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↓ JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. Please enable JavaScript onas a composer of church music before he ever heard Wagner’s music or attempted to compose a symphony. He had apparently experimented with chromatic harmonies, too. His best-known large-scale sacred music includes three masses and the Te Deum. He also composed motets throughout his career. Many of them are performed much more frequently than the larger works. Several include trombones, continuing a long-standing Austrian tradition. Continue reading → Posted in Composers | Tagged Bruckner (Anton) , composers , nineteenth century , sacred music , trombone | Leave a reply The G bass trombone: the short history of a long trombone Musicology for Everyone Posted on April 6, 2024 by David Guion April 6, 2024 2 The trombone is among the oldest instruments still used in European and American music, but several varieties have a much shorter history. The soprano trombone first appeared in the early to middle 18th century and has been used primarily in the Moravian tradition. The G bass trombone apparently dates only from the early 19th century. It was used only in British music (including colonial holdings such as Australia)—and it lasted barely into the last quarter of the 20th century. Michael Praetorius’ description trombones in his Syntagma musicum (1619) includes among others the Rechte gemeine Posaun (ordinary, or tenor trombone) and the Quart-Posaun (bass trombone, a trombone pitched a fourth lower than the tenor). The fourth remains the most common relationship of tenor to bass to this day. The modern tenor trombone is in B-flat, so the most common long bass trombone is in F, although we’re likely to call it a contrabass trombone today. An inventory of instruments from Stuttgart in 1589 mentions Terz-Pusonen, pitched a third lower than the tenor. In other words, they stood in the same relationship to the tenor trombone as a bass trombone in G. Ordinarily at that time, trombonists used crooks to lower the … Continue reading → Posted in Trombone and other brass | Tagged bass trombone , history , nineteenth century , twentieth century | 2 Replies The Stoughton Musical Society: early New England music’s savior Musicology for Everyone Posted on March 9, 2024 by David Guion March 9, 2024 The Stoughton Musical Society, founded in 1786, is America’s oldest continuously operating musical institution. It was founded under the inspiration of a singing school presented in Stoughton by William Billings, America’s first notable composer. When Lowell Mason drove Billings’ music out of New England churches, the society continued to sing it. Preserving the tradition eventually became a core aspect of its mission. The society incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts in 1908 and changed its name to Old Stoughton Musical Society. Continue reading → Posted in American popular music | Tagged American music , Billings (William) , choral music , composers , eighteenth century , Mason (Lowell) , nineteenth century , twentieth century | Leave a reply Symphony no. 6, Pastoral, by Ludwig van Beethoven Musicology for Everyone Posted on February 10, 2024 by David Guion February 10, 2024 2 Beethoven’s odd numbered symphonies have the reputation of being stormy and dramatic, while the even numbered symphonies seem more gentle and easy-going. For that reason, perhaps, the even numbered ones are less popular. Symphony no. 6, Pastoral, is easily the best known and most performed of the even numbered symphonies. Beethoven worked on his Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth symphonies, among other major works, between 1806 and 1808. The latter two are the first of Beethoven’s symphonies with trombone parts. Many symphonies and chamber works are known by nicknames that, more often than not, the composer never thought of. Beethoven himself supplied names for the Third Symphony (Eroica) and the Sixth (Pastoral Symphony, or Recollections of Country Life). Continue reading → Posted in Program notes | Tagged Beethoven (Ludwig van) , classical music , composers , nineteenth century , program notes , Sixth Symphony (Beethoven) , symphonies | 2 Replies Sousa’s Band: the most famous American wind band Musicology for Everyone Posted on January 6, 2024 by David Guion January 16, 2024 Before television, movies, radio, or sound recordings, people either had to learn to play musical instruments or attend concerts to experience music. Wind bands provided the majority of concerts. In the golden age of American wind bands, none was as successful and well known as Sousa’s Band. John Philip Sousa gained the experience and reputation needed to start a successful touring band as leader of the U.S. Marine Corps Band, America’s oldest professional musical ensemble. Before Sousa, it functioned as little more than Washington, DC’s town band. In his twelve years of service, Sousa transformed it to a nationally recognized band. Under his leadership, the Marine Band started recording for the Columbia Record company. Sousa’s marches became some of the earliest hit records. After years of trying, Sousa obtained permission to take it on tour. He hired David Blaikley, the former manager of the Gilmore Band, to organize the first tour throughout the Midwest. Its success encouraged a second tour that took the band as far as San Francisco. The success of that tour directly led to the end of Sousa’s leadership of the Marine Band and the formation of Sousa’s Band. Continue reading → Posted in Bands and band music , Composers | Tagged American popular music , bands , music in society , nineteenth century , Sousa (John Philip) , twentieth century | Leave a reply Beloved Christmas carols: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming Musicology for Everyone Posted on December 16, 2023 by David Guion December 16, 2023 No one knows who wrote either the German text or the tune of Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.” According to legend, a monk near the Rhineland city of Trier found a rose blooming one Christmas Eve, plucked it, and put it in a vase on an altar devoted to the Virgin Mary. The poem Es is ein Ros entsprungen” may have been written as early as the 15th century, but the earliest extant version appeared in the late 16th century. At the time, the Protestant Reformation roiled Europe in general and Germany in particular. Catholic and Lutheran publishers issued slightly different versions of the text, paired with the tune we know and love today. I say slightly different, but the change of two lines clearly shows a theological gulf. Just whom does the rose symbolize? Continue reading → Posted in Christmas music | Tagged Christmas music , music in society , nineteenth century , sixteenth century | Leave a reply Post navigation ← Older posts Musicology for Everyone Search for: Search by category American popular music Civil War music Jazz Anecdotes Quotations Bands and band music Christmas music Classical music Composers European musical history Humor Music education Music Festival Opera Orchestras Program notes Trombone and other brass Uncategorized Archives Archives Select Month April 2024 (2) March 2024 (1) February 2024 (1) January 2024 (1) December 2023 (1) November 2023 (1) October 2023 (1) September 2023 (1) August 2023 (1) July 2023 (2) April 2023 (2) March 2023 (1) February 2023 (1) January 2023 (1) December 2022 (1) November 2022 (1) October 2022 (2) September 2022 (1) August 2022 (1) July 2022 (1) May 2022 (1) March 2022 (1) February 2022 (2) January 2022 (1) December 2021 (2) November 2021 (1) October 2021 (2) September 2021 (1) July 2021 (2) June 2021 (1) May 2021 (2) April 2021 (1) March 2021 (1) February 2021 (2) January 2021 (1) December 2020 (2) October 2020 (1) September 2020 (1) August 2020 (2) July 2020 (1) June 2020 (2) May 2020 (1) April 2020 (1) March 2020 (2) February 2020 (1) January 2020 (1) December 2019 (1) November 2019 (2) October 2019 (1) September 2019 (2) July 2019 (1) June 2019 (1) May 2019 (1) April 2019 (2) March 2019 (1) February 2019 (2) January 2019 (1) December...