trombone in volume II, De Organographia. The oldest surviving alto trombone dates from around 1652 and is kept at St. Mary's Church in Gdańsk.
The alto trombone appears in the earliest written music for trombones, where composers wrote parts for alto, tenor, and bass trombones to support the voices in church music. Although these parts were written using alto, tenor, and bass clefs, the clef used was not always a reliable way to determine which type of trombone was used during performances.
Until recently, little was known about trombone music from the 18th century. New discoveries, including information about an Austrian alto trombone virtuoso named Thomas Gschladt, show that the alto trombone was popular between 1756 and 1780. In the 1960s, a recording of an incomplete concerto by Georg Christoph Wagenseil was made by conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt. This concerto requires advanced skills and is the first known trombone concerto. Shortly after this recording, another concerto by Leopold Mozart was found. Because of the advanced techniques required, such as lip trills, this concerto was thought to be written for the French horn. New information about Gschladt shows that music of this difficulty was written for the alto trombone during the mid-to-late 18th century and that previously thought impossible techniques were actually playable. Like Gottfried Reiche, who played for Bach, and Joseph Leutgeb, who played for Mozart, Gschladt was one of the best trombone soloists of his time. He was close to Leopold Mozart, who wrote a Serenade specifically for him. When Gschladt was unavailable, Mozart used a viola soloist instead.
In addition to Leopold Mozart and Wagenseil, Michael Haydn's Serenade in D (1764), which requires a wide range, trills, and endurance, supports the idea that the alto trombone had a special period of popularity between 1756 and 1780. This piece was likely written for Thomas Gschladt. The Serenade joins other works from this time that show the alto trombone's skill.
In the 19th century, Berlioz helped increase the use of the tenor trombone and valved brass instruments in France. By the 1840s, the alto trombone was nearly forgotten in France and England. In Italy and many other parts of Europe, valved trombones quickly became common, replacing slide trombones, including the alto. Improvements in instruments and playing techniques allowed tenor trombonists to perform parts originally written for the alto trombone. The alto was then seen as an outdated tool for high notes.
Although some musicians continued to use the alto trombone, it was not popular in orchestras until the late 20th century, when it began to be used more often again. Modern composers, such as Eric Ewazen, Christian Lindberg, Torsten Nilsson, and Jan Sandström, have written solo pieces for the alto trombone.
Construction
The bore of an alto trombone is between the sizes of a trumpet and a tenor trombone. It is similar to the bore of a small-bore tenor trombone, usually about 0.450 to 0.500 inches (11.4 to 12.7 mm) with a bell size of 6 + 1⁄2 or 7 inches (17 or 18 cm).
Modern alto trombones sometimes have a valve that lowers the pitch. This valve can lower the pitch by a semitone to D (called a "trill" valve) or by a fourth to B♭, similar to the B♭/F valve setup found on tenor and bass trombones. The B♭ valve allows players to use different slide positions for longer notes and extends the range above the pedals from A2 down to F2.
Many companies include an alto trombone in their product lines. These companies include Yamaha, Bach, Conn, SE Shires, Thein, Rath, and others.
Alto trombones in E♭ have been made very rarely. These instruments are mostly found in museums.
Characteristics and range
The range of the E♭ alto trombone is from A2 to E♭5. In most classical music, it rarely plays below E♭3. When played by skilled musicians, the instrument can reach as high as G5. Pedal tones, which are very low notes, can be played from E♭2 down to A1, but these are not often used.
The slide on the E♭ alto trombone is shorter than the slide on the B♭ tenor and bass trombones. Because of this, the seven slide positions are closer together. A B♭ valve attachment helps the player reach lower notes below A2 when using the seventh slide position, down to F2. This feature is most helpful for making alternate slide positions for middle-range notes, which avoids the need to use the longer sixth and seventh positions.
The sound of the alto trombone is brighter than the sound of the tenor or bass trombone. This bright and clear high range is its main advantage and makes it different from other trombones. The high notes can produce expressive and beautiful tones.
Repertoire
The alto trombone is mainly used in choral, orchestral, and operatic music. It became more famous in the early 19th century, especially in the works of composers such as Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, and Mendelssohn. Since the 18th century in Vienna, the alto trombone has also been played as a solo instrument.
Modern composers have started using the alto trombone again, and it appears more often in smaller musical pieces today. In 1966, composer Britten included the alto trombone in his chamber opera The Burning Fiery Furnace. Currently, top professional tenor trombonists in orchestras are required to play the alto trombone when needed.
Notable works that include this instrument are listed in the following table.