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The Orchestra / Instruments / Trombones

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Introduction to the Trombone

Byron Fulcher
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If you think of how the orchestra sounds at its grandest and most powerful moments, that sound is probably underpinned and given its power by the trombones. This capability has been repeatedly exploited by composers over the years and, in common with many instruments of the orchestra, this has created a stereotype of what people think the trombone is all about. It can also be a very soft melodic instrument. In fact during the Renaissance the trombone had a golden era and a tremendous amount of subtle and delicate music was written for groups of trombones which would be played during church services. It wasn´t until the beginning of the 19th century that the trombone ceased to be thought of as a church instrument and became a regular member of the orchestra....[more]
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Listen to the Trombone

trombone detail
Listen to these clips to discover the sound of the trombone:
clip 1 -
Famous trombone solo from Bolero by Ravel.
clip 2 -
This trombone trio from 'Saturn' shows how the trombone can be powerful and dramatic, but warm and beautiful at the same time - Saturn is part of The Planets by Holst.
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