Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Douglas G. Warner
I, _________________________________________________________,
hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of:
Doctorate of Musical Arts (D.M.A.)
in:
Trombone
It is entitled:
Current Trends in Alto Trombone Pedagogy in the United States
David Vining
Chair: _______________________________
Randy Gardner
_______________________________
Lizabeth Wing
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
CURRENT TRENDS IN ALTO TROMBONE PEDAGOGY
IN THE UNITED STATES
2005
by
DOUGLAS G. WARNER
This paper examined alto trombone pedagogy from three vantage points. First an
in-depth analysis of the alto trombone methods currently available was presented. The
methods were analyzed with regard to progressive arrangement, readability of text and
music, balance in the use of keys and registers, inclusion of a position chart and
orchestral excerpts, and the pedagogical and musical quality of the etudes. The second
part of this paper was a study of occurrences of the alto trombone on student recitals in
from 1979-2004. The frequency of performances was analyzed as well as the frequency
information about their employment level as a university teacher (full- or part-time), their
own study of the alto trombone, their use of methods, solos, and orchestral excerpts to
teach the instrument, whether their institution owns an alto trombone, what they believe
mouthpiece recommendations, and their opinions of the alto trombone methods currently
available.
The examination of comprehensive alto trombone methods revealed that each one
differed in its areas of emphasis. Increased use of the alto trombone on student recitals in
the past twenty-six years was evident; the increase has occurred primarily at the graduate
level. The concerto by Wagenseil was, by far, the most frequently programmed work.
The results from the survey of trombone instructors revealed significant trends. There
were similarities between the materials used by teachers in their own study and those that
are commonly used to teach current students. The Wagenseil concerto was the most
popular choice for appropriate first solo for the alto trombone student. When instructors
were asked to rate alto trombone methods, the four volume method by Sluchin received
the highest scores by percentage, while the Anderson method was the most widely
known.
© 2005
Douglas G. Warner
I would like to thank my teacher and advisor, David Vining for his direction and
insight. The assistance and advice of the other members of my committee, Randy
Gardner and Dr. Lizabeth Wing are acknowledged as well. I am grateful to the trombone
instructors across the country who participated in the survey for this project. The
assistance.
and assistance. I offer my gratitude to my parents, Gerald and Sandra Warner for their
encouragement and to my in-laws, Donald and Ruth Ann Kuebler for their support and
for countless hours of childcare during the final months of this project. And finally, I
thank my two young daughters, Abigail and Morgan, for putting up with a father who has
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................2
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS............................................................................................4
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................5
BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................................................................................117
APPENDIX
1
TABLES
Table Page
16. Solo Literature Used by Respondents in Their Alto Trombone Teaching ...............94
2
17. Respondents’ Choices for the Most Appropriate First Solo for the Alto
Trombone Student...............................................................................................95
20. Brand Preferences for Future School Alto Trombone Purchases .............................99
23. Ratings for Anderson, Stephen: A complete Method for E-flat Alto
Trombone ..........................................................................................................103
25. Ratings for Slokar, Branimir: Methode Complete de Trombone Alto ....................104
26. Ratings for Sluchin, Benny: Study Material for Alto Trombone ............................104
3
ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure Page
3. Benny Sluchin, comp., Study Material for the Alto Trombone, vol. 1,
Chromatic Chart, page 14 ...................................................................................40
4
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Purpose
The renaissance of the alto trombone in recent years has ignited an increasing
interest to learn the fundamental skills of playing the instrument in order to be able to
perform the solo, chamber, and orchestral literature that exists specifically for it. Very
little has been written, however, regarding how the instrument is currently being taught.
The purpose of this study was to ascertain how the alto trombone is being
compared with those of the last thirty years1 to identify any observable trends. An
analysis and comparison of alto trombone method books currently published provides
insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each. It is hoped that this research and the
conclusions drawn will inspire further research and additional interest in the topic of alto
trombone pedagogy, enhancing the effectiveness of those who teach the instrument.
1
It should be noted that little research has previously been conducted on the subject, and most of what is
known about pedagogical practices (especially those in the 1970s and 1980s) must be inferred from
published student recital programs, the amount of pedagogical materials written specifically for the
instrument, etc.
5
Reason and significance
In only one study has there been an examination of this aspect of trombone
Performance Practices and Pedagogy in the United States” (University of Georgia, 1993),
includes nine questions dealing with alto trombone pedagogy in a survey of professional
teachers and performers. Mathie’s research was completed nearly fifteen years ago.2
Since that time, at least two comprehensive alto trombone methods have been published.
With the increase in available methods and an increase in the number of alto trombone
appropriate, current data are compared with that of his study, drawing conclusions based
on similarities and differences. Also addressed are several concepts not covered by
Mathie’s survey, including an analysis of what methods most teachers currently use with
their students and how these compare with the methods the teachers as a group used in
their own initial study of the instrument. Similar observations are made with regard to the
educational level at which teachers began studying the alto trombone and how that
compares with what teachers now believe to be the appropriate level at which to have a
student begin such study. Further research regarding pedagogical use of orchestral
2
Although Mathie’s document was published in 1993, his survey was conducted in November 1990.
3
The increase in the number of alto trombone students is inferred, based on the data from recital programs
listed in the ITA Journal. See chapter 4 for specific details.
6
Additionally, a detailed analysis and comparison of the comprehensive methods
currently available for the instrument would be of benefit to teachers and students alike.
they seek to improve the way in which they teach this instrument.
Methodology
comprehensive alto trombone methods currently available; a summary and analysis of the
use of the alto trombone on student recitals from 1979 to 2004, as reported in the
Newsletter; and a survey of college- and university-level trombone teachers in the United
States.
At the time this study was initiated, four comprehensive methods were identified
as written specifically to address alto trombone playing; a fifth method was discovered
during the research process. The analysis and comparison of these five methods addresses
the following issues: progressive organization of material, balance and readability of text
and music, inclusion of a position chart, adequate use of various keys, a balanced
approach to all registers, inclusion of appropriate orchestral excerpts, and the pedagogical
The second aspect of this study is a summary and analysis of alto trombone use
on student recital programs as reported in the ITA Journal and the ITA Newsletter. Data
7
are included since 1979, when the programs were reported in such a way as to make
distinction of student recitals clear. Trends are identified in student alto trombone solo
(baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral) at which alto trombone works were performed. From
this data, conclusions concerning past pedagogical practices and recent trends are drawn.
in the United States. Seven hundred seventy trombone teachers whose names were listed
Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada, published by The College Music Society4
were solicited via e-mail, post card, or in person and asked to complete an online or hard
copy survey. One hundred seventy-three completed the survey. The survey queried the
following areas: the respondent’s employment level as a university teacher (full- or part-
time); the respondent’s own experience with regard to the study of the alto trombone;
methods, solos, and orchestral excerpts used to teach the instrument; whether their
institution owns an alto trombone; appropriate level of study to begin teaching alto
methods currently available. Based upon the results of the survey, conclusions are drawn
4
College Music Society, Directory of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada
(Binghamton, NY: College Music Society, 2003).
8
CHAPTER II
In the last two decades, several authors, including Stephen Anderson,5 Mark
Hartman,6 David Mathie,7 and Will Kimball,8 have undertaken projects in which they
outlined the history of the alto trombone. Because this paper is not primarily concerned
with the historical aspect of the alto trombone, and because the instrument’s role in music
history has already been adequately documented, this chapter will not dwell on the early
history of the instrument. Rather, it was deemed appropriate that, in order to establish a
solid foundation for the following chapters, a brief description of the resurgence in
popularity of the alto trombone be given, citing the significant developments which have
orchestra, the alto trombone began to lose favor with composers and, subsequently, with
performers during the middle of the nineteenth century. Several reasons have been
5
Stephen C. Anderson, “The Alto Trombone, Then and Now,” The Instrumentalist 40, no. 4 (November
1985): 54-62.
6
Mark Shafer Hartman, “The Use of the Alto Trombone in Symphonic and Operatic Orchestral Literature”
(D.M.A. research paper, Arizona State University, 1985).
7
David Gordon Mathie, ““The Alto Trombone: Twentieth-Century Performance Practices and Pedagogy in
the United States” (University of Georgia, 1993).
8
Will Kimball, “The Rise and Fall…and Rise of the Alto Trombone,” NACWPI Journal 48 (Spring 2000):
23-28.
9
suggested as to why this decline occurred, but the most significant is that the growth in
the size of the Romantic orchestra necessitated a larger volume of sound than the alto was
able to produce. Not only could the larger tenor trombone produce more sound, but it
was, in the hands of a capable player, able to negotiate the high tessitura commonly
required in alto trombone parts. By the end of the nineteenth century, the instrument had
used the tenor trombone exclusively, even when performing works originally written for
the alto.
document, as little was written regarding it until some years later. Will Kimball, in “The
Rise and Fall…and Rise of the Alto Trombone” (NACWPI Journal, Spring 2000), writes
that, “After a long period of subsequent obsolescence, the alto trombone had a rebirth in
the second half of the twentieth century.”9 Stephen Anderson, in his article “The Alto
Trombone: Then and Now” (The Instrumentalist, Nov. 1985), cites the 1960s and 70s as
the time during which the instrument again began to be used as a solo instrument and
In the 1960s and 70s the discovery and publication of major solo works
for the instrument led to the renaissance of interest in the study and performance
of the alto trombone. Interest blossomed from the finding of 18th-century
concerto repertoire with such works as Wagenseil’s Concerto (c. 1755), Leopold
Mozart’s Concerto (c. 1762), Michael Haydn’s Larghetto (1763), Adagio and
Allegro molto, and Divertimento in D (1764), and Albrechtsberger’s Concerto
(1769). Trombonists were anxious to perform these works but soon discovered
that it was impossible to play them correctly10 on the tenor instrument. At the
same time symphonic players began to experiment with using the alto in order to
9
Ibid, 23.
10
Presumably, Anderson means, “with an historically accurate sound.”
10
reintroduce it in performances of appropriate symphonic and operatic literature.
Thus, a rebirth of interest in the alto trombone, its literature, and performance
techniques began.11
trombonists toward larger equipment. Until the middle of the twentieth century,
orchestral tenor trombonists generally performed on relatively small bore (.500 in.)
instruments. Modern tenor trombonists use large bore (.547 in.) trombones. While these
larger instruments are capable of producing a very large, broad sound, the extreme upper
register (the range found in the alto trombone parts of the classical period) sounds rather
heavy and somewhat forced. No doubt this fact, along with the modern interest in
In his “The Use of the Alto Trombone in Symphonic and Operatic Orchestral
Literature,” Mark Hartman quotes Stuart Dempster regarding the use of the alto trombone
in symphony orchestras in the 1960s, writing that, “During the period from 1962-1966,
when I performed with the Oakland Symphony under Gerhard Samuel, I used an alto
trombone for Mozart, Beethoven, and certain other composers’ works, but I certainly felt
that I was not conforming to the norm at all.”12 Hartman later quotes Jay Friedman,
principal trombonist with the Chicago Symphony: “I started using an alto in 1965 in the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The alto trombone projects more than tenor [trombone]
and the type of music written for alto does not require a large volume of sound.”13
11
Anderson, 56-7.
12
Stuart Dempster quoted in Hartman, 58.
13
Jay Friedman quoted in Hartman, 96.
11
Although it was not common, the alto trombone was being used in the symphony
Further evidence of the increasing use of the alto trombone throughout the 1960s
is provided by Reginald Fink14 and Denis Wick,15 two highly respected authors, who, in
the early 1970s, each published important texts on the trombone. Both wrote of the alto
performance. Reginald Fink observed, “Recently there has been renewed interest in
playing the works originally written for alto trombone on an alto trombone and the
addressing the instrument’s orchestral use, Denis Wick stated, “Although until recently
only the B-flat [tenor] was in general use, there has been a revival of interest in the alto
trombone in the last decade in Britain and the U.S.A. …. Because of this revival interest
the alto trombone is now often seen in symphony orchestras. First trombone players will
be expected to be familiar with it, and we should consider the various aspects of playing
it, and its use in the modern symphony orchestra.”17 (emphasis added)
Little was written about the alto trombone throughout the rest of the 1970s.
Interest in the instrument and its use, however, must have continued to grow, even to the
point that those “first generation” alto trombone players were now beginning to teach the
instrument to others, as the early 1980s witnessed the publication of three methods of
study completely devoted to the teaching of alto trombone. Karsten Parow’s Initiation
14
Reginald H. Fink, The Trombonist’s Handbook: A Complete Guide to Playing and Teaching (Athens,
OH: Accura Music, 1970).
15
Denis Wick, Trombone Technique (London: Oxford University Press, 1971).
16
Fink, 45.
17
Wick, 93.
12
Complète au Trombone Alto (1982), Branimir Slokar’s Methode Complete de Trombone
Alto (1983), and Stephen Anderson’s A Complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone
In 1985, Mark Hartman authored a D.M.A. research paper, “The Use of the Alto
wrote about the alto trombone’s use in the symphony orchestra. In it, he summarized
orchestras throughout the United States regarding their use of alto trombone. Eighteen of
the twenty trombonists interviewed confirmed that they had used the alto trombone in
In the same year, Ralph Sauer, principal trombonist of the Los Angeles
Philharmonic, published a brief article in the ITA Journal,19 advocating the expanded use
of the alto trombone, not only in orchestral works of the Classical composers, but also in
much of the early Romantic literature which, until that time, was still usually being
Two additional doctoral papers were published in 1993, each analyzing a different
aspect of the alto trombone and the renewed interest in the instrument. David Johansen’s
Regional Symphony Orchestras in the United States and of Pedagogical Materials and
Curricula Currently Available for that Instrument” (University of Iowa, 1993), focused
18
These three resources will be discussed extensively in chapter 3.
19
Ralph Sauer, “The Alto Trombone in the Symphony Orchestra,” ITA Journal 12, no. 3 (1984): 41.
13
Performance Practices and Pedagogy in the United States” (University of Georgia, 1993),
is the most extensive study to date dealing with the alto trombone and how it was being
used in performance and pedagogy in the early 1990s. Part of Mathie’s research included
Another indication of the continued growth of interest in and use of the alto
trombone is the significant increase in literature for the instrument. The last decade has
witnessed the publication of two additional methods specifically written for alto
trombone. The BrassWorkBook for Alto Trombone, written by Roger Harvey and
published in 1998, and the extensive Study Material for the Alto Trombone by Benny
Sluchin (published from 2000-2002) have both contributed to the array of high quality
materials available for the teaching and study of the instrument. There has also been a
growth in newly composed solo and chamber literature for the alto trombone. Anderson,
in his 1985 article, listed only fifteen modern solo works for alto trombone. Currently,
there are nearly one hundred such solos listed on Robert Kehle’s The Alto Trombone
Homepage.20 Mathie stated in 1993 that there were only three known original chamber
compositions for alto trombone. Kehle lists more than forty. Kehle does not provide dates
of publication for these works and, thus, some of them may have existed but were
unknown to Anderson and Mathie. It is doubtful, however, that such is the case with all
The alto trombone renaissance is also evident in the numerous recordings of solo
and ensemble works for the instrument by many high profile trombonists in recent years.
20
Robert Kehle, The Alto Trombone Home Page; available from
http://www.pittstate.edu/music/altotrombonehomepage.html; Internet; accessed 20 May 2005. Kehle’s is
currently the most extensive database of its kind.
14
Solo literature has been recorded by such prominent artists as Joseph Alessi, Christian
Lindberg, Alain Trudel, Mark Lawrence, Steve Witser, Branimir Slokar, and Ronald
Barron. Several of these soloists have produced recordings of music exclusively for alto
trombone.
Finally, the effects of this continuing renaissance of the alto trombone can be
demonstrated by a few statistics. In Mathie’s study, only 52.2% of respondents said that
they played or had played an alto trombone. In the survey conducted for this study and
described in chapter 5, the respondents who said that they play alto trombone totaled
70.5%, a substantial increase in less than fifteen years. The earlier study revealed that, of
those who played alto, “87% were self-taught.”21 After more than a decade, it was found
in this study that half (50.8%) of the respondents who played alto trombone had some
formal study of the instrument. Not only have the numbers of alto trombone players
increased, but it has quickly become part of the formal education of many players.
Certainly, the alto trombone renaissance is more than mere perception. The
remainder of this study will help to further establish that fact. The statistical data
contained herein could then serve as a point of comparison for future studies concerning
the instrument.
21
Mathie, 114.
15
CHAPTER III
Introduction
As documented above, the renewed interest in the alto trombone was formally
recognized by 1970. It was not until a decade later, however, that any pedagogical
methods were written for the instrument. In the early 1980s, three alto trombone methods
were published within the space of as many years: Initiation Complète au Trombone Alto
(1983), and A Complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone by Stephen C. Anderson (1984-
86). Until recently, these three methods were the only ones readily available. Roger
Harvey published his BrassWorkBook for Alto Trombone in 1998, and between 2000 and
2003, Benny Sluchin has published a four-volume method for alto trombone entitled
Published in 1982, this is the earliest of the alto trombone methods. The
introductory notes state that, “This collection of studies and orchestral excerpts is
addressed to all trombonists that play the alto trombone as a secondary instrument to the
16
need material for practicing solos or orchestral parts.”22 The instructive text at the
Parow advocates using a mouthpiece with a rim identical to one’s tenor mouthpiece rim,
possibility of acquainting oneself with the instrument by practicing exercises intended for
tenor trombone, using the slide positions that one would use if playing on tenor, but
producing pitches a perfect fourth higher. He then cautions, however, that this approach
can lead to the danger of “overtaxing oneself in higher pitches.”23 The student is
admonished to practice a large number of long tones and scales in order to achieve a good
sound, endurance and accurate slide positions. Parow’s final introductory paragraph
informs the student that, although the facilitation of high pitches is easier on alto
trombone than on tenor trombone (because high pitches occur lower in the harmonic
series on the alto), the effort to produce those pitches remains the same.
A position chart follows. The chart comprises a full page and is laid out in such a
way that the pitches ascend chromatically, with each harmonic series occupying a
separate line. The seventh partial is clearly marked to indicate that those pitches need to
be raised to compensate for their inherent flatness, and the C-sharp5/D-flat5 in first
position is crossed out, indicating its lack of usability.24 A line separating alternate from
22
Karsten Parow, Initiation Complète au Trombone Alto (Gérard Billaudot, 1982), 1.
23
Ibid., 4.
24
Pitches are identified here and throughout the text with a system based on the piano keyboard. The three
lowest pitches on a standard piano keyboard are designated as A0, A-sharp0, and B0. Beginning with the
next higher pitch, designated C1, all of the pitches in the octave above are labeled with a superscript “1.”
Each consecutive C begins a new octave, labeled with the next higher integer as its superscript. The
example below provides further clarification.
17
“regular” positions provides further clarification. This format is easy to use, as it clearly
delineates which pitches fall within each partial and what is the most common position
The next page contains major scales and arpeggios in all twelve keys. Key
signatures are indicated for the arpeggios (which appear first in each key); “reminder”
accidentals are provided for the scales. The scales are printed only in their ascending
form.
The next fifteen pages contain twenty-one etudes arranged progressively. A wide
variety of styles and keys is represented, including F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat, C, D,
and A, as well as A minor and D minor. The latter etudes are quite challenging, utilizing
a great deal of chromaticism and numerous wide leaps. Several well-known composers
are represented, with etudes adapted from the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
trombonists, namely Giulio Marco Bordogni (1789-1856) and Giuseppe Concone (1801-
1861). Other composers represented are Jean Douay, Gilles Senon (b. 1932), Friedrich
especially those by Mozart, Bordogni, and Concone, are tonal. Others contain extensive
chromaticism and push the limits of tonality. The use of melodic etudes rather than
18
Probably due to the vocal origin of many of these exercises, a preference is shown
for legato, lyrical playing. Only three of the etudes contain significant amounts of
detached playing.
The middle and upper middle registers of the instrument are thoroughly
addressed. However, these exercises do not explore the true upper register of the alto
trombone. Nothing higher than C5 can be found until the final etude, which has several
D5s.
The second half of Parow’s book contains alto trombone excerpts from the
orchestral repertoire. This is a valuable resource, as it contains some pieces that are not
found in Keith Brown’s collection25. Notable examples include Cantatas nos. 64 and 68
Gluck (1714-1787), the first trombone part from the Requiem, K. 626 of Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Mass no. 6 by Franz Schubert (1797-1828), and Hamlet
by Ambroise Thomas (1811-1896). Works that can also be found in the Brown collection
include Bach’s Cantata no. 4, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Symphonies nos. 5 and 9 and
the Missa Solemnis by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), The Creation by Franz
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), Schubert’s Mass no. 5 and Symphonies nos. 8 and 9, and all
four symphonies by Robert Schumann (1810-1856). None of the pieces written in the
twentieth century that specifically call for alto trombone are included.26 Copyright
limitations probably make it financially unfeasible to include them. The inclusion of the
25
Keith Brown, Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire for Trombone and Tuba, 10 volumes
(New York: International Music Company, 1964-70). This collection remains the most comprehensive
compilation of low brass orchestral excerpts.
26
Examples of such pieces would include Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande and Gurrelieder, Berg’s
Three Pieces for Orchestra and Wozzeck, Stravinsky’s Threni, and Britten’s The Burning Fiery Furnace.
19
excerpts in this section enhances the method’s pedagogical value, as the instructor has
immediate access to many of the difficult passages in the most commonly performed
orchestral works for the alto trombone. The parts can be learned well in advance of
It should be noted that these alto trombone parts are exclusively in alto clef, in
spite of the fact that trombonists who perform these pieces will sometimes encounter
other clefs, depending on the edition used. For example, Bach’s Cantata no. 4 appears in
treble clef in the Brown excerpt collection27 and, in the edition of Mozart’s Requiem
published by Barenreiter, the alto trombone part is entirely in tenor clef. Parow makes no
The notation of this method is clear and legible. Some expression indications are
Alto, the currently available version of Branimir Slokar’s method now bears a 1991
copyright (the publisher, Editions Marc Reift, remains the same), a new title (which
appears on the front cover in German, French, and English), updated biographical notes
about the author, and a humorous trombone cartoon. Otherwise, the resource is
The method begins with a brief biographical sketch of the author in German,
French, and English. The introductory text that follows (again in German, French, and
English) is labeled, “Some Preliminary Notes by Branimir Slokar.” The author explains
27
Brown, vol. III, 3-8.
20
that this method is designed to build endurance on the alto trombone by placing the
Like Parow, Slokar warns against the use of tenor trombone exercises adapted to
the alto trombone by playing them a fourth higher than written, stating that, “these
exercises, if played a fourth higher all the way through, would have a harmful effect on
before beginning the exercises in this method each day. Slokar notes that, for those who
already have achieved some familiarity with the alto trombone, he has included some
warm-up exercises at the end of the book. The author goes on to admonish the student to
strictly follow the suggested length of daily practice times, insisting that doing so will
bring success. Slokar asserts that, “serious musicians have been able to play the alto
trombone in the orchestra after having accomplished this school,”29 although he does not
Like Parow, Slokar recommends using a mouthpiece whose rim is the same as the
rim on one’s tenor trombone mouthpiece. He suggests that the cup of the alto mouthpiece
each day, as well as the time one should spend covering the material. Twenty minutes is
required the first day, with the time increasing by five or ten minute increments each day
thereafter. (There is a fifteen-minute increase between the eleventh and twelfth days.)
The chart’s labels and brief instructions are given only in French. A quick comparison of
28
Branimir Slokar, Schule für Altposaune (Switzerland: Editions Marc Reift, 1991), 3.
29
Ibid., 4.
21
the chart and the layout of the exercises in the book, however, prove the instructions to be
intuitive. After the chart, Slokar offers a reason for the order of the first 50 exercises:
The first 50 exercises mainly deal with the horizontal (chromatics) and
vertical (natural tone row) technique.
As on the alto trombone the positions are very close, it is—in favour of an
exact intonation—of advantage to learn them in the succession indicated.30
The exercises begin with simplicity, the first two remaining in first position and
covering the second, third and fourth partials in half notes. The next two exercises are the
same as the first two, merely being transposed down a step, so as to be played entirely in
third position. Second and fourth positions are introduced next, using the same two
exercises. The ninth exercise requires the student to play repeated B-flat3s, alternating
between first and sixth positions, presumably to teach the location of sixth position,
although no such explanation is offered. The two original exercises are then repeated in
sixth position. The three exercises that follow utilize the five positions introduced to that
point.
The author introduces seventh position in the same manner that he introduced
sixth position, this time having the student play A3 alternately in second and seventh
positions. As with the previously introduced positions, he then presents the first two
Fifth position is introduced by alternating E-flat4 in first and short fifth positions.
This is in keeping with Slokar’s method of using alternate position notes to demonstrate
the location of the longer positions. With this example, however, the student locates a
shortened fifth position rather than the regular one. Slokar does not comment on this,
30
Ibid., 5.
22
except to indicate (with a “+”) that the E-flat4s should be played slightly higher. As
The next three exercises (21-23) are all in the key of D and utilize all but first and
sixth positions. Exercise 24 contains long tones with gradual crescendos and
Having introduced the positions one at a time, the author then presents exercises
of increasing difficulty, with growing demands of dynamics, range, and flexibility. Those
exercises are sequential patterns derived from chromatic scales. Slide positions are
indicated for every pitch in exercises 25-33. Additionally, pitches of the fifth partial are
labeled with +s, indicating that they must be raised slightly. No similar indications are
given for those pitches that need to be lowered because they are naturally sharp in the
harmonic series.
Exercises 34-37 are sequential patterns derived from scales and arpeggios in the
keys of E-flat and D. Exercises 38-45 include expanding intervals and alternate positions;
these elements are combined to focus on accuracy with slide placement. Exercises 46 and
47 present major arpeggios derived from the harmonic series in each of the seven
positions (E-flat, D, D-flat, C, C-flat, B-flat, and A). Exercise 48, like 24, combines long
tones with gradual dynamic changes; the range is now expanded upward to include B-
flat4.
include major arpeggios (again, based on the harmonic series and organized by position)
that ascend to the eighth partial. In exercise 51, the student is required once more to drill
23
alternate positions, as the entire exercise consists of repeated pitches with alternate
The arpeggios begin on A2 and progress in range all the way to F5.
The next six pages contain a slow scale and arpeggio exercise, beginning with the
key of C and continuing through all the major keys. Slokar’s brief instructions preceding
this section admonish the student to “gradually increase the tempo, but never at the
expense of accuracy.”31
Modal scales in all twelve major keys are then presented in two different patterns
of 8th and 16th notes. These are nearly identical to some of the modal scale exercises
found in the Arban method.32 Again, the author cautions against practicing these scale
etudes too fast. Because these modal scale patterns are sequential and presumably to
conserve space, the second pattern in each key is introduced but not written out in its
entirety. Additional space is saved by listing alternate key signatures for the exercises in
B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat, and G-flat, allowing each of them to be played a half step
The book concludes with seven pages of warm-up exercises. Slokar has placed
these at the end of the book rather than at the beginning, because he intends for them to
be used by players who have already completed the preceding fourteen-day method. His
31
Ibid., 26.
32
Charles L. Randall and Simone Mantia, eds., Arban’s Famous Method for Slide and Valve Trombone and
Baritone (New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1936), 63-78.
24
brief instructional comments indicate that these exercises are to be used as a warm-up
The first two warm-up exercises incorporate an alternation of regular and “faked”
pitches (pitches buzzed by the player’s embouchure while the slide is in a position other
than the one required to resonate that pitch). No explanation is provided as to how to
achieve these pitches, nor to the benefit of such exercises. The third exercise is an exact
duplication of exercise 24, combining long tones with gradual crescendos and
diminuendos. Exercises 4-6 consist of slow lip slurs within the harmonic series of each
position. The range gradually increases to span from A2 to F5. The final exercise is a
chromatically expanding interval exercise that begins on B-flat3 and is repeated at each
ascending half step to E-flat5. The exercise requires maximum intervallic leaps of two
octaves.
Because most of the exercises in Slokar’s method are either chromatic sequences
or arpeggios based on the harmonic series of each slide position, an analysis of the keys
covered is irrelevant. Most of the exercises are not intended to be in any particular key.
The major scales, of course, are an exception. When tonalities are implied (through the
use of scales or arpeggios), they are always major. Articulations are sufficiently varied
between legato playing and detached playing, often within the same exercise. No further
distinction (other than slurred or non-slurred) is made. Slokar’s materials cover the entire
commonly used range of the alto trombone (A2 to F5). The upper range, however, does
not ascend above B-flat4 until the 11th day. The student is constantly reminded that the 5th
and 7th partials need to be played higher, as a “+” appears over these pitches. For reasons
33
Slokar, 36.
25
unexplained, no indication is given to lower pitches from the 6th partial which are usually
sharp.
The layout of the music is clear and legible. The English translation of Slokar’s
text is sometimes awkward and not idiomatic, requiring occasional inferences by the
reader to determine the author’s meaning. The systematic, gradual approach reflected in
this method helps to ensure consistent building of endurance for the student. None of the
exercises, however, are lyrical. Consequently, the student who uses this method
Anderson, Stephen C.: A Complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone (in two
volumes)
Volume I
Of the three methods published in the 1980s, the method written by Stephen C.
Anderson is the most extensive. The method is published in two volumes. The first
volume contains an introduction, warm-ups and scales, technical and melodic etudes,
extended etudes and three of the most popular alto trombone concerti transposed down a
perfect fourth. It begins with three pages of text which include a preface, an introduction
and a conclusion. In the preface, Anderson clearly states his purpose in writing this
method:
Despite the fact that a few 20th century composers have used the alto
trombone in major orchestral and operatic works, the instrument has remained
virtually unused by the majority of modern trombonists until recently. Now there
is a renewed interest in the alto trombone and therefore, there is a need for a
26
method book specifically designed to help the performer overcome the problems
encountered with the instrument. It is towards this end that this book is written.34
The aspect that makes this method unique is Anderson’s threefold approach to
learning to read music on the alto trombone. Each of these methods is described in detail
in the introduction. The first method treats the alto trombone as a transposing instrument,
necessitating reading music that has been previously transposed down a fourth and
Using this method, simply play the instrument as though you are playing a
B-flat tenor trombone. When you play a written B-flat however, it will sound the
E-flat a perfect fourth above. As you play the written pitches… the instrument
will sound the pitches written in the alto clef [in the original key]… This may
seem odd at first, but stay with it and go slowly to be certain that you have started
on the correct pitch. As you progress it will become easy.35
Anderson’s second method is to simply read alto trombone music in alto clef (or,
presumably, in whatever clef it happens to be written) and play the actual pitches that
appear.
Like the first method, the third utilizes transposition. There is no need, however,
to actually rewrite the original music. Instead, the player must visualize the notes up or
down a given interval, mentally place the notes in a different clef, and then use the
positions those newly visualized notes would be in if they were played on tenor
34
Stephen C. Anderson, A Complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone, vol.1 (Modern Editions, 1984),
preface.
35
Ibid., introduction.
27
Figure 1. Three possible transposition methods as they appear in, Stephen C. Anderson, A
Complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone, vol. I, introduction, (no page number).
Copyright © 1984 Stephen Anderson. Used with permission.
Because Anderson’s first method of reading requires that the music be transposed
down a fourth, every one of the exercises and etudes appears in both alto clef (on the
right facing page) and in transposed bass clef (on the left facing page). All of the music
exercises adapted from the warm-up studies of Emory Remington.36 Included are some
long tones, two articulation exercises, some lip slurs and flexibility exercises. In
contradiction to the opinions of Slokar and Parow, Anderson has adapted these warm-ups
by simply transposing them up a perfect fourth from their original setting for tenor
trombone. The section is short enough to serve as a warm-up, while still providing some
systematic work on fundamentals. Major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales are
36
Ibid.
28
then presented in single octave form in every key. No position chart is provided, although
positions are indicated for every note in the initial long tone exercise and for the first
The technical and melodic etudes in the next section are progressively arranged
by both difficulty of key and technical level. These beginning etudes are short (most not
more than three lines long), in keeping with the progressive arrangement of the book. The
author states that “the technical studies are derived from the many exercises developed by
Arban, Mueller, and Kopprasch. They have been transposed, edited, and otherwise
adapted for use with the alto trombone.”37 Most of the melodic etudes are folk melodies
from various countries, similar to those found in sight-singing books, and a few are
Etudes in this section are grouped by key, with one page of technical, scale-
oriented etudes and one page of melodically oriented etudes in each key. The keys used
and their order of presentation are: E-flat, F, G, A-flat, B-flat, C, D-flat and D. In addition
to these major keys, single etudes in F minor and G minor are included with those of their
parallel major keys, and single etudes in A minor and B-flat minor may be found with
those of their relative major keys. The etudes are tonal, with little chromaticism.
The “Extended Etudes” are predictably longer and more difficult than those which
precede them. They are melodic with some technical challenges including flexibility and
articulation. Composers whose music has been adapted for this section include Jaroslav
They are again presented roughly in progressive order of length and technical difficulty.
The major keys represented by these etudes include C, F, B-flat, E-flat, and D. The keys
37
Ibid.
29
of F minor and B-flat minor are also used. Overwhelming preference is demonstrated for
flat keys, with the keys of B-flat, E-flat, and B-flat minor comprising 75% of the etudes.
The final section includes transposed (down a perfect fourth, in bass clef) versions
of what are arguably the three most popular alto trombone concerti, those by Johann
Leopold Mozart (1719-1787). These are of use only to those who choose to utilize
Anderson’s first method of reading music for the instrument. A list of published editions
of these works available at the date of writing (1984) is included. This is necessary
because, as the author states, students “will need to purchase the other versions to obtain
the accompaniments.”38
Volume II
In his introduction to the second volume, Anderson states that “the purpose of this
volume is to provide advanced materials for study on the Eb alto trombone.”39 The book
contains more difficult etudes than those found in the first volume. With a few exceptions
such as J. S. Bach and George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), the composers represented
are somewhat obscure. The content, however, is both musically satisfying and well
rounded, as a wide variety of styles and techniques is covered, while using interesting
melodic material. Anderson asserts that “generally, the exercises become progressively
more difficult, but there are a few restful exceptions.”40 Indeed, by the end of the volume,
38
Ibid., 59.
39
Anderson, vol.2 (Modern Editions, 1986), introduction.
40
Ibid.
30
the etudes encompass many wide leaps and arpeggios. The first nine etudes, however, are
arguably less challenging than the final extended etudes from the first volume.
Three of the etudes in the second volume (nos. 10, 11, and 23) are by C.
Kopprasch and can be found in Volume I of Kopprasch’s Sixty Selected Studies for
Trombone.41 Anderson has adapted them by transposing them up a fourth and placing
Major keys represented in this volume include C, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat,
G, and D. Twenty-two of the thirty-three etudes are in major keys. The other eleven
encompass the keys of C minor, F minor, B-flat minor, E-flat minor, G minor and B
minor. The more difficult etudes exhibit increasing chromaticism and modulations and a
the upper register. Only nine of the thirty-three etudes ascend above C5. Additionally, the
manuscript is smaller, more crowded and less precise than that of the first volume,
satisfying. There is, however, little use of sharp keys in either volume. Few minor
tonalities appear in the first volume, although they do constitute a third of the material in
notation makes reading the music more difficult than the other methods analyzed here.
Anderson’s method for reading alto trombone music in pre-transposed bass clef has never
41
C. Kopprasch, Sixty Selected Studies for Trombone, volume I (New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1905), 5-8.
31
become widely practiced, and very little of the growing repertoire of alto trombone
literature can be found in the transposed version required for this method.
The briefest of the methods presented here, Roger Harvey’s method is part of a
series of similar methods published for various brass instruments. In the preface, a
The main focus of the books will be on the particular technical requirements of
the instrument.42
The author goes on to list some of the specific elements that will be included in each
volume. No list is provided as to which instruments are addressed in the series, and no
Trombone.” Here the author provides a brief history of the alto trombone and its use in
orchestral music. He also includes a few paragraphs in which he outlines his preferred
truly comfortable with the alto trombone and to practice it regularly, Harvey provides
32
It is assumed that the player is already aware of how to work on basic
embouchure formation, production, legato and breath control. The exercises here
should be used to develop a familiarity with the particular feel of the instrument
and its tuning, to strengthen the high register, to become adept at reading in
different clefs and to learn some of the repertoire.43
The remainder of the book is divided into six brief chapters; the first is titled
“Basic Exercises.” This chapter contains ten progressively arranged exercises. The first is
entirely in first position and uses only the second, third, and fourth partials in the
harmonic series. The second exercise uses only first and second positions and moves at a
slightly quicker pace than the first. Although this exercise is not technically difficult,
tonality is ambiguous, as the pitches seem to be chosen more for their slide placement
challenges than to create a melodic line. This establishes the trend for the rest of the
wide leaps, and the abandonment of tonality (in spite of the provided key signatures), in
order to constantly test and improve the student’s familiarity with the slide positions.
After introducing sixth position in exercise no. 6, Harvey waits until no. 9 to require the
use of seventh position. By this point, the exercises are quite challenging, no. 9
containing numerous 16th notes at a tempo marking of 132 beats per minute. The final
exercise continues this pattern. Before each exercise in this chapter, a sentence or two of
instruction is provided but, rather than comment on the exercises at hand, the statements
such as clear articulation and a focused sound. The range covered in this section is B-flat2
to B4.
43
Ibid., 4.
33
Chapter 2 is titled “Tuning and Slide Movement;” it contains scale and arpeggio
exercises, as well as those that drill specific intervals. The seventeen brief etudes that
constitute this section are, therefore, tonal and more predictable to the ear than those in
the previous chapter. The first nine etudes cover the keys of E-flat, F, G, A-flat, A, B-flat,
C, D-flat, and D, in that order. Some exercises use scale patterns while others use
arpeggios or various diatonic intervals. The tenth moves through the major arpeggios of
each key. Number 11 carries the heading, “Melodic minor scales.” It covers the melodic
minor scale in every key. Interestingly, the scales appear only ascending or descending,
never both directions in any one key. Exercises 12-17 each address a different interval,
from the second to the octave. As the intervals expand, the rhythmic complexities
increase, providing great challenge to the student. The range covered in chapter 2 is A2 to
34
Figure 2. Roger Harvey, BrassWorkBook for Alto Trombone, Chapter 2-Tuning and Slide
Movement, Exercise 15, p.13. © Copyright BrassWorks 1998. Used with permission.
practicing, cautioning the student against overexertion and recommending the playing of
some low notes between each exercise in order to stay relaxed. The two pages of
exercises that follow are similar to other methods in the techniques employed, using a
mixture of long tones, lip slurs, and wide intervals. Not until the final three exercises does
the range ascend above B4; exercises 6-8 all require the student to play up to E-flat5.
The fourth chapter contains material in clefs other than alto. The author’s remarks
Although almost all of the music that will be played on the alto will be in alto
clef, it is useful to be comfortable in other clefs. Some parts are published in tenor
or even treble clef and you may occasionally want to use the alto in high passages
of a part written in bass clef. In Renassiance [sic] and early Baroque music you
35
may be given a part in any of a number of clefs; if you can read these parts easily
you will be much appreciated.44
Eight short exercises follow. Four are in tenor clef, two are in treble clef (at concert
pitch), and two are in bass clef. The exercises are tonal and somewhat simpler in
technical demands than those in the preceding chapters. The range is also narrower (G3 to
C5).
Like Parow’s method, Harvey’s volume contains (in chapter 5) alto trombone
excerpts from the orchestral repertoire. Included in this section are Mozart’s Requiem and
his Mass in C, Gluck’s Alceste, Schumann’s Symphony no. 3, The Flood by Igor
Stravinsky (1882-1971), and The Burning Fiery Furnace by Benjamin Britten (1913-
1976). Harvey’s selection of excerpts (especially those by Stravinsky and Britten) make
this method even more unique. The twentieth century examples demonstrate the vastly
different way in which modern composers treated the alto trombone from their eighteenth
that the excerpts were chosen for their representation of the various ways in which the
instrument has been used by orchestral composers. Most of the excerpts include a
sentence explaining how the alto trombone is used in that piece. In the two Mozart
examples, Harvey warns the student that, although the printed excerpt is in alto clef,
The final chapter consists of six extended and challenging etudes that have
apparently been composed by Harvey. Widely varied in style and containing difficult
chromaticism, wide leaps, shifting meters and complex rhythms, this section is a
culmination of the entire method. The range of the etudes extends from B-flat2 to D5.
44
Ibid., 16.
36
The BrassWorkBook for Alto Trombone is unique in the fact that the musical
required of the student to negotiate the difficult leaps contained in many of the atonal
exercises. Even the tonal exercises are quite technical in nature. Although the exercises
are arranged progressively within each chapter, the level of difficulty rises too quickly for
all but the most experienced of players. As quoted above, the preface does indeed state
that the volumes in this series are intended for those who have already acquired “a
moderate standard of performance skill on their instrument and now have the desire to
develop their ability…on an alternative related instrument.”45 Because, however, the slide
positions on the alto trombone are not only different for most pitches, but also shorter
than their corresponding tenor positions, the re-training of gross motor skills in the right
arm will likely necessitate a slower approach for most students, even those who already
have attained a high level of technical accuracy on the tenor trombone. The method
would be well suited for those players who have already become comfortable with the
alto trombone but are looking for more challenging material. Additionally, the inclusion
Sluchin, Benny, comp. Study Material for the Alto Trombone (in four volumes)
Published from 2000 to 2002, the four volume method, Study Material for the
Alto Trombone, compiled by Benny Sluchin is by far the most extensive such work to
date. Although the material is generally arranged progressively throughout the four
volumes, there is some overlap in level of difficulty, as the volumes are arranged
45
Ibid., 3.
37
according to genre. Each volume will first be considered individually, after which, the
Volume 1
Sluchin’s first volume is also his longest. Like the other methods by European
authors (Parow and Slokar), this one contains text in more than one language.
Specifically, all of Sluchin’s text appears both in French and English. In his preface he
This book provides study material for the alto. An introductory text gives
facts and up-to-date details about the instrument. Following this, are etudes for the
instrument, partly original (Victor Cornette) in a modern revision, partly arranged
especially. The studies allow us to use known material in a comfortable register
with legato and staccato articulations. Several studies are presented in a form of a
duo with an accompaniment of a tenor trombone, common practice in the 19th
century. In this way, special attention can be put on intonation. The Bordogni’s
vocalises, in the original tonalities, have piano accompaniment to stress phrasing
and musicality. Finally Bleger’s 31 studies, transposed up a fourth, are perfect to
extend the register and concentrate on articulation.46
In the Table of Contents, Sluchin’s text is simply labeled “The alto trombone.”
These remarks begin, appropriately, with the introduction in which Sluchin states reasons
for using the alto trombone when performing appropriate literature. Sluchin points to the
current trend toward historically authentic performance practice and limitations of the
large bore tenor trombones commonly used today. The author cites supporting sources
from a brief (fifteen entries) bibliography at the end of the text. Sluchin cautions that, “It
is not a matter of owning an alto trombone to overcome register problems but of being
46
Benny Sluchin, comp., Study Material for the Alto Trombone, vol. 1 (Warwick, England: Warwick
Music, 2000), 3.
38
able to use it effectively.”47 The purpose of his extensive (compared to other methods)
preliminary text is clarified by his statement that “it aims to provide practical information
than the B-flat tenor, including the B-flat soprano, F alto, E-flat alto, D-flat alto, and the
alto valve trombone. A diagram of the harmonic series for each type of trombone is
included. Sluchin asserts that the reason that the E-flat alto has come to be the favored
member of the alto trombone family is because many of the major works that are scored
for alto trombone are in E-flat. He mentions Schumann’s Symphony no. 3 (“The
Rhenish”), the Symphony no. 2 (“Lobgesang”) and “Ruy Blas” overture by Felix
The following section of the text is titled simply “Description.” Here the author
gives a more detailed description of the E-flat alto trombone. He discusses dimensions,
explains why the alto is a non-transposing instrument, and again cautions that, although
the high register is slightly easier on alto than on tenor, it is “not a magic remedy for the
problematic high passages.”49 A chart that lists pitches by position and by the partial of
the harmonic series follows. Sluchin also includes a chromatic scale encompassing the
entire range of the instrument for which he includes all possible slide positions, a
practical reference for finding alternate positions. Figure 3 shows the chromatic chart as it
47
Ibid., 8.
48
Ibid.
49
Ibid., 13.
39
appears in the text. The layout of the positions in layers distinguishes the different
partials.
Figure 3. Benny Sluchin, comp., Study Material for the Alto Trombone, vol. 1, chromatic
chart, page 14. © 2000 Warwick Music. Used with permission.
A third table shows all the executable glissandos on the instrument. Sluchin
concludes the section with a fourth chart that contains all the lip trills a minor third and
smaller that are attainable on the alto trombone. No positions are given, requiring one to
In the final section of the text, titled “Practical Problems,” Sluchin begins by
pointing out that the alto trombone is difficult to master for two reasons. First, it is
40
learn new positions for nearly every pitch. Additionally, the slide is shorter and positions
He then discusses two approaches to reading alto trombone music. The first
approach is simply to learn the new positions. In contrast, one can write out the part a
perfect fourth lower and use tenor trombone positions, making it a transposing
instrument. This approach is essentially the same as the first one in Anderson’s method,
however, that although the second method would allow for quicker initial progress, the
student must avoid the misconception that mastering the instrument means merely
producing the correct pitches, noting the shorter slide positions and unique response of
the alto.
challenge of finding the right balance between a mouthpiece that is proportional to the
smaller bore of the instrument and one that is similar in size to the player’s tenor
mouthpiece, making rapid changes between instruments easier. Following the wisdom of
both Parow and Slokar, he suggests a shallow mouthpiece with a rim identical in shape
The purpose of the method is summarized in the final paragraph in which Sluchin
states that “to overcome the intonation problem on the alto, the player must know its
tuning tendencies, blow in proportions [sic] to the size of the tube and develop a correct
sense of centering the note. Correct slide positions and a knowledge of alternative
50
Ibid., 19.
41
The musical content is divided into four large sections, each one representing a
different source from which Sluchin has drawn the material. The first section is titled
“Exercises, Scales and Short Studies for the alto trombone with an accompaniment for
bass trombone,” taken from Méthode de Trombone alto, tenor et basse (ca. 1841) by
Victor Cornette (1795-1868). Standing at the front of this section is a reproduction of the
alto trombone position diagram from Cornette’s original. The illustration of the alto
positions relative to the bell being totally different. For each position, partials 2-7 of the
harmonic series are notated. At the bottom of the page, a simple, whole-note exercise
spanning partials 2-4 appears notated for each position. The next two pages contain more
exercises organized by position, with each one using ever-increasing intervallic leaps
between partials.
Two pages of scales follow. Major and melodic minor scales in every key are
printed in one octave, ascending and descending form. Positions are listed for every note;
however, many of the slide positions listed would be considered “alternate” positions
(any slide position other than the shortest possible one for that pitch) by many. Sluchin
offers no explanation for this, nor does he acknowledge that these are considered
alternate positions; close examination, however, reveals that most of these positions seem
to be used in order to place pitches a half step apart in the same partial. Others are used to
avoid the inherently flat seventh partial in the harmonic series. There are also seven notes
whose given slide positions are completely incorrect. Another significant typographical
error is present on the second page. The minor scales are presented in the order of the
circle of fifths, beginning with A minor. The key of D-sharp minor falls in its proper
42
place, and the correct key signature and slide positions are given. The printed pitches,
A chromatic scale spanning the commonly used range of the instrument (A2-
E-flat5) occupies the following page. Slide positions are provided for each note and,
again, the seventh partial is avoided through the use of alternate positions.
The next two pages contain exercises that address the intervals of a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th,
7th, and octave as they occur in the key of Eb. A two-octave range (E-flat3 to E-flat5) is
covered.
Completing the first section of musical material are “Twelve short studies for the
alto trombone.” These etudes are all in the form of duets for alto trombone and bass
trombone.51 The bass trombone parts do not descend below F and are easily playable on
tenor trombone. The duets are progressively arranged, with alto trombone parts that
increase in rhythmic difficulty from half notes and whole notes in the early duets to
eighth and sixteenth notes near the end. Wide intervals and chromaticism are
predominant in the final duet. Four of the etudes are in E-flat, three are in B-flat, and two
are in F, with the remaining three being in C, C minor, and G minor. The range of the alto
is drawn upon by Sluchin for his second large musical section, “20 Lessons in the most
common keys.” Each “lesson” includes a solo etude and a duet for alto and tenor
trombone. The lessons are short, most occupying a single page. Each major key lesson is
immediately followed by the lesson in its relative minor, usually on the facing page. The
51
Although the lower part is in bass clef, it is not specifically indicated for bass trombone. However, the
instrumentation is to be inferred from Sluchin’s title for the first section of music (“Exercises, Scales and
short studies for the alto trombone with an accompaniment for bass trombone”).
43
keys are arranged in the following order: B-flat, G minor, E-flat, C minor, A-flat, F
G-flat, and E-flat minor. The etudes are arranged progressively, evidenced not only by
the order of presentation of the keys, but also by the increasing rhythmic complexities,
Sluchin has placed them all in alto clef. He states in the preface that these vocalises are
in the original keys and that they have piano accompaniment, although the piano
accompaniments are not included in this method. Presumably, Sluchin means that the
Students who are familiar with the collection of Bordogni vocalises compiled by
Johannes Rochut52 will recognize many of these etudes. All but one of them can be found
in the first 25 etudes in Rochut’s collection; most are in the same key. These etudes focus
primarily on development of a lyrical style in the low and middle registers of the alto
The keys used in these etudes include C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat,
G minor, F minor, and A minor. The entire section has a major-to-minor ratio of 7:1 and
“studies, transposed up a fourth, are perfect to extend the register and concentrate on
52
Marco Bordogni, Melodious Etudes for Trombone, vol. I, transcribed and arr. Joannes Rochut (New
York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1928).
44
articulation.”53 In contrast to the preceding vocalises by Bordogni, these etudes are more
technical in nature and focus on detached playing. They are somewhat predictable in
melodic construction, many of the melodies being generated by sequential patterns, and
they are primarily diatonic with numerous arpeggiated leaps. Tempo markings for most
The first 20 exercises are progressively arranged, especially with regard to the
speed and flexibility required to navigate the expanding intervals and overall range. Four
of them (nos. 1, 2, 3, and 7) are also used by Anderson in his second volume (nos. 29, 33,
31, and 17, respectively). Exercises 21-29 are much shorter (two on each page) and less
melodic than the previous ones. They consist of a modal scale exercise presented in the
most common major keys. (Only the keys of E, B, and G-flat/F-sharp are excluded.)
These scale exercises are simple in design, but challenging in range, ascending to E-flat5.
The final two studies are melodic and quite challenging in flexibility, range and
articulation.
D-flat, G-flat, G minor, C minor, B-flat minor, B minor, and D minor. In total, 21 of the
exercises are in flat keys, 7 are in sharp keys, and 3 are in C. The major-to-minor ratio is
organized in its presentation. The author’s text at the beginning is easy to read, being
informative and accurate, but not overly technical. The musical material is computer
generated and, therefore, highly legible. The volume is progressively arranged. There is a
balance of upper and lower registers, with the more extreme upper register pitches (those
53
Sluchin, 3.
45
above C5) not being introduced until the final section with the studies by Bléger. The
technical demands required of the student (especially those involving accuracy with wide
intervallic leaps) increase throughout the book as well. The mixture of sharp keys and flat
keys is well balanced. Because the modern alto trombone is pitched in E-flat, and because
much of its prominent literature is written in flat keys, it is not surprising that Sluchin has
chosen material that is predominantly in flat keys. All but the most difficult sharp keys
are, however, given adequate attention. Minor tonalities, granted nearly equal treatment
in the first half of the volume, appear much less frequently in the final two sections
(etudes by Bordogni and Bléger), the ratio of major to minor etudes being roughly 6:1.
Volume 2
Sluchin begins the preface to his second volume with the following:
In order to attain his goal, Sluchin draws again from materials already proven to
The first section of musical material contains 24 studies taken from 60 Études
pour le Cor alto, Op. 5 (ca. 1832/33) by Georg Kopprasch. Sluchin has adapted these by
placing them in alto clef. These studies are primarily technical in nature, addressing
54
Benny Sluchin, comp., Study Material for the Alto Trombone, vol. 2 (Warwick, England: Warwick
Music, 2000), 3.
46
issues such as intervals, flexibility, and articulation. Four of the etudes (nos. 3, 5, 6, and
12) bear striking similarities to etudes (nos. 4, 8, 9, and 14, respectively) found in the
This section includes etudes in the following keys: F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat,
D minor, C minor, F minor, and B-flat minor. Eleven of the 24 etudes are in B-flat, and
four are in F. Chromaticism can be found in varying degrees in all of the etudes. The
to Sluchin, these are taken from Bordogni’s “Book E.” They are in the original keys and
may be used with the piano accompaniment. (As in the first volume, no accompaniments
are provided.) These vocalises are considerably more difficult than those included in
complex meters and rhythms. Their extended length requires more endurance. The
tonalities of B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, G, A, and F minor are used, with 10 of the 12 being in
flat keys. The range spans from D3 to E-flat5. The increased creative and technical
The third part of this volume contains 18 studies taken from Léçons de Solfège à
changements des clef composées pour les examens & concours du Conservatoire de
Sluchin’s purpose in including these studies is primarily to improve the student’s ability
to read clefs other than alto clef. These etudes change clef constantly (often once or twice
55
C. Kopprasch, Sixty Selected Studies for Trombone, volume I (New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1905), 4-7,
10. This collection is an adaptation of Kopprasch’s 60 études pour le cor basse, Op. 6, accounting for the
similarities. According to John Q. Ericson, “The Original Kopprasch Etudes,” The Horn Call: Journal of
the International Horn Society 27, no. 2 (1997): 19, the discrepancy in the first name/initial is a result of an
error by an early editor, Friedrich Gumpert, who “misread his [Kopprasch’s] first initial as ‘C.’”
47
in each line) between treble, alto, tenor, and bass. Like the similar section in Harvey’s
method, this is a valuable resource, as there are orchestral pieces in which the Trombone
I parts are often played on alto trombone, even though they are scored in a different clef.
exercises would ensure that the student is playing the instrument while thinking of and
hearing each pitch, rather than by simply memorizing positions for each note in the alto
staff. Adding further difficulty, these etudes push the limits of the student’s range,
ascending to F-sharp5, with an optional G5. The keys of F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, G, A, and
D minor are represented, with a flat key-to-sharp key ratio of 2:1. Chromaticism,
48
Figure 4. Giulio Marco Bordogni, Twelve Vocalises, no. 6 (measures 49-61), transcribed
by Benny Sluchin in his Study Material for the Alto Trombone, vol. 2, page 49. ©
Warwick Music. Used with permission.
The fourth and final section of Sluchin’s second volume contains 12 duets
by W. A. Mozart. Originally for two horns, Sluchin has adapted them for alto and tenor
trombone. According to the preface, some of the keys have been altered in order to place
the parts in a range accessible to alto and tenor trombones and to “provide some
variety.”56 Like the duets in the first volume, these are valuable teaching tools, as they
allow opportunity for the student to develop good intonation habits by playing with a
teacher or colleague. The demands of flexibility are not as great in this section as in the
preceding ones. Once again, a preference is seemingly demonstrated for flat keys, with
56
Sluchin, vol. 2, 4.
49
nine of the twelve exercises being in B-flat, E-flat, or F minor. Of the remaining
exercises, two are in C, and one is in D. The tessitura of the alto trombone parts is quite
Volume 3
Sluchin’s third volume consists entirely of duets for alto and tenor trombone or
for two alto trombones. The duets encompass a wide range of musical styles, with
examples from the late Middle Ages through the early 19th century. The duets are
In the preface, Sluchin lists the original instrumentation for the duets and provides
a concise biographical sketch for each composer whose works are represented. The
composers from whose repertoire the material is drawn include Johannès Ciconia (1335-
1411), Francesco Guami (1543-ca. 1602), Wenzel Kopprasch (ca. 1750-after 1832),
The two duets by Ciconia are adapted from his two-voice madrigals. The works of
Guami are represented by two ricercari from his Ricercari a due voci (1588). These first
Sluchin draws upon the works of Wenzel Kopprasch for eight of the duets in this
for horns entitled 8 Duos Concertants pour deux Cors. Sluchin has taken all of these
duets and placed the upper parts in alto clef and the lower parts in bass clef, while
maintaining the original keys. Four of the eight duets are in E-flat, two are in A-flat, and
50
the remaining two are in E-flat minor and C minor. Figure 5 demonstrates the tonal,
Figure 5. Wenzel Kopprasch, Eight Duos Concertants pour deux Cors, no. 2 (measures
1-12), transcribed by Benny Sluchin, from his Study Material for the Alto Trombone, vol.
3, p. 25. © 2003 Warwick Music Ltd. Used with permission.
The duet by Dauprat is taken from his 6 Duos opus 13 pour cor alto et cor basse
en mib. Because the original was composed for two distinctly different registers (alto and
bass), the transcription for alto and tenor trombone is logical. The piece is in E-flat.
The two duets that follow were both originally for similar instruments. The
Sonate in C major by Corrette was originally written for two cellos. Stamitz’ Duo in E-
flat Major was originally intended for performance by two violas. Both of these works
51
The humourous title “Duet with two obbligato eye-glasses” was probably
intended for two musicians, friends of Beethoven, who wore eye-glasses. This
piece, written for viola and cello, was composed between 1795 and 1798 and was
found in a sketchbook of Beethoven’s early works conserved in the British
Museum in London. …In this present adaptation, we avoided chords and
transposed a few passages up or down an octave.57
The allegro movement (in E-flat) has been extracted and included in this collection.
The works in this third volume are largely in flat keys (especially E-flat) and
major tonalities. This is attributable to the fact that many of these works were originally
for E-flat horn, and Sluchin has endeavored to retain the original key wherever possible.
The lack of diversity in tonalities does not, however, lessen the pedagogical value of
these duets, as their technical demands are significant. Wide leaps, trills, and a range that
ascends with regularity to E-flat5 and even to F5, all combine to challenge the alto
This volume is useful, not only for teaching the alto trombone, but also to
challenge the professional and advanced student. Having been taken from the repertoire
of known and respected composers, the duets found here could also be used for chamber
Volume 4
Sluchin’s final volume58 contains 18 solo works for horn from the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries. (Two of the works are actually the horn parts from horn quintets.)
The horn parts have been rewritten in alto clef and in concert pitch to adapt them for
57
Sluchin, vol. 3 (Warwick, England: Warwick Music, 2003), 5.
58
It is possible that Sluchin will continue to publish additional material. Although he does not indicate any
such intention, he does not refer to this volume as his final one.
52
performance on alto trombone. The justification and reasons for providing this resource
59
Sluchin, vol. 4 (Warwick, England: Warwick Music, 2003), 3.
53
This is a practical resource. Before publication of the volume, alto trombonists
who desired to perform horn repertoire on their instrument had either to rewrite them in
alto clef, or read the original horn parts, transposing at sight or visualizing an obscure
clef, such as mezzo-soprano clef. By rescoring these pieces, Sluchin has, in effect,
expanded the available solo repertoire for the instrument. Of course, the concept of
borrowing from the horn repertoire for the alto trombone is not new. No other resource,
however, makes so much of this literature easily accessible to the alto trombone soloist.
Accompaniments are not included, as the previously published versions for horn are
Summary
Taken as a whole, the four-volume method by Sluchin is, by far, the most
thorough one available. Not only does the method address the expected areas of technical
articulation, and multiple styles, but it also contains several unique and practical
resources, including concise but informative introductory text at the beginning of each
volume, numerous duets for the perfecting of intonation and development of ensemble
playing, and adapted versions of solo horn repertoire. The notation is clean and legible.
Conclusion
The methods analyzed above each take a different approach to mastering the alto
trombone. Each method contains one or more practical elements that are unique. Parow’s
54
method contains orchestral excerpts from pieces commonly performed on alto trombone.
The book by Slokar focuses on developing physical endurance with its strict, two-week
transposed bass clef versions of every exercise to facilitate use of an alternate approach to
reading music for the instrument. Harvey’s method presents orchestral excerpts that are
not as common and exercises of great technical challenge. Finally, Sluchin, in his four-
volume collection, provides extensive duet materials, as well as adapted versions of well-
known repertoire for solo horn. Instructors who are familiar with these methods can make
informed choices concerning which, if any, they choose to incorporate into their
pedagogical approach to the instrument. Statistics from the survey of college and
university trombone instructors are presented in chapter 5; from them, conclusions can be
drawn regarding teachers’ familiarity with these methods and the frequency with which
55
CHAPTER IV
Introduction
Since its inception in 1972, the International Trombone Association has published
the ITA Journal. Originally an annual publication that contained only scholarly articles,
the ITA Journal was expanded in scope in 1982 to include not only scholarly research,
but also news, regular columns, and feature articles; in its new format, the ITA Journal
became a quarterly publication. Many of the newly added items had previously been
included in a separate publication, the ITA Newsletter, published from 1973 to 1981. One
of the regular features of the ITA Newsletter was a section titled “Programs,” which
Occasionally, the actual programs were simply photocopied and reduced in size in order
For the first few years, no formal distinction of recital types (faculty, student, etc.)
was made, and such information could only be gleaned from the programs that made
those aspects clear. It was not until 1979 that clear determinations could be made as to
which of the reported recitals were performed by students. Since that time the recital
programs have been listed by the categories: “Faculty and Professional,” “Ensemble
56
Concerts,” and “Student Recitals.” Since 1979, all student recitals have been listed in a
standard format that includes: the student’s name; instrument (“trombone,” “bass
trombone,” “alto and tenor trombones,” etc.); name of the college, university, or other
venue; the type of recital (“senior,” “junior,” “graduate,” etc., if such information was
printed on the submitted program); and the date of performance. Immediately following
is a list of pieces performed, with titles on the left and composers’ last names on the right.
In 1982, when the ITA Newsletter was discontinued and its contents incorporated into the
newly expanded ITA Journal, the reporting of recent recital programs became a
Given the aforementioned ongoing alto trombone renaissance, one could expect to
Methodology
Data were recorded from lists of student recitals published in the ITA Newsletter
from 1979-1981, and in the ITA Journal from 1982-2004. When collecting data regarding
the total number of recitals reported in a given year, several parameters were observed.
Because the scope of this project is limited to trends in alto trombone pedagogy in the
United States, no recitals presented in foreign countries were considered. Those recitals
that listed only bass trombone as the player’s instrument were also excluded. Recitals that
included only jazz literature were not included. Finally, because of their unique nature
and specific subject matter, all recitals designated as “lecture recitals” were not counted.
57
Recitals were counted in the year that they were reported, not necessarily in the
year in which they were performed. Recitals were classified in one of seven categories
based on type:
Non-Specific: Includes all recitals whose type was not listed in any way
Results were calculated for each category. Since, however, the term “Graduate
Recital” could refer to the master’s or doctoral level, obtaining comprehensive data for
either of those two categories (master’s and doctoral) was obviously impossible.
Therefore, a category titled “Total Graduate” was created which includes combined data
from all three of the categories. Likewise, for purposes of comparison with the “Total
Graduate” category, data were combined from the “Senior,” “Junior,” “Other,” and
doing, the assumption was made that recitals listed as “Student Recital” or “Elective
Recital,” as well as those for which no type was specified, were all undergraduate
recitals.
Those recitals which specifically listed alto trombone were obviously included. There
58
were, however, many recitals that listed simply “trombone” as the instrument but
included literature that is commonly performed on alto trombone, such as the concertos
by Wagenseil, Albrechtsberger, and Leopold Mozart. These were recorded separately and
overall percentages of recitals that used alto trombone were tabulated both with and
without them. In tabulating the percentages for the individual categories, all recitals that
listed alto trombone along with those that included common alto trombone repertoire
Robert Kehle’s online resource, The Alto Trombone Home Page,60 was consulted as the
primary source61 for determining which pieces were intended for performance on alto
trombone. Of the 137 recitals that listed alto trombone from 1979-2004, thirteen included
no literature from the standard alto trombone solo or chamber repertoire as listed by
Kehle. Because these recitals clearly indicated alto trombone, they were still counted as
having used the instrument, although no assumption was made as to which pieces were
actually performed on the alto trombone. It was assumed that there was at least one alto
frequency percentages, one piece from each of these recitals is included and the title
designated as “indeterminable.”
60
Robert Kehle, The Alto Trombone Home Page; available from
http://www.pittstate.edu/music/altotrombonehomepage.html; Internet; accessed 9 March 2005. Kehle’s is
currently the most extensive database of its kind.
61
One piece, Alma ingrate, by Joseph I, Emperor of Austria could not be found in Kehle’s lists, but has
been recorded by Christian Lindberg on alto sackbut. (Trombone and Voice in the Habsburg Empire,
Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano and Christian Lindberg, trombone, BIS CD-548 STEREO.) This was
considered sufficient grounds for including the piece in the literature tabulations.
59
Results: Alto trombone inclusion statistics
Table 1 shows how many recitals were reported each year and what percentage of
them listed alto trombone. The steady increase in percentage that was anticipated does
not exist. When comparing the percentages from the last two decades, a significant
increase can be seen. The more than half of the percentages from 1985-1994 were less
than 6%. In contrast, most of the percentages from 1995-2004 were greater than 10%.
60
When recitals that included common alto trombone literature (even though alto
trombone was not specifically listed) are added to the totals, the resulting percentages
exhibit similar tendencies. Table 2 provides percentages for those recitals that likely used
alto trombone.
Even when comparing percentages over the last two decades, no significant trends are
61
observable. Figure 6 compares the percentage of recitals that listed alto trombone with
45.0
40.0
35.0
30.0
Percentage
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
Year
Recitals listing alto trombone Recitals that likely used alto trombone
With the exception of 1990, the year-by-year trends are similar for those recitals
that listed alto trombone and those that likely used alto trombone. No explanation could
be found for the sharp rise in the percentage that likely used alto trombone in 1990. It
should be noted that, in the past decade (1995-2004) the gap between the two percentages
has significantly declined, possibly indicating a trend toward more specific indications by
that, in the earlier years, some of the recitals assumed to have used alto trombone because
62
As previously stated, comparing the percentages of recitals using alto trombone
between doctoral and master’s students is difficult to do with accuracy, as many students
listed their recitals simply with the designation, “graduate recital.” For comparison, the
percentages of doctoral and master’s recitals that used alto trombone are listed in Table 3,
below.
Percentage of Percentage of
Doctoral Doctoral Master’s
doctoral recitals Master’s master’s recitals
Year recitals recitals with recitals with
with alto recitals reported with alto
reported alto trombone alto trombone
trombone trombone
1979 2 2 100.0 1 0 0.0
1980 4 0 0.0 3 2 66.7
1981 7 0 0.0 0 0 0.0
1982 4 2 50.0 7 4 57.1
1983 1 0 0.0 1 1 100.0
1984 5 2 40.0 4 0 0.0
1985 6 1 16.7 1 0 0.0
1986 4 2 50.0 1 0 0.0
1987 12 5 41.7 9 2 22.2
1988 8 4 50.0 9 3 33.3
1989 5 0 0.0 11 1 9.1
1990 5 2 40.0 9 5 55.6
1991 6 2 33.3 8 1 12.5
1992 7 1 14.3 16 4 25.0
1993 16 6 37.5 9 1 11.1
1994 19 7 36.8 15 3 20.0
1995 10 6 60.0 13 8 61.5
1996 7 3 42.9 12 4 33.3
1997 8 1 12.5 12 4 33.3
1998 3 2 66.7 16 4 25.0
1999 6 1 16.7 15 1 6.7
2000 6 4 66.7 14 6 42.9
2001 5 3 60.0 12 3 25.0
2002 8 5 62.5 8 2 25.0
2003 6 2 33.3 7 3 42.9
2004 13 4 30.8 18 5 27.8
62
From this point forward, unless otherwise indicated, all references to recitals that used alto trombone will
include both those that specifically listed the instrument and those recitals that had no such indication but
which contained common alto trombone literature.
63
Again, there was no steady upward trend, as had been expected. If the percentages
for the last two decades (1985-1994 and 1995-2004) are compared, however, an overall
upward trend can be observed. In eight of ten years during the first decade (1985-1994)
the percentages of doctoral recitals using alto trombone were less than 42%. In the next
ten years (1995-2004) a majority of the percentages are greater than 42%. An even
greater difference is evident in master’s recitals. Only three of the ten years in the first
decade had percentages of 25% or greater, while nine years in the last decade had
percentages of 25% or greater. The percentage of master’s recitals using alto trombone
was lower than the percentage for doctoral recitals in all but nine years throughout the
study.
recitals, these data cannot be ignored. By combining the data from all three categories
(doctoral, master’s, and “graduate”), trends in programming of all graduate recitals can
64
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
Percentage
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
Year
With the exception of 1979, when there were only six graduate recitals reported
altogether, the chart demonstrates a gradual increase in alto trombone use. A comparison
of the last two decades confirms this. Six of the ten percentages from 1985-1994 were
below 30%; during the next ten years, eight of the percentages were above 30%.
The data for undergraduate recitals indicate mixed trends in the use of alto
trombone. Table 4 shows the raw numbers as well as the corresponding percentages for
65
Table 4. Senior and junior recitals with alto trombone
Percentage of Percentage of
Senior Senior recitals Junior recitals
senior recitals Junior recitals junior recitals
Year recitals with alto with alto
with alto reported with alto
reported trombone trombone
trombone trombone
1979 10 1 10.0 4 1 25.0
1980 13 1 7.7 2 1 50.0
1981 18 4 22.2 1 0 0.0
1982 19 4 21.1 1 0 0.0
1983 13 2 15.4 3 0 0.0
1984 19 3 15.8 5 0 0.0
1985 24 3 12.5 8 1 12.5
1986 21 3 14.3 13 1 7.7
1987 21 5 23.8 7 0 0.0
1988 18 2 11.1 9 0 0.0
1989 13 1 7.7 3 0 0.0
1990 9 2 22.2 4 1 25.0
1991 21 3 14.3 9 1 11.1
1992 14 1 7.1 2 0 0.0
1993 21 1 14.3 0 0 0.0
1994 14 1 7.1 4 1 25.0
1995 11 1 9.1 11 3 27.3
1996 19 3 15.8 8 1 12.5
1997 19 1 5.3 4 0 0.0
1998 10 1 10.0 10 1 10.0
1999 11 0 0.0 11 3 27.3
2000 16 3 18.8 9 0 0.0
2001 21 0 0.0 6 1 16.7
2002 16 1 6.3 7 0 0.0
2003 10 0 0.0 12 4 33.3
2004 16 1 6.3 8 0 0.0
The percentage of senior recitals using alto trombone has declined in recent years.
Seven of ten senior recital percentages from 1985-1994 were above 10%, while only two
percentages from the following decade (1995-2004) were greater than 10%.
Conversely, the percentages for junior recitals reveal a trend toward increased use
of alto trombone. Only four of the ten percentages from 1985-1994 were greater than
10%, while six of ten percentages were 10% or above in the following ten years. Figure 8
permits a comparison between the trends for senior and junior recitals.
66
60.0
50.0
40.0
Percentage
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
Year
Senior recitals Junior recitals
Figure 8. Percentages of senior and junior recitals using alto trombone. It should be noted
that in 1993, no junior recitals were reported.
From this chart, the general downward trend in senior recital percentages is
clearly visible. Drawing conclusions regarding junior recital percentages is more difficult.
Although the swings from high to low have increased in recent years, four times in the
past decade, no junior recitals have included alto trombone. No explanation can presently
be offered for the relatively wide shifts in percentages from year to year. Also
unexplainable is the fact that the upward and downward shifts in both categories since
The data for the recitals categorized as “Other” and “Non-Specific” are shown in
Table 5. The low numbers of reported recitals in the “Other” category (except for 1979,
67
no year contained more than eight) make a meaningful analysis of the resulting
percentages difficult. The 100% of “Other” recitals that used alto trombone in 1981, for
example, has little significance, since there was only one recital reported in this category.
The numbers of reported recitals in the “non-specific” category are slightly larger. Only
six years in twenty-six, however, contain ten or more reported recitals. Furthermore, both
categories are widely defined, making any attempt at explaining trends or lack thereof for
Percentage of Percentage of
Other Other recitals Non-specific
other recitals Non-specific non-specific
Year recitals with alto recitals with
with alto recitals reported recitals with
reported trombone alto trombone
trombone alto trombone
1979 16 4 25.0 4 1 25.0
1980 5 0 0.0 9 1 11.1
1981 1 1 100.0 1 0 0.0
1982 1 0 0.0 3 0 0.0
1983 4 0 0.0 5 1 20.0
1984 2 0 0.0 3 0 0.0
1985 4 0 0.0 6 1 16.7
1986 2 0 0.0 7 1 14.3
1987 2 0 0.0 15 1 6.7
1988 1 0 0.0 16 0 0.0
1989 3 0 0.0 9 2 22.2
1990 2 0 0.0 10 6 60.0
1991 3 1 33.3 13 1 7.7
1992 8 1 12.5 6 0 0.0
1993 5 0 0.0 8 2 25.0
1994 3 0 0.0 10 2 20.0
1995 5 0 0.0 7 1 14.3
1996 7 0 0.0 11 6 54.5
1997 2 0 0.0 6 0 0.0
1998 3 0 0.0 7 0 0.0
1999 7 0 0.0 7 0 0.0
2000 4 0 0.0 5 0 0.0
2001 2 0 0.0 7 0 0.0
2002 1 0 0.0 6 2 33.3
2003 7 1 14.3 5 2 40.0
2004 2 0 0.0 4 0 0.0
68
It is likely that most, if not all, of the recitals in these two categories are
undergraduate level recitals. Those in the “Other” category are mostly recitals labeled as,
certainty that all the recitals that are “non-specific” are actually undergraduate recitals.
Figure 9 shows that the inclusion of the “other” and “non-specific” recital data along with
those of senior and junior recitals have little effect on the overall percentages. Regardless
of whether or not the data from the “other” and “non-specific” recitals are included, a
40.0
35.0
30.0
25.0
Percentage
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
Year
69
Finally, overall percentages for alto trombone use during the period of the study
were calculated. These percentages were obtained for each category by dividing the total
number of recitals with alto trombone (from 1979-2004) by the total number of recitals
reported in that same period. Because these percentages include data from the entire time
span of the study, they cannot demonstrate trends over time. They are of value for
comparison of the general tendencies between categories. The results are presented in
Table 6.
Table 6. Overall percentages of alto trombone use throughout the study by category
Category Percentage
Doctoral recitals with alto trombone 36.6
Master’s recitals with alto trombone 29.0
Total graduate recitals with alto trombone 32.6
Senior recitals with alto trombone 12.0
Junior recitals with alto trombone 12.4
Total undergraduate (including “other” and “non-specific”) recitals with
12.4
alto trombone
Clearly, the theory that most trombone instructors believe the graduate level to be
the appropriate time to begin the study of alto trombone is supported by the results above.
While nearly a third of all graduate recitals used alto trombone, the instrument was used
doctoral recitals contained alto trombone than did those at the master’s level.
70
Results: Alto trombone literature statistics
There were 273 pieces from the standard alto trombone repertoire (as defined
above) reported from 1979-2004. In addition, there were thirteen recitals that listed alto
trombone but contained no literature from the standard repertoire. As stated above, it was
assumed that each of these recitals contained one piece for alto trombone. These thirteen
“indeterminable” pieces were therefore added to the total number of alto trombone pieces
reported, bringing the total to 286. Of these, 132 were performances of the Concerto in E-
flat by Wagenseil.63 Albrechtsberger’s Concerto in B-flat was a distant second, with fifty-
programs and the Sonata in E-flat by Gottfried Finger was listed twelve times. Table 7
lists, in descending order of frequency, all of the alto trombone pieces that were included
63
The popularity of this piece is not surprising, as it is in E-flat and contains little technically demanding
material, making it a common choice as the first alto trombone solo piece.
71
Table 7. Alto trombone literature: frequencies and percentages
Percentage of total
Piece Performances
performances (286)
Wagenseil: Concerto in E-flat 132 46.2
Albrechtsberger: Concerto in B-flat 57 19.9
L. Mozart: Concerto in D 19 6.6
Finger: Sonata in E-flat 12 4.2
M. Haydn: Adagio and Allegro molto 8 2.8
Besozzi: Sonata 7 2.4
M. Haydn: Larghetto 5 1.7
Anonymous/Wagner: Sonata 4 1.4
Hornoff: Suite 4 1.4
Joseph I: Alma Ingrate 3 1.0
Fux: Alma redemptoris mater 2 0.7
Appert: Maskil 2 0.7
Hindemith: Sonata for Alto Horn 2 0.7
Vejvanovsky: Sonata Tribus Quadrantibus 2 0.7
Albinoni: Concerto 1 0.3
Haydn: Adagio64 1 0.3
M. Haydn: Concerto 1 0.3
Loillet: Sonata in G Minor 1 0.3
Marini-Bassett/Chasanov: Sonata for Alto and
1 0.3
Tenor Trombones
Potter: Canzonetta for Alto Trombone 1 0.3
Schumann: Romances 1 0.3
Strauss: Concerto no. 1 for Horn 1 0.3
Tartini: Concerto 1 0.3
Vejvanovsky: Sonata a 5 1 0.3
Wagenseil: Memoriam from Confitibor 1 0.3
“Indeterminable” pieces 13 (1 each) (0.3 each)
No trends regarding choice of literature were observable over the course of the
study. Even when looking at the data for the Wagenseil concerto, there is no clear
increase or decrease in its use. Figure 10 demonstrates the fluctuations and lack of clearly
64
This is probably another occurrence of the Adagio et Allegro molto by M. Haydn.
72
90
80
70
60
Percentage
50
40
30
20
10
0
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
Year
Not surprisingly, there are no observable trends for the Wagenseil concerto even
when the data for individual categories of recitals are analyzed. Figure 11 shows the
recitals.
73
120
100
80
Percentage
60
40
20
0
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
Year
Graduate Undergraduate
comparing graduate and undergraduate recitals. Of the 286 total alto trombone pieces
reported, 180 were listed on graduate recitals, and 106 were listed on undergraduate
recitals. Of the 180 pieces on graduate recitals, only 69 (38.3%) were the Wagenseil
concerto. In contrast, 63 (59.4%) of the 106 alto trombone pieces listed on undergraduate
recitals were performances of the Wagenseil concerto. If the assumption is made that the
Wagenseil concerto is often the first piece performed on the alto trombone by students,
then it is likely that more of the graduate students had previous experience on the
74
instrument and, therefore exhibited more diverse literature choices. The lower difficulty
level of the Wagenseil may also have contributed to the stronger tendency of
A contrasting tendency is evident from the data regarding the choice of the more
21.1% of the time (38 of 180 pieces performed), while the piece accounted for only
17.9% (19 of 106) of all undergraduate alto trombone performances. The percentages for
the third ranking piece, the concerto by Leopold Mozart, are nearly identical (graduate
recitals, 6.7%; undergraduate recitals, 6.6%), but the sonata by Finger (the fourth most
commonly performed piece) was largely chosen by graduate students (ten of the twelve
performances were on graduate recitals). The pieces ranking lower on the list of total
repertoire choices were performed so few times as to make any such analysis of no value.
Conclusion
analyzing the data contained therein. Reporting statistics may have been significantly
influenced the reporting of results as well. Given the scope of this study and the resources
available, it is impossible to determine what impact, if any, these and other factors have
had on the results of the study. Therefore, any conclusions that are drawn must be viewed
75
The most surprising results of the study were the lack of strong upward trends in
the percentage of alto trombone use on recitals across the categories. A slight fluctuation
from year to year was to be expected. The fact that there was only a slight increase in the
last decade (as compared to the previous decade) of the percentage of recitals that likely
used alto trombone is an indication that, perhaps the renewed interest in the instrument,
as discussed in chapter 2, has not had the impact on teachers’ and students’ decisions to
The upward trend in alto trombone performance on the graduate level (when
comparing the last decade with the previous decade), coupled with the downward trend in
comparison), would seem to indicate that teachers are, in recent years, delaying their
The increase in alto trombone programming on doctoral recitals, along with the
fact that doctoral recitals had the highest percentage of alto trombone use, is probably an
indication of the assumption by teachers and students alike that adequate knowledge of
The slightly higher percentage of alto trombone inclusion on junior recitals than
on senior recitals is likely due to the fact that junior recitals are often only required for
performance degrees, thus implying that students performing on these recitals were
generally more advanced as performers and more likely to begin alto trombone study at
an earlier point in their careers. Degree programs were not indicated in the data reported,
76
Regarding literature choices, a preference continues to exist for the traditionally
preference exists in spite of the fact that the available repertoire for the alto trombone
grows each year, as modern composers continue to write for the instrument. It is likely
that many of today’s teachers utilize, in their teaching of the instrument, the literature
with which they themselves are familiar. As teachers begin to perform some of these
newer works, they will likely recognize their pedagogical value and incorporate some of
them into their instruction. When this occurs, alto trombone programming on recitals will
77
CHAPTER V
Hypothesis
taught on the college or university level in the United States, a survey of trombone
instructors was designed and implemented. It was hypothesized that the survey would
reveal certain tendencies among trombone instructors at the university level and that
these tendencies would be evident in areas such as how teachers had learned the
instrument and, in turn, how they taught it to students. Certain pieces (both solo literature
and orchestral excerpts) were expected to be dominant as choices for the beginning alto
trombone student.65 Tendencies were also anticipated with regard to teachers’ equipment
preferences for their alto trombone students. Finally, it was expected that teachers’
ratings of those alto trombone methods with which they are familiar would reveal which
65
The concerto by Wagenseil and the chorale from the fourth movement of Schumann’s Symphony no. 3
(“The Rhenish”) were expected, because of their key (E-flat) and relative technical ease, to be the most
common choices by teachers for first solo and first orchestral excerpt respectively.
78
Methodology
online survey was devised. It was activated in late May 2004,66 and on June 9, ten
trombone instructors who are acquaintances of the author were invited by e-mail to pilot
test the survey. This was done in order to ensure that the items and instructions were clear
and that responses produced the desired information. Seven of the ten instructors
responded between June 9 and June 14.67 College and university trombone instructors
were solicited in person to complete a paper version of the survey at the International
Trombone Festival, June 16-18, 2004, at Ithaca College in Ithaca New York. Twenty-
were mailed to every trombone instructor (770 names) in the United States who was
listed in the “Trombone” category (63c) of the 2003-2004 Directory of Music Faculties
in Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada, published by The College Music
Society.69 The names of those instructors who had already responded to the survey (either
electronically as part of the test run, or in person at the International Trombone Festival)
were purged from the list before the postcards were mailed. As a result of the mailing,
23.
66
The survey may be found in appendix I.
67
An eighth instructor responded, but not until June 27, after the initial testing period was over.
68
Copies of solicitation materials may be found in appendix II.
69
College Music Society, Directory of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada
(Binghamton, NY: College Music Society, 2003).
79
A second postcard was mailed to those who had not yet responded on November
23, 2004. In order to encourage prompt participation, instructors were asked to complete
the survey by December 6. From November 26, 2004 to February 20, 2005, an additional
sixty-five instructors completed the online survey, bringing the total number of
respondents to 173.
In order to determine if there were any systematic differences among those who
did not respond, a random sample of twenty non-respondents was selected70 and attempts
were made to contact them by phone from April 22 to May 13. Those who were
contacted were asked to answer the survey questions over the phone. A minimum of three
attempts were made to contact each instructor, with callback messages being left
whenever possible. One of the twenty no longer taught at the institution to which the
solicitation correspondence had been sent. One was on a sabbatical leave, and another no
longer taught trombone at all. One instructor called back, but did so after the study was
completed. Six were contacted and agreed to complete the survey. None of the remaining
ten returned the phone calls, despite the fact that several messages had been left. The
tabulations and subsequent findings of the study do not include the responses of those
who were contacted by phone in this random sampling, as the results are very similar to
those of the 173 who participated initially. Their responses were tabulated and appear in
participated and how the random sampling helped provide clarity are included in the
70
Random non-respondents were selected by using the Research Randomizer random number generator
available from http://www.randomizer.org; Internet; accessed 17 April 2005.
80
Respondents were given the opportunity to request a copy of the results of the
study upon its completion. When results were tabulated, the names of all respondents and
their institutional affiliations were separated from the remaining data. Personal
information was retained only to ensure that no duplicate responses would be tabulated
and to enable the contacting of those who indicated a desire to receive the results of the
survey.
In conducting this study, several general assumptions were made. It was assumed
that the most accurate and complete listing of college and university trombone instructors
in the United States was contained in the College Music Society’s 2003-2004 Directory
of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada. Furthermore, it was
assumed that the most accurate listing of trombone instructors could be found in the
“Trombone” category (63c) of the Directory. No doubt there are those who are only
however, contain many more teachers than just those who teach trombone, and there was
no valid way to determine which of the instructors in these categories taught trombone.
Three of the 173 respondents stated that they were employed both full-time and
institution. The other apparently mistakenly indicated both full- and part- time, as it was
verified through the College Music Society’s online Directory of Music Faculties71 that
the respondent was a full-time faculty member. All three of these respondents were
counted only as full-time faculty, as it was assumed that their responses reflected their
71
“Directory of Music Faculties,” College Music Society: Member Services, [database online]; available
from http://www.collegemusicsociety.org/infoserv/FacDir/Search/FacDirsearch.idc?id=220751; Internet;
accessed 9 May 2005.
81
pedagogical practices at their primary place of employment. Other assumptions specific
Results: Demographics
higher percentage of respondents who teach full-time play alto trombone than do the
There were 129 responses to the question, “Did you receive any formal training
on alto trombone?” Sixty-three responded that they had received formal training, while
sixty-six did not. There is a discrepancy between these data and that stated above, in
which only 122 respondents said that they played alto trombone. The difference is
accounted for as follows: four respondents selected both that they had formal training and
82
that they did not; two respondents explained that, although they do not currently play alto
trombone, they did at one time study the instrument formally; and, one respondent
selected “No” in addition to recording that he/she does not play alto trombone.
(Respondents who indicated that they do not play alto trombone were instructed to skip
the questions regarding their own training on the instrument.) In order to analyze the data
accurately, these anomalies were handled in the following ways: because the question
was worded, “Did you receive any formal training on alto trombone?” (emphasis added),
and because all four of the respondents who chose both also listed teachers with whom
they had studied alto trombone, it was assumed that their responses should have been
only “Yes.” Their “No” responses were eliminated. Likewise, the indication of “No” by
the respondent who clearly had no experience with alto trombone was eliminated.
Because the other two respondents indicated that they had, at one time in the past, studied
alto trombone, their responses were retained, bringing the adjusted number of total
responses to 124. Table 9 shows the results. Nearly half of all those respondents who
unstructured manner.
83
Nevertheless, when respondents were asked to provide the names of those
teachers with whom they had studied the alto trombone, many indicated more than one
name. Table 10 lists all teachers named by respondents in descending order of frequency.
Respondents Continued…
Teacher who studied Gifford, Robert 1
with them Hansen, Jan 1
5 Hill, John David 1
Kagarice, Vern
5 Hummel, Donald 1
Marcellus, John
4 Hunt, Paul 1
Baker, Buddy
4 Jackson, Keith 1
Chipurn, Tony
4 Jameson, Phil 1
Lumpkin, Royce
3 Kagarice, Jan 1
Ashworth, Thomas
3 Keelon, Nick 1
Kohlenberg, Randy
3 Lawrence, Mark 1
Swallow, John
3 Lusk, Mark 1
Wilson, Gail
3 Maddox, Harry 1
Witser, Steven
2 McQuen, Stephen 1
Borror, Ronald
2 Miller, James 1
Brevig, Per
2 Morrison, Audrey 1
Brickens, Nathaniel
2 Olin, Jim 1
Chasanov, Elliot
2 Olson, Curtis 1
Hofacre, Marta
2 Pickering, Roy 1
Kellogg, Mark
2 Premru, Raymond 1
Seidel, John
2 Richardson, William 1
Smith, Dennis
2 Smith, Susan 1
Vining, David
1 Sporny, David 1
Anderson, Scott
1 Stevens, Mike 1
Baker, Tony
1 Stewart, Dee 1
Beversdorf, Thomas
1 Streeter, Tom 1
Bonecutter, Max
1 Stuart, David 1
Borden, Larry
1 Swanson, Thomas 1
Brown, Keith
1 Tychinski, Bruce 1
Brown, Leon
1 Vaughn, Matt 1
Campbell, Larry
1 Wagner, Irvin 1
Conklin, Raymond
1 Welcomer, Paul 1
Crisafulli, Frank
1 Wolfinbarger, Steven 1
Davis, Jo Dee
1 Wright, Doug 1
Dempster, Stuart
Drew, John 1
Duchi, Joe 1
Fisher, Mark 1
Flora, Sim 1
84
Most of the respondents began playing the alto trombone either during their
master’s degree study or after their formal education. Stage of study is illustrated in Table
11. The sum of the percentages does not equal 100 because one respondent who played
Trombone instructors who participated in the survey were asked which published
methods for alto trombone they had used in their own study of the instrument. When the
survey was written, only four of the methods covered in chapter 3 were known to this
author, those by Anderson, Parow, Slokar, and Sluchin. These four were listed as options
for the respondents. In addition, a choice of “Other (Please specify)” was provided along
with room to list any other methods used. The most popular of the four methods listed
was the one by Anderson, being used by thirty-two respondents. Slokar’s method had
been used by twenty-four of the instructors, with the methods by Sluchin and Parow
being selected by ten and seven teachers, respectively. Many respondents listed
additional methods and resources that are not specifically designed for use with the alto
trombone. Reginald Fink’s Introducing the Alto Clef for Trombone72 and Twenty Studies
72
Reginald H. Fink, Introducing the Alto Clef for Trombone (North Greece, NY: Accura Music, 1969).
85
for Tenor Trombone by George Maxted73 led in this category with ten and eight votes
respectively. In all, 108 votes were divided among twelve different methods. Table 12
number of respondents used the “Other (Please specify.)” space to further explain the
way in which they learned the instrument. Their comments appear in appendix 3.
Table 12. Methods used by respondents in their own study of alto trombone
73
George Maxted, Twenty Studies for Tenor Trombone (London: Boosey & Hawkes, Ltd., 1954).
74
Ralph Sauer, Clef Studies for Trombone (Century City, CA: Wimbledon Music, 1977).
75
Vladislav Blazhevich, Studies in Clefs for Trombone, ed. Allen Ostrander (New York: International
Music Company, 1957).
76
Kauko Kahila, Advanced Studies (In Tenor and Alto Clefs) for Trombone (North Easton, MA: Robert
King Music Company, 1948).
77
Gerald Webster, Method for Piccolo Trumpet (Nashville, TN: Brass Press, 1980).
86
Results: Pedagogical practice
The majority of the survey addressed pedagogical practice and preferences among
those instructors who participated. Respondents were asked if they had ever taught alto
trombone to a student. Nine of the respondents answered both “Yes” and “No” to this
question. In each case, the respondent’s answers to additional questions were analyzed,
especially those regarding literature used in teaching alto trombone and whether or not
the respondent played alto trombone. In seven of the nine cases in question, the
respondent listed literature used in teaching. It was therefore assumed that those
respondents had taught the alto trombone to at least one student. The other two
respondents who had selected both answers provided no data to justify such an
assumption, having never studied the instrument themselves and having answered none
of the questions regarding literature choices. It was therefore assumed that those two
respondents had not taught alto trombone to another student. With these adjustments, the
results were that ninety-four (54.3%) of the participating instructors had taught alto
The question regarding which published methods for alto trombone were used by
respondents in their teaching yielded similar results to the previous question about the
methods they had used in their own study. Once again, the Anderson, Parow, Slokar, and
Sluchin methods were listed, with a fifth choice of “Other,” and space to list additional
methods used. Not surprisingly, the methods by Anderson and Slokar again proved to be
the most popular, with those by Fink and Sluchin a somewhat distant third and fourth.
87
Table 13. Methods used by respondents in teaching the alto trombone
Respondents who stated that they used no published methods for alto trombone
were then asked to briefly describe how they approach the instrument pedagogically.
Several general themes emerged as recurring strategies. The most common was to simply
have the student play etudes intended for tenor trombone. Some teachers advocated
having the student play tenor trombone etudes as “transposed” music, reading the pitches
and playing the positions that would correspond on tenor trombone, with the actual
sounding pitch being a perfect fourth higher than the printed pitch. This is, in essence, the
same approach that Anderson advocates in his method. Teachers who teach the alto
trombone in this way stressed the importance of the student quickly learning the positions
78
Several collections of music by Concone have been adapted and published for trombone. The respondent
did not specify which collection was being cited.
79
Donald Hunsberger, Remington Warm-Up Studies for Trombone (North Greece, NY: Accura Music,
1980).
80
Ken Shifrin, Orchestral Excerpts for Alto Trombone (Nottingham, England: Virgo Music Publishers,
1986).
81
Himie Voxman, Selected Studies for Trombone (Chicago: Rubank, Inc., 1952).
88
and feeling comfortable with the intonation tendencies of the instrument. Other
instructors agreed with the use of tenor trombone methods for teaching alto trombone, but
were opposed to using any kind of transposition, preferring instead to have the student
read and play the printed pitches. Still others use tenor trombone materials, but have the
student read the music as if it were in alto clef, adjusting the key signature accordingly.
Whatever the approach, many who advocated the use of tenor trombone etudes for
teaching the alto trombone stated that one of the advantages was that the student is able to
Another common pedagogical approach was to use scales and arpeggios, stressing
accurate intonation and a familiarity with various keys. Others required their students to
write out the various harmonic series or a position chart for the instrument and then
Many respondents stated that they forego any formal etudes, preferring instead to
move immediately to the solo and orchestral literature that the student is likely to
The next two questions on the survey dealt with instructors’ use of orchestral
literature in the teaching of alto trombone. Respondents were asked what alto trombone
orchestral excerpts they include in their teaching. Several orchestral pieces were listed for
respondents to select. It was assumed that these would be the most commonly used pieces
by instructors. A category labeled “Other” could also be checked and space was provided
for respondents to add more titles to the list. Many pieces were listed, comprising much
of the Classical and early Romantic orchestral literature. The results appear in list form in
89
Table 14. Orchestral excerpts used by respondents
in their alto trombone teaching
Respondents
Piece from which excerpt is taken who used
each excerpt
Schumann: Symphony no. 3 69
Mozart: Requiem, K.626 66
Beethoven: Symphony no. 5 60
Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 46
Brahms: Symphonies 38
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique 23
Schubert: Symphony no. 9 5
Berg: Three Pieces for Orchestra 4
Mendelssohn: Symphony no. 5 4
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis 3
Haydn: The Creation 3
Mozart: Mass in C minor, K.427 3
Schumann: All symphonies 3
Bach, J. S.: Cantata no. 4 2
Britten: The Burning Fiery Furnace 2
Mendelssohn: (no specific works) 2
Mendelssohn: Elijah 2
Mozart: Confessorial Vespers, K.339 2
Mozart: Mass in C major, K.317 2
Mozart: Operas 2
Mozart: The Magic Flute,K.620 2
Bach, J. S.: Cantata no. 121 1
Beethoven: Symphony no. 6 1
Brahms: A German Requiem 1
Bruckner: Symphonies 1
Dvořák: Symphony no. 6 1
Haydn: (no specific works) 1
Mendelssohn: Ruy Blas Overture 1
Mozart: Masses 1
Mozart: Overtures 1
Schoenberg: Gurrelieder 1
Schubert: (no specific works) 1
Schubert: Masses 1
Schubert: Symphonies 1
Schumann: Symphonies nos. 2 & 4 1
Schutz: Fili Mi Absolom 1
Stravinsky: The Flood 1
Wagner: Early works 1
Weber: Overture to Der Freischütz 1
90
The pieces are listed as they were provided by respondents. There are several
instances where certain separately listed pieces could fit into another category (e.g., The
Symphony no. 3 by Schumann clearly could also be placed in the category titled,
the data. The top six choices were those provided for the respondents to select by name.
Given the disparity in the numbers of respondents who chose those pieces and the
numbers who chose the other works, it is likely that the listing of those pieces and not
others produced a bias in favor of the ones whose titles were provided. Therefore, to
respondents who teach alto trombone. Eleven respondents used the “Other (please
Respondents were then asked what, in their opinion, was the most appropriate
first orchestral excerpt for the alto trombone student. The same six choices listed for the
previous question were again provided, with an opportunity to select “Other (Please
specify.).” As with the previous question, providing the titles for some pieces and not
others may have unintentionally produced a bias toward those pieces, as most of the
highest scoring excerpts were from the six works listed by name. One small exception is
Mozart’s The Magic Flute which ranked above Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique. The
91
Table 15. Respondents’ choices for the most appropriate
first orchestral excerpt for the alto trombone student
Respondents
Excerpt who selected
this excerpt
Schumann: Symphony no. 3 25
Beethoven: Symphony no. 5 24
Mozart: Requiem, K.626 20
Brahms: Symphonies 14
Beethoven: Symphony no. 9 6
Mozart: The Magic Flute, K.620 2
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique 1
Mozart: Confessorial Vespers, K.339 1
Beethoven: Symphony no. 6 1
Mozart: Zorastro's aria (The Magic Flute, K.620) 1
Dvořák: Symphony no. 6 1
Bach: Cantata no. 4 1
Mozart: Mass in C minor, K.427 1
Respondents were asked to explain why they believed this to be the most
appropriate first excerpt. Reasons generally fell into one of several general categories.
Pieces such as Schumann’s Symphony no. 3 and the Brahms symphonies were chosen
primarily for their relative technical simplicity. Others such as Beethoven’s Symphonies
nos. 5 and 9 were chosen because of their popularity and the fact that students would
have a higher likelihood of encountering them in a performance setting. Pieces like those
by Mozart were selected because of their idiomatic scoring for the alto trombone as well
The survey’s next two questions dealt with alto trombone solo literature and its
use by the respondents in their teaching. In a similar manner to the way the subject of
orchestral excerpts was addressed, the section on solo literature asked of respondents
what alto trombone solo literature they use in their teaching and what, in their opinion, is
the most appropriate first solo for the alto trombone student.
92
Four prominent alto trombone concertos from the early Classical era—those by
Albrechtsberger, Michael Haydn, Leopold Mozart, and Wagenseil—were listed for them
to select. A selection labeled “Other (Please specify.)” was also provided. The data are
93
Table 16. Solo literature used by respondents in their alto
trombone teaching
Respondents
Solos who used
each solo
Wagenseil: Concerto 84
Albrechtsberger: Concerto 73
Mozart, Leopold: Concerto 51
Haydn, Michael: Concerto 36
Besozzi: Sonata in C major 10
Finger: Sonata in E-flat 9
Albinoni: Concerto in B-flat 6
Appert: Maskil 5
Hidas: Baroque Concerto 5
Mozart: Horn concertos 5
Anon./Wagner: Sonata, "St. Thomas" 3
Haydn, Michael: Larghetto 3
George, Tom Ritter: Sonata 2
Haydn, Michael: Adagio and Allegro molto 2
Strauss, Richard: Horn concertos 2
Tuma: Various pieces 2
Zianni: Various pieces 2
Albinoni: Concertos and double concertos 1
Appert: Canticle 1
Bellini: Concerto 1
Biber: Sonatas 1
Cossaboom: Statements and Transformations 1
Handel: Sonata in G minor 1
Haydn: Horn concertos 1
Hindemith: Sonata for Alto Horn and Piano 1
Kenny: Sonata 1
Koetsier: Choralpartita "Die Tageszeiten" 1
Loeillet: Sonata 1
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words 1
Schumann: Romances 1
Schumann: Various pieces 1
Strauss, Richard: Horn Concerto no. 1 1
Tartini: Concerto in D minor 1
Telemann: (no specific piece) 1
Various Baroque transcriptions 1
Vejvanovsky: Various pieces 1
Wagenseil: Memoriam from Confitibor 1
94
Not surprisingly, the four solos listed on the survey once again scored the highest.
It is not as likely, however, that their being listed had too much of an impact on the
distribution. A quick comparison with the results of the survey outlined in chapter 482
dominantly occupy the top three positions in both surveys. The frequency of
programming of these three works would certainly imply that they are the pieces most
often taught.
The respondents were then queried as to what solo they held to be the most
appropriate first solo for alto trombone students. The results appear in Table 17.
Respondents
Solo who selected
this solo
Wagenseil: Concerto in E-flat major 73
Albrechtsberger: Concerto in B-flat major 9
Finger: Sonata in E-flat major 4
Mozart, Leopold: Concerto in D major 4
Albinoni: Concerto in B-flat major 1
Besozzi: Sonata in C major 1
Haydn, Michael: Concerto in D major 1
Because it is so well suited for the alto trombone, the Wagenseil Concerto is the
overwhelming favorite of trombone instructors as a first piece for the alto trombone
student.83 As with their choice for a first excerpt, respondents were asked to give a brief
82
See Table 7.
83
The piece is in the key of E-flat, the key in which the instrument is pitched. Additionally, the technical
demands required of the performer are relatively simple in comparison with most other pieces.
95
explanation as to why they chose the solos they did. All comments may be found in
appendix 3.
The next four questions on the survey addressed the issue of whether a
respondent’s institution owned an alto trombone for students to use. The first question
asked simply if the respondent’s school owned an alto trombone. Of the 173 respondents,
sixty-two (35.8%) said that their schools did own an alto, while 111 (64.2%) said that
Respondents whose schools owned an alto trombone were asked to identify the
brand of the school-owned instrument. Five brands (those presumed to be the most
popular) were listed for respondents to select, with a sixth choice of “Other (Please
specify.)” allowing for reporting of any brands not already included on the survey form.
The brands listed were Bach, Conn, Courtois, Edwards, and Yamaha. Yamaha led all
brands, with Conn placing second. Several schools owned more than one alto trombone.
The raw data, as well as the resulting percentages, appear in Table 18.
96
Table 18. School-owned alto trombones by
brand
Respondents whose schools owned alto trombones were asked if they had chosen
the brand. Thirty-two (51.6%) chose the brand; twenty-eight (45.2%) did not. Two
The next question was “Would you like your school or department to purchase an
alto trombone?” Sixty-four respondents (37.0% of the 173 total respondents) answered
that they would like their school or department to purchase an alto trombone, while fifty-
three (30.6%) of the total respondents) did not.84 Of the sixty-seven who would like their
institution to purchase an alto, only twenty-four (35.8%) have requested that their
institution do so; forty-two (62.7%) have not. One respondent chose not to answer the
question.
84
There were a total of 117 responses to this question, but only 111 respondents whose schools do not own
an alto trombone. The discrepancy is explained as follows: Although respondents whose schools already
owned alto trombones were instructed to skip this question, five whose schools owned an alto trombone
still stated that they would like their school to purchase a new instrument. All five of these respondents had
not been able to choose the brand of their school-owned instrument, and all five selected a different brand
for their preference than what was already owned by their institution. Additionally, one respondent selected
both, “Yes” and “No,” in response to the question.
97
Further light is shed on these statistics when they are divided between respondents
who are employed full-time and those who are employed part-time. The differences are
Table 19. Comparison of schools with alto trombones between full- and part-time
instructors
instructor own an alto trombone, but a significantly higher percentage of those employed
Respondents were asked “If you could have an alto trombone purchased by your
school, what brand would you have them purchase?” The same five brands listed
previously were again provided for respondents to select, with an option for them to list
additional brands. Several respondents selected more than one brand. The results appear
in Table 20. The numbers further confirm the popularity of the Yamaha and Conn brands
98
Table 20. Brand preferences for future school alto
trombone purchases
Respondents preferring
Brand Percentage of total
this brand
Yamaha 28 35.9
Conn 20 25.6
Bach 9 11.5
Edwards 9 11.5
Courtois 6 7.7
Thein 4 5.1
Getzen 1 1.3
Lätzsch 1 1.3
The final question regarding a respondent’s school and its need for students who
can perform on alto trombone was “Does the orchestra at your school regularly perform
works for which the alto trombone could be used effectively?” Four respondents did not
answer the question; three selected both answers. Seventy-five instructors (43.4%) said
that their school’s orchestra regularly performed works on which the alto trombone could
effectively be used. Ninety-seven (56.1%) reported that their orchestras did not regularly
The next question on the survey sought to establish at what point in a student’s
academic career (i.e., at what degree level) the alto trombone should be taught, if at all.
Specifically, the question was worded “At what level of study do you think the alto
respondents, 152 selected one of the first four categories; others chose to use the last
category as a place to state an opinion or to summarize a response that would not fit
99
squarely into one of the pre-defined categories. Some selected a category but also offered
introduced first at the undergraduate level. The master’s level was the second choice. The
data are displayed in Table 21. Respondents’ comments can be found in appendix 3.
Participants were asked if they believe that it is important for the alto trombone
student to play a mouthpiece with a rim that is identical to that of his/her tenor trombone
mouthpiece. Thirty-nine respondents (22.5%) stated that they believe it is important for a
student to use a mouthpiece with the same rim, while 129 (74.6%) believed that it was
not important. Six respondents did not answer the question; one selected both answers.
mouthpieces they recommend for their alto trombone students. When the survey was
constructed, it was decided that the range of mouthpiece choices was too great to provide
a list from which participants could choose. Mouthpiece choice being as personal as it is,
it was deemed best to allow respondents to express their preferences in their own words.
Naturally, this created some difficulty in data compilation and analysis. Those responses
that listed one or more specific sizes or models of mouthpieces were counted as votes for
those particular mouthpieces. When a respondent voiced an opinion that could not be
100
adequately expressed in a quantitative table, that opinion was recorded in appendix 3.
Table 22 lists the mouthpieces that were mentioned by name and provides a basis for
comparison, if not truly revealing the reasoning behind the opinions presented.
Respondents who
Mouthpiece
recommended it
Bach 7C or equivalent 27
Bach 12C or equivalent 25
Bach 6 ½ AL or
19
equivalent
Bach 11 or equivalent 14
Bach 9 or equivalent 5
Doug Elliot C cup 5
Yamaha 48 5
Bach 15C or equivalent 4
Conn 3 2
Greg Black 5C 2
Greg Black Alessi A3 2
Griego 11 2
Wick 9BS 2
Bach 12E 1
Bach 15E 1
Bach 4C 1
Bach 5 1
Bach 5GS or equivalent 1
Bach 6 ½ AM 1
Griego 7 1
Schilke 45B 1
Schilke 47 1
Schilke 51B 1
Stork T2 1
Wick 10CS 1
Wick 6BS 1
Wick 7BL (7BS?) 1
101
Most respondents who said that it was not important for students to keep the same
rim when switching between alto and tenor trombone recommended the small to medium
mouthpiece sizes, such as the Bach 7C, 9, 11, 12C or 15C. Those who advocated the
keeping of an identical rim primarily recommended mouthpieces with large rims and
small cups. This profile was more difficult to categorize, as few mouthpiece
manufacturers mass produce mouthpieces with large rims and small cups. Therefore,
many of these respondents preferred the mouthpieces of Doug Elliot, as they are modular
and, thus, have parts that are interchangeable, allowing the player to customize a rim and
cup combination that works for the individual. Another exception are the alto trombone
mouthpieces manufactured by Greg Black (e.g., his 5C and the Alessi A3) specifically for
those who prefer to combine the rim to which they are accustomed with a relatively
shallow cup. This combination may achieve what many believe to be a more appropriate
The final part of the survey asked respondents to rate available alto trombone
methods in ten categories. The four methods listed previously in the survey as specific
choices in earlier questions (those methods by Anderson, Parow, Slokar, and Sluchin)
were those that respondents were asked to rate. A rating scale of “Excellent,” “Good,”
“Fair,” “Poor,” and “Very Poor” was used for each category. The specific categories
appear in the tables below. Instructors were asked only to rate those methods with which
they were familiar. The response rate was relatively low, as many apparently felt that
they were not sufficiently acquainted with any of the methods to fairly evaluate them.
102
The data that were provided have been tabulated and presented in table form below. With
each table, the total number of participants who responded for each particular method is
noted. Some participants chose not to respond to certain categories, presumably because
they were not sufficiently knowledgeable concerning those aspects of the method.
Therefore, the individual percentages have been calculated for each category based only
Table 23. Ratings for Anderson, Stephen: A complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone,
two volumes
Total respondents: 33
Table 24. Ratings for Parow, Karsten: Initiation Complète au Trombone Alto
Total respondents: 12
103
Table 25. Ratings for Slokar, Branimir: Methode Complete de Trombone Alto, volume 1
Total respondents: 23
Table 26. Ratings for Sluchin, Benny: Study Material for Alto Trombone, four volumes
Total respondents: 8
In order to more easily compare overall ratings from one method to the next,
average percentages were calculated in each rating (Excellent, Good, Fair, etc.) for every
method. This allows for a general comparison between methods which demonstrates how
each method fared overall in the survey. It does not, of course, take into account the
individual strengths and weaknesses of each method. The results appear in Table 27.
104
Table 27. Overall ratings for each method
When comparing the high scores received for Sluchin’s method in Table 27 with
the small number of respondents who use the method (as documented in Table 13 above),
a seeming contradiction emerges. This is most likely attributable to the fact that the
Analysis
When the data concerning the demographics of the respondents are analyzed,
several notable statistics emerge. The percentage of full-time teachers who participated
was considerably greater than the percentage of part-time teachers. Yet, an informal
investigation of the random sample of twenty non-respondents who were called at the
conclusion of the survey indicates that the instructors in that sample were approximately
evenly divided between full- and part-time. If the random sample is an accurate cross
section of the entire body of college and university level trombone instructors in the
United States, then the percentages of full- and part-time respondents would be expected
to be nearly the same. The discrepancy is likely explained by one or more factors.
practices for full-time university faculty, it is likely that a higher percentage of the full-
105
time respondents hold the doctorate degree. Having done educational research in pursuit
of their own degrees, they would be more sympathetic toward and, therefore, more
inclined to assist in such a study than someone who has not done so. Additionally, many
part-time instructors teach at more than one institution and perform in additional venues,
That a majority of the respondents play alto trombone may or may not be an
accurate indicator of the practices of all college-level instructors in the United States. The
fact that one plays the instrument would cause one to be more interested in participating
in such a study. The random sampling provides little additional insight, as those who do
not play alto and have little interest in the instrument would be less likely to return a
phone call regarding a survey about its pedagogy. Indeed, this may account for some of
The fact that such a high percentage of respondents began playing the alto
trombone after their formal education is probably attributable to the fact that many of
them had completed their formal education before the recent surge of renewed interest in
the instrument.
those not specifically intended for alto trombone, such as those by Fink and Sauer) were
used by the most respondents and which methods are now most popular among teachers
is surely not coincidental. It merely lends credence to the assumption that teachers teach
The correlation between those alto trombone orchestral excerpts that were most
popular and those that were respondents’ choices for a student’s first excerpt was
106
predictable. Likewise, the questions concerning solo literature preferences yielded similar
relationships. The Wagenseil concerto is clearly the top choice for a first solo. When this
statistic is compared with the literature frequency study of student recitals in the past
twenty-six years from chapter 4, it can be observed that teachers’ preferences are borne
out in practice, as the Wagenseil concerto was dominant as a favorite piece to program.
Although it is likely that the statistics for brands of alto trombones owned by
schools mirrors the rankings of popularity of these brands nationwide, it must be noted
that the top four brands (Yamaha, Conn, Bach, and Edwards) are manufactured
domestically, in contrast to the others on the list. Certainly, the relative ease with which
they may be obtained, in contrast with the longer wait and often higher cost of imported
models, has made these models more familiar to teachers in the United States.
has evolved regarding at what point in a student’s career it is appropriate to begin study
of the alto trombone. Although the majority of alto-playing trombone instructors began
playing the instrument either during their master’s degree study or after their formal
education, Table 21 indicates that this is not what most teachers now believe to be best
for the current generation of students, with 59% suggesting that the undergraduate degree
program is the best option for beginning the instrument. This likely reflects the growing
popularity of the alto trombone and instructors’ perceptions that at least a working
the future. It should be noted, however, that based upon many of the qualifying
comments offered to this question by respondents, the ability and interest level of the
107
student is just as important, if not more so, to instructors when determining whether an
the respondents’ comments, many of them refused to take a side in the debate over
whether keeping the same mouthpiece rim is essential to a student’s success on the
definitely were in favor of smaller mouthpieces which better match the size of the alto
trombone.
The ratings of the alto trombone methods at the end of the survey reflects the
popularity of the methods by Anderson and Slokar, as two to three times as many chose
to rate them as did each of the other methods. The comparison of overall ratings in Table
27 demonstrates that instructors are generally satisfied with all of the methods, as the
majority of scores fell in the “Good” and “Excellent” ratings for all four methods. The
newly compiled method by Sluchin stands out with its very high scores, with over 92% of
its responses being in the “Good” and “Excellent” ratings. Only eight respondents rated
Conclusion
alto trombone pedagogy in United States although a higher response rate would be
desirable. The random sampling of twenty non-respondents demonstrated that those who
didn’t respond to the invitations in the first two mailings probably differed very little
from those who did, except that it is quite possible that a significant percentage of non-
108
respondents may not have been reached by the initial mailings due to sabbaticals or the
fact that they no longer teach at the institutions listed in the College Music Society’s
publications. Some instructors likely teach only jazz trombone, an area of performance in
which the alto trombone is used very little. Although those who do not play alto
trombone at all were encouraged to participate, many likely had little interest in
questions for which participants can record long, difficult-to-categorize comments. Even
though questions regarding which published methods for alto trombone a respondent
used in his or her teaching clearly requested methods for alto trombone, many
respondents took the “Other (Please specify.)” space to list tenor trombone methods that
they adapted. This response was not anticipated. In future such surveys, a similar list of
tenor methods commonly adapted to alto trombone study (e.g., Bordogni/Rochut, Fink,
Sauer, etc.) should be provided to help limit the prose explanations that respondents
provided. It was assumed that listing too many choices would make the survey appear too
lengthy and might discourage potential respondents from participating. It would be best
respondents, while informative, were cumbersome to deal with in the collection and
analysis of the data. Providing more extensive lists for orchestral excerpts, solo literature,
and mouthpiece selection would have streamlined the process as well. Perhaps in future
studies, common answers to the “Why?” questions should also be anticipated and listed
in a multiple choice format. In future surveys the question “With whom did you study
109
alto trombone?” should be eliminated, as its responses provided little data that were
There was a technical problem with the study in that the online version of the
survey allowed the selection of more than one response to questions that requested only
one answer. The online survey was designed and placed on the web using Microsoft
FrontPage. The questions that should have only allowed a single choice functioned
properly during the design and test run phase; at some point in early November 2005,
however, respondents were able (either intentionally or by mistake) to select more than
one answer for such questions. Furthermore, one respondent stated that he was unable to
“unselect” the wrong response he had accidentally chosen. Unfortunately, after the test
runs, data that were returned from the survey were collected and stored but not monitored
as closely as the data from the test runs. Because the problem only affected a small
percentage of respondents, this technical problem was not discovered until the data
analysis phase, after all 173 respondents had completed the survey. At that point, the
problem was uncovered and it was verified that the online survey was allowing multiple
selections. Furthermore, the only way to “unselect” an answer was to scroll to the bottom
of the survey and click “Reset,” erasing all responses and allowing the participant to
begin the survey anew. As of this writing, the cause for this problem has not been
identified. Fortunately, this problem occurred infrequently enough that its impact on the
results of the study were negligible. One exception is the response to the question “Have
you ever taught alto trombone to a student?” Nine respondents answered both “Yes” and
“No.” As explained above, however, determining which answer was the correct one for
each respondent was relatively simple. Although this technical problem did not
110
significantly alter the overall results, any future studies should be monitored more closely
during the data collection phase in order to discover and attempt to resolve any such
problems immediately.
111
CHAPTER VI
Summary
This study examined the renaissance of the alto trombone from three vantage
points. First an in-depth analysis of the five comprehensive alto trombone methods
currently available (those by Parow, Slokar, Anderson, Harvey, and Sluchin) was
presented. The methods were analyzed with regard to progressive arrangement, balance
and readability of text and music, balance in the use of keys and registers, inclusion of a
position chart and appropriate orchestral excerpts, and the pedagogical and musical
The second part of this project was a study of occurrences of the alto trombone on
with regard to level of academic study (undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral). Data were
instructors in the United States to determine how the alto trombone is currently being
taught. All instructors (770) listed in the “Trombone” category (63c) of the 2003-2004
Directory of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S and Canada, published by
The College Music Society were invited to complete an online or paper survey. One
112
hundred seventy-three instructors responded. Respondents were asked to provide
information about their employment level as a university teacher (full- or part-time), their
own experience with the study of the alto trombone, their use of methods, solos, and
orchestral excerpts to teach the instrument, whether their institution owns an alto
trombone, what they believe to be the appropriate level of study to introduce the
Conclusions
The examination of comprehensive alto trombone methods revealed that each one
differs in its areas of emphasis. The method by Anderson is unique in that every exercise
is printed not only in alto clef, but also in transposed bass clef, to accommodate those
who desire to learn or teach the alto trombone as a transposing instrument. Slokar’s
method is designed to build endurance and flexibility while introducing the slide
positions one at a time. Orchestral excerpts are included in the resources by Parow and
Harvey. Because of its high level of difficulty, Harvey’s method is more appropriate for
experienced alto trombonists. The most recently published method, that by Sluchin, is
also the most extensive, encompassing four volumes. It is thorough and balanced;
Use of the alto trombone on student recitals in the past twenty-six years was both
years was evident. This increase has occurred primarily at the graduate level, however,
with alto trombone programming actually decreasing on senior recitals. The concerto by
113
Wagenseil was, by far, the most frequently programmed work for alto trombone,
was a distant second choice with 19.9% of all the literature performed.
The results from the survey of trombone instructors revealed significant trends.
Although many instructors (76.2%) did not begin playing alto trombone until graduate
school or after their formal education, a majority (59%) now believes that the
undergraduate degree program is the most appropriate level for the instrument to be
taught. There were similarities between the methods used by teachers in their own study
and those that are most commonly used to teach current students, with the methods by
Anderson and Slokar receiving the highest number of votes in both categories. In light of
the preference for the Wagenseil concerto on student recitals, it was not surprising that
the piece was the most popular choice among instructors as the most appropriate first solo
for the alto trombone student. The orchestral excerpts most popular as the most
appropriate first excerpt for the student were Schumann’s Symphony no. 3 (“The
instructors were asked to rate the alto trombone methods with which they were familiar,
the four volume method by Sluchin received the highest scores by percentage, although it
should be noted that only eight respondents rated it, as compared to the Anderson
method, which was rated by thirty-three instructors. This is likely due to the fact that the
method by Anderson is more than twenty years old, while the method by Sluchin has
been available for less than five years and, thus, is not as well-known.
114
Recommendations
From this project, several specific ideas emerge as areas for further study. A study
could be implemented in which several students were taught using each method by the
same instructor and the results of their progress compared after a given amount of time.
As with all qualitative educational research, differences in learning and teaching styles
would have to be accounted for and equalized as much as possible. Properly constructed,
however, such a study could yield useful results to those who do not have time or
teaching students the alto trombone: by learning the instrument first as a transposing
instrument, or by simply learning new positions, reading the music in alto clef and at
concert pitch. Interviews could be conducted with teachers and students who have used
each approach. A study similar to the method book comparison mentioned above could
works on student recitals. A large but manageable random sample of colleges and
universities could be visited and their archival records of student recital programs could
be examined, looking for examples of programs which included alto trombone. Such a
study may yield more statistically reliable results, the data not being voluntarily self-
reported.
115
trombone compare with those of teachers in the United States. The logistics of such an
be to study the state of alto trombone pedagogy in the German-speaking countries, as the
alto trombone was never completely replaced in the orchestras of that region of Europe.
(In 1971, Denis Wick wrote that “in Germany the alto never completely disappeared, and
is still often used when specified in the works of classical composers.”85) One would
85
Wick, 93.
116
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anderson, Stephen. “The Alto Trombone, Then and Now.” The Instrumentalist 40
(November 1985): 54-62.
__________. A Complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone. 2 vols. Modern Editions,
1984-86.
__________. “Music for Alto Trombone.” ITA Journal 13, no.2 (1985) 42-3.
Appert, D. L. “The Alto Trombone—Its Uses, Problems, and Solutions.” ITA Journal 8
(1980): 13-4.
Baines, Anthony. Brass Instruments: Their History and Development. New York:
Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1978.
Blazhevich, Vladislav. Studies in Clefs for Trombone, ed. Allen Ostrander. New York:
International music Company, 1957.
Bordogni, Marco. Melodious Etudes for Trombone, vol. I, transcribed and arr. Joannes
Rochut. New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1928.
Brown, Keith. Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire for Trombone and
Tuba. 10 volumes. New York: International Music Company, 1964-70.
Carse, Adam. Musical Wind Instruments: A History of the Wind Instruments Use in
European Orchestras and Wind-Bands from the Later Middle Ages up to the
Present Time. New York: Da Capo Press, 1965.
College Music Society. “Directory of Music Faculties,” College Music Society: Member
Services, Database online. Available from
http://www.collegemusicsociety.org/infoserv/FacDir/Search/FacDirsearch.idc?id=
220751. Internet.
College Music Society. Directory of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S.
and Canada. Binghamton, NY: College Music Society, 2003.
117
Conlon, Mike. American Universities. Available from http://clas.ufl.edu/CLAS/american-
universities.html. Internet.
Elias, Joel. “Rediscovering the Alto Trombone.” The Instrumentalist 49 (October 1994):
50.
Ericson, John Q. “The Original Kopprasch Etudes,” The Horn Call: Journal of the
International Horn Society 27, no. 2 (1997): 17-21.
Fink, Reginald. Introducing the Alto Clef for Trombone. North Greece, NY: Accura
Music, 1969.
__________. Introducing the Alto Clef for Trombone. North Greece, NY: Accura Music,
1968.
Geiringer, Karl. Musical Instruments: Their History in Western Culture from the Stone
Age to the Present. Translated by Bernard Miall. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1945.
Gregory, Robin. The Trombone: The Instrument and its Music. New York: Praeger
Publishers, 1973.
Guion, David. The Trombone: Its History and Music, 1697-1811.Gordon and Breach
Science Publishers, 1988.
Hartman, Mark. “The use of the alto trombone in symphonic and operatic orchestral
literature.” D.M.A. research paper, Arizona State University, 1985.
Herbert, Trevor, and John Wallace, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Brass Instruments.
New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
Hunsberger, Donald. Remington Warm-Up Studies for Trombone. North Greece, NY:
Accura Music, 1980.
118
Johansen, David. “An essay consisting of an examination of alto trombone use in
metropolitan and regional symphony orchestras in the United States and of
pedagogical materials and curricula currently available for that instrument.”
D.M.A. essay, University of Iowa, 1993.
Kahila, Kauko. Advanced Studies (In Tenor and Alto Clefs) for Trombone. North Easton,
MA: Robert King Music Company, 1948.
__________. “Music for Alto Trombone.” The Instrumentalist 51 (January 1997) 76-7.
__________. “The Rise and Fall…and Rise of the Alto Trombone.” NACWPI Journal-
Official Publication of the National Association of College Wind and Percussion
Instructors 48 (Spring 2000) 23-8.
Kopprasch, C. Sixty Selected Studies for Trombone, vol. I. New York: Carl Fischer, Inc.,
1905.
Lindberg, Christian. “Why a B-flat Attachment on the Alto Trombone?.” ITA Journal19
no. 3 (1991) 26.
Maxted, George. Twenty Studies for Tenor Trombone. London: Boosey and Hawkes,
Ltd., 1954.
Nǿkleby, A. “Tots on trombone (starting very young children on alto trombone and three
inter-related Norwegian method books).” ITA Journal 27 (Summer 1999) 20-1.
119
Piston, Walter. Orchestration. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1955.
Randall, Charles L. and Simone Mantia, eds. Arban’s Famous Method for Slide and
Valve Trombone and Baritone. New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1936.
Saeki, Shigeki. “An Historical Perspective of the Alto Trombone.” Brass Bulletin (2001)
96-101.
Sauer, Ralph. Clef Studies for Trombone. Century City, CA: Wimbledon Music, 1977.
__________. “The Alto Trombone in the Symphony Orchestra.” ITA Journal 12, no. 3
(1984): 41.
Schrock, Bradley. “Physical and technical demands upon the trombonist in performance
caused by changing between the three types of trombones commonly used today,
the bass trombone, tenor trombone, and alto trombone.” M.A.E. thesis, Ball State
University, 1981.
Shifrin, Ken. Orchestral Excerpts for Alto Trombone. Nottingham, England: Virgo Music
Publishers, 1986.
__________. “Trombone Myth Busters No. 1: Dvořák Wrote for the Alto Trombone.”
ITA Journal 25 (Spring 1997): 30-1.
Sluchin, Benny. “Alto or Tenor Trombone: Open or Closed Case?.” Historic Brass
Society Journal 5 (1993): 309-17.
__________, comp. Study Material for Alto Trombone, 4 vols. Warwick, England:
Warwick Music, 2000-03.
120
__________. “Le Trombone Alto, Part II.” Brass Bulletin 62, (1988): 73-8.
Voxman, Himie. Selected Studies for Trombone. Chicago: Rubank, Inc., 1952.
Webster, Gerald. Method for Piccolo Trumpet. Nashville, TN: Brass Press, 1980.
Weiner, Howard. “Francois Rene Gebauer’s 50 lecons pour la trombone basse, alto and
tenor: The earliest book of etudes for the trombone.” Historic Brass Society
Journal, 11 (1999) 107-112.
Wigness, C. Robert. The Soloistic Use of the Trombone in Eighteenth Century Vienna.
Nashville, TN: The Brass Press, 1978.
121
APPENDIX I
ONLINE SURVEY
122
Survey of Current Trends in Alto Trombone Pedagogy
This survey is best viewed with 1024 x 768 resolution and Internet Explorer. It is also best to
maximize the view, so as to utilize the entire screen.
I am conducting a survey of college and university level trombone teachers to determine current
trends in the teaching of the alto trombone. The information gathered from this survey will be part
of my thesis for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati College-
Conservatory of Music. If you have done any teaching at the college or university level (even if
you have never taught alto trombone), please take a few minutes to complete this survey.
By completing this survey you are agreeing to participate in this study. All specific responses will
be kept confidential; your name will not be associated in any way with the information you
provide. The responses will be summarized and reported in aggregate form. Your name, e-mail
address, and institutional affiliation will be kept in a separate data base and will be used only to
verify that there are no duplicate responses. Upon completion of the study, all survey responses
and personal information (names, e-mail addresses, and institutional affiliations) will be deleted
and any existing hard copies will be destroyed.
Would you like to receive a copy of the results of this survey upon its completion?
Yes No
Please answer each question by clicking on the appropriate response or entering the
requested information in the fields provided.
2. Please enter the names of the colleges or universities at which you teach and indicate your
type of position at each one.
3. Do you play alto trombone? Yes No If you answer "No," you may skip to
question no.8.
4. Did you receive any formal training on alto trombone? Yes No If you
answered
"No," you may skip to question no.6.
123
5. With whom did you study alto trombone?
Please list all teachers.
6. At what point in your career did you begin playing alto trombone?
Please select one
7. Which published methods for alto trombone have you used in your own study of the
instrument?
Select all that apply.
8. Have you ever taught alto trombone to a student? Yes No If you answered
"No," you may skip to question no.14.
9. Which published methods for alto trombone have you used in you teaching?
Select all that apply.
None (If "None," please briefly describe how you approach the instrument
pedagogically, listing other materials utilized.)
124
10. What alto trombone orchestral excerpts do you include in your teaching?
Select all that apply.
11. What, in your opinion, is the most appropriate first orchestral excerpt for the alto trombone
student?
Why?
12. What alto trombone solo literature do you include in your teaching?
Select all that apply.
125
13. What, in your opinion, is the most appropriate first solo for the alto trombone student?
Why?
14. Does your school own an alto trombone? Yes No If you answered "No," you
may skip to question no. 15.
specify:
If your school owns an alto trombone, you may now skip to question no. 17.
15. Would you like your school or department to purchase an alto trombone?
Yes No If you answered "No," you may skip to question no. 17.
Have you requested that your school or department purchase an alto trombone?
Yes No
16. If you could have an alto trombone purchased by your school, what brand would you have
Please select one
them purchase?
17. Does the orchestra at your school regularly perform works for which the alto trombone could
18. At what level of study do you think the alto trombone should first be taught?
Please select one.
If "Other," please specify:
19. Do you believe that it is important for the alto trombone student to play a mouthpiece whose
126
20. Of the following methods, please rate those with which you are familiar in the categories
listed.
Anderson, Stephen: A Complete Method for E-flat Alto Trombone, two volumes
127
Slokar, Branimir: Methode Complete de Trombone Alto, volume I
Thank you for your participation in this study. Your responses are greatly appreciated.
Doug Warner
D.M.A. Candidate
The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
128
When you click "Submit," you will be shown a summary of your responses. Responses to
checkboxes and option buttons will appear as a "V" and a number (e.g., V26). This
simply means that that is the selection you chose. At the bottom of that page there will be
a link to return to this survey form. There is no need to do so, as your responses will be e-
mailed to me immediately when you click "Submit."
Submit Reset
129
APPENDIX II
Below is a copy of the text from the first round of postcard solicitations that was
Dear Colleague,
I am writing to request your assistance as a participant in a study I am conducting
regarding current trends in alto trombone pedagogy. This research is part of my D.M.A.
Thesis. As a college/university level trombone instructor, your participation and the
information you provide would be invaluable to the study.
In order to make participation as “user-friendly” as possible, I have put the survey
on the web. The questions can be answered quickly and easily—the entire survey can be
complete in 10 minutes. Even if you have never taught alto trombone or even if you do
not play alto trombone yourself, that information is also helpful to me. Your individual
responses will be kept confidential, being reported only in aggregate form. Your name
and institutional affiliation will not be reported in any way.
In return for completing the survey, you may request a copy of the final results of
the study. Please go to the website listed below and take a few minutes to respond to this
survey; your assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Doug Warner
D.M.A. Candidate, The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
The survey may be found at: http://faculty.leeu.edu/~dwarner/survey.htm
A follow up mailing was sent out to those who had not responded after the first
round of solicitations. The text of the follow up postcard invitations appears below.
130
Dear Colleague,
I’m writing as a follow-up to the postcard I sent you a few weeks ago regarding
my DMA research on teaching the alto trombone. I know this is a very busy time of year
for those of us in the university teaching profession, and I’m sure that you probably
intended to participate in the study, but have simply not had the time. Would you please
consider taking a few minutes now to complete my survey?
The information you provide (even if you have only “dabbled in” the fields of alto
trombone performance and pedagogy) is extremely valuable to my research. Even if you
have never touched an alto trombone, that information is also helpful to me. Your
individual responses will be kept confidential, being reported only in aggregate form.
Your name and institutional affiliation will not be reported in any way.
In return for completing the survey, you may request a copy of the final results of
the study. For your convenience, the survey is posted on the web at the address listed
below. Please go to the website and complete the survey by December 6. Your
assistance will be greatly appreciated.
If you have already completed the survey, please disregard this notice.
Sincerely,
Doug Warner
D.M.A. Candidate, The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
The survey may be found at: http://faculty.leeu.edu/~dwarner/survey.htm
131
APPENDIX III
RESPONDENTS’ COMMENTS
The following statements were given by survey respondents who wished to clarify
their answer(s) to the question, “Which published methods for alto trombone have you
132
• “adapted standard trombone literature (started with a little Arban ‘up a fourth’ to
get my orientation on the instrument), orchestral literature”
• “Excerpts, Mozart, Brahms, etc., just beginning to play alto…I am a Bass
Trombonist/Tenor trombonist”
• “None, I just practiced alto trombone repertoire”
• “Worked only on Solo Lit”
Pedagogical approaches other than the use of published alto trombone methods
The following statements were given by survey respondents who stated that they
used no published alto trombone methods in their teaching of the instrument. They were
asked to briefly describe how they approached the alto trombone pedagogically.
• “Most of my approach uses the study of solo literature, some excerpts, and use of
various tenor trombone etudes (Arban’s, Bordogni, Kahila) both transposed and
non-transposed. Also use of Phil Collins’ “In the Singing Style” for familiarity
with transposition.”
• “Wagenseil, Excerpts, Scales, Rochuts in different clefs, Arbans, etc…”
• “Wagenseil”
• “I used the Wagenseil concerto and some simple Biber sonatas.”
• “I have only worked with one adult (not a college student). He had two books, but
I must admit I do not remember the names.”
• “I use alto clef studies or solos, and have the student learn new positions.”
• “I generally start with the Wagenseil Concerto and simple orchestra passages &
duets (for intonation). The listed methods did not exist when I was student; my
teaching mirrors my own experience. I have not examined the listed methods.”
• “Standard etudes, e.g., Rochut, Kopprasch, Arban, played as is and up a fourth;
standard alto trb. excerpts.”
• “Slow Scales, Orchestral Excerpts, Solo Material”
• “I go over the harmonic series of the instrument, and then tell the student to play
long tones with a tuner so they can see, hear, and feel where the notes are on the
instrument. Then I tell them to figure out their scales, and then begin with easier
orchestral repertoire.”
• “I begin the student on the alto literature…Wagenseil, Albinoni Oboe Concertos,
Albrechtsberger, Orchestral excerpts…I have transcribed 7 Albinoni concertos
and three double concertos.”
• “I teach the alto by working first with scales and arpeggios. Then onto tenor
trombone literature to get playing the instrument underway. Then go to playing
solos. I don’t relegate the alto to being played ONLY in alto clef.”
133
• “taking simple etude books and changing the clef, and otherwise utilizing vocal
literature. Most of the (brief) time my students have spent with alto trombone is
scalar and arpeggio oriented.”
• “I teach alto clef playing through Fink and Maxted, as well as excerpts”
• “I simply have the students learn solos and orchestral materials. They seem very
quick to pick it up. Then we study intonation and sound production peculiar to the
alto.”
• “I use Rochut, Kopprasch—same as tenor”
• “scale patterns”
• “Begin with scales, lip slurs, etc.; to exercises in various clefs; to solo literature.
Excerpts have played a smaller role in teaching.”
• “Scales, arpeggios, simple sight reading in all clefs, and preparation of orchestral
and recital works.”
• “The first stage is to play everything as normal as though on a tenor, no reading.
First reading is in treble clef in E-flat, as though in B-flat.”
• “Student learns the harmonic series and plays Rochut type etudes to get used to
the positions/intonation. From there, it is just a matter of remembering the
positions and playing.”
• “solos and excerpts only”
• “I have taught the alto only briefly and have been using scales and arpeggios. I
ask students to transpose (using Finale) some Arban and Rochut exercises to
registers appropriate for alto.”
• “Arban’s for lip trills, Remington for slurs”
• “My answer is not exactly ‘none,’ although what I have used is not specifically
for Alto Trombone. In my experience, the students needed to learn Alto Clef
simultaneously, so I used Fink’s Introducing the Alto Clef and approached it as if
the student were a 6th grade beginner learning to read and play at the same time.”
• “Playing familiar music—both tunes and methods”
• “Also, Fink Introducing the Alto Clef”
• “Use Bordogni—read in alto”
• “Scales study”
• “Bordogni etudes”
• “Coached student on Wagenseil.”
• “Use Bordogni—transposing for B.C.”
• “Scales, arpeggios, simple tunes, Herring in Clefs”
• “I use simple rep. in ‘bass’ clef on alto, warm-ups all to help emphasize the
‘sameness’ then the alto material”
• “hymns, Smart Music, viola etudes
• “Fink Alto Clef Book and have the student write out a position chart.”
• “excerpts and solos—Have student figure out positions chart or play tunes by ear”
• “I begin with non-transposed tenor materials (i.e., sounds up a fourth) such as
Rochut Etudes and scales to develop tone/pitch. After those skills are secure, I
move to orchestral excerpts and trombone quartets and solos.”
• “I am not familiar with any of these methods. When I started to learn the alto,
there were no methods available.”
134
• “I don’t have a systematic way of teaching the instrument. I generally suggest that
the student learn one key at a time starting with Eb, F, Bb and adding new notes
with the new keys. Practicing with a pitch drone, doing scales and arpeggios help
develop pitch awareness.”
• “Scales, arpeggios, solos”
• “I have introduced students to the instrument using easy etude books (Arban,
Rochut) and moved directly to a solo work or an orchestral piece that the student
is to perform.”
• “I wrote out an Eb Harmonic series chart with tuning adjusted (equal
temperament) positions. I had the student write out flashcards with each note and
all available positions. We drilled them together.”
• “Rochut etudes, Pares Scales Book, Other scale exercises, Some orchestral
excerpts”
• “I typically use a standard tenor trombone method, such as Rochut, Melodious
Etudes, book 1. This lets the student work with familiar etudes in bass clef (i.e.,
pitch sounding a fourth higher), allowing him/her to deal more easily with pitch
issues and learning the shorter slide positions.”
• “I use scales and arpeggios to learn the instrument. Also, the Fink, Introducing the
Alto Clef, for easy, mostly diatonic etudes. After that, begin to learn excerpts and
solos.”
• “I teach the alto trombone by the overtone series and finding the embouchure that
gives the maximum resonance to the instrument.”
• “Chipurn told me to learn alto in all clefs in order to play the instrument on all the
rep. required: Mozart mass, Schubert C Major is now in tenor clef, etc.”
• “no specific published methods. encourage any literature in alto range – especially
vocal music. Form concept of alto voice and roles (also non-vocal) and adapt
literature accordingly.”
• “Learning chromatic and major scales on alto to understand the relationship
between tenor and alto. Use actual orchestral and trombone choir music for
study.”
• “Though my students are taught alto clef, along with the other clefs, it is more for
the functional understanding and orchestral excerpt preparation”
• “I have not approached it at all yet, but would if I had a performance major (and if
we had an orchestra at the school that would play this rep.)”
• “Rochut, Orchestral Parts and Solos, Scales”
• “used the part that they were studying to perform”
• “I use the Bordogni vocalises to familiarize the students with the new positions.”
135
Use of orchestral excerpts in the teaching of alto trombone
specify.)” space in the question, “What alto trombone orchestral excerpts do you include
in your teaching?”
• “We usually just do excerpts on tenor even if it’s actually an alto part”
• “I do not advocate the use of alto trombone on orchestral auditions.”
• “In today’s world, most anything written in alto clef seems to be fair game.”
• “I have included the study of the alto trombone as an adjunct for students after
they’ve completed their senior recitals. I have them play a variety of music to get
a feel for the instrument. The point is not to create alto trombone performers,
rather trombone students who have some awareness of what the instrument is
like.”
• “I have only taught the very basics of introducing the instrument to students; at
this point, that has not included the use of orchestral excerpts.”
• “Have not taught excerpts with Alto trombone students.”
• “As I have not taught any student to play the alto, I have not used these
pedagogically. However, I personally have performed all of these on the alto at
one time or another.”
• “Again, no system, just as needed.”
• “I have a bit of a haphazard approach to the orchestral repertoire, but think the
three excerpts marked above86 cover the skills necessary. I will work on
additional excerpts as needed by the student.”
• “Although I performed all of the above and many others many time professionally
on alto, I am not a proponent of the ‘alto trombone by default in specified
literature’ in orchestral settings. Further elaboration beyond the context of your
survey would be necessary.”
• “Not had a chance to get to excerpts on alto with students yet”
Reasons for choice of most appropriate first orchestral excerpt for the alto
trombone student
choices for the most appropriate first orchestral excerpt for the alto trombone student.
86
The respondent marked Beethoven: Symphony no. 5, Mozart: Requiem, and Schumann: Symphony no. 3.
136
Schumann: Symphony no. 3
• “Schumann and the Brahms chorales because they are slow, they require control,
range and good intonation. The more technical excerpts can follow.”
• “The work is slow, can be played in section for intonation and balance, is very
important in the repertoire.”
• “It is slow and starts in the middle register.”
• “E-flat major”
• “this passage needs the timbre and security of the alto plus it is not technical”
• “not too hard or too long”
• “This excerpt lies so well on the instrument because of the friendly key. Also, I
believe it is so important for trombonists to be comfortable playing Schumann 3
on either tenor or alto trombone; this excerpt, therefore, can be a helpful tool for
contrasting the demands of the two instruments. This can help a student to learn
how to ‘blow’ the alto in comparison to the tenor.”
• “Not sure why. Slow enough to think, and short enough to survive.”
• “Appropriate solo in terms of range. Lyric, also works other things (soft
dynamics, for example)”
• “Range, appropriate sound”
• “Popularity”
• “Style”
• “Though chromatic, it sticks close to the tonal ‘home base’ of the instrument. It is
slow and lyrical, giving the student an opportunity to focus on sound and
intonation as primary concerns.”
• “Importance on auditions”
• “It’s short and it gives a feel for the intervals involved due to the slow tempo, as
well as showing how the alto is a welcomed relief in the most dreaded excerpt.”
• “The finesse needed to play high E-flat at a soft dynamic level is better achieved
with alto. As with Beethoven, playing smaller trombones creates the lighter sound
appropriate to this symphony.”
• “lots of first position”
• “Key (Eb)/tempo”
• “Good key, slow”
• “Key and easy technically”
• “Slow and lyrical—good for intonation”
• “It is such a standard excerpt. The others you list are not as standard. The
Schumann fits well into the range expected on the Alto Trombone.”
• “Schumann 3 is much more difficult pitch-wise but so good for slurring.”
137
• “Since Beethoven 5 is the first independent trombone part in a symphony, I think
I would start there for historical purposes, although the Mozart is significant, but
in a different genre (one that sackbuts would be familiar with – choral music)”
• “It’s short enough and repetitive enough to learn a piece while being introduced to
the instrument.”
• “Beethoven 5 doesn’t go THAT high and it is easy to hear pitch and also work on
articulation.”
• “Most standard”
• “Simple, open intervals”
• “Because of the simple harmonic progression.”
• “Beethoven because of the technical simplicity of the part – a logical first step.”
• “Popularity”
• “It is not technically difficult”
• “not too taxing; easy to ‘hear’ intervals, very predictable”
• “Gain an understanding of the proper tone quality and technique”
• “The sound quality needed for music from this time period is more appropriate on
the alto and the extremes in range will be more successful with the alto trombone”
• “This excerpt does not require much slide technique.”
138
• “I prefer the edition (the editor’s name fails me at the moment) in which the
trombones double the chorus. The part is more demanding for the alto, but also
more melodic, and is a good introduction to the most common usage of the alto in
orchestral literature, which is as a doubling instrument.”
• “fairly easy, very tonal”
• “The timbre best matches the choir altos and is a separate tone color from the
tenor and bass parts.”
• “This is not a definite answer. It varies, depending on the student.”
• “This excerpt is never asked for in an audition, but I believe it to be the most
appropriate for alto trombone.”
Brahms: Symphonies
• “The work is slow, can be played in section for intonation and balance, is very
important in the repertoire.”
• “Idiomatic writing, minimal technical demands (i.e, slide/articulation) , music
context”
• “Range is most accessible.”
• “Least technically challenging.”
• “Gives them a chance to interact with section, hear their part, react, and adjust
intonation as they go; some of the other pieces are too ‘hit and miss’ or too high”
• “Schumann and the Brahms chorales because they are slow, they require control,
range and good intonation. The more technical excerpts can follow.”
• “Schumann and the Brahms chorales because they are slow, they require control,
range and good intonation. The more technical excerpts can follow.”
• “Because of how well it is written for the instrument and because it is not overly
high”
• “personal preference”
• “Played more often and conductors usually want alto now on Beethoven”
• “Simple, open intervals”
• “Gain an understanding of the proper tone quality and technique”
• “The sound quality needed for music from this time period is more appropriate on
the alto and the extremes in range will be more successful with the alto trombone”
• “‘O Isis und Osiris’ Aria (No. 10) is very lyrical, in a comfortable range, and
somewhat idiomatic. If not this piece, then I might use some of the other
Schumann symphonies (Nos. 1, 2, or 4) for similar reasons.”
139
• “It is melodic, the writing is not too high and the student can use the section
sound to maintain a model.”
• “Broad mix of both chorale and technical playing; lower tessitura in several
movements allows student to focus on learning the ins and outs of the instrument
and intonation.”
• “It is a tuneful, not terribly high chorale, capable of being played quickly, and
with a section”
• “It has the same chord pattern as Brahms II, but easier to hear.”
• “It has a bit more sustained playing, allowing the student to grasp continuity more
easily, and the keys are easier.”
140
Other comments regarding appropriate first excerpts
specify.)” or in the “Why?” space in the question, “What, in your opinion, is the most
• “We are mainly a music ed. school. Sometimes I have an interested student ‘get
their feet wet’ by playing the Wagenseil Concerto, but we don’t focus on
Orchestral Alto Trombone playing. None of my students have ever had that as a
career goal.”
• “Student not that advanced”
• “Any of the above. I would have a student work from methods and exercises first,
then when one has footing on the instrument, practice any and all of the excerpts
above.”
• “PS Berlioz asks that the part not be played on alto in the score”
• “I’ll leave this blank since I do not utilize alto trombone excerpts in my studio at
this time. No student has reached the level of proficiency to work on alto
trombone excerpts.”
• “No particular 1st excerpt”
• “Depends on the student”
• “Note: In my studio, I don’t teach alto trombone to every student since the school
doesn’t own one. Therefore, I’m not as familiar with the method books as I should
be. For that reason I will not be completing the reviews at the bottom of your
survey. My apologies.”
specify.)” space in the question, “What alto trombone solo literature do you include in
your teaching?”
141
desire to perform a specific piece. All of the works I teach require a very
advanced player!)”
• “never gotten any further with a student.”87
• “Any of these – (also encourage them to be played on tenor) – and many
transcriptions.”
• “TONS of horn music-Mozart concertos, Haydn concertos, Strauss concertos,
Schumann pieces, anything that fits the range.”
Reasons for choice of most appropriate first solo for the alto trombone student
choices for the most appropriate first solo for the alto trombone student.
87
The respondent had listed the Albrechtsberger Concerto and the Wagenseil Concerto.
88
This respondent chose both the Wagenseil Concerto and the Albinoni Concerto as appropriate first
pieces.
142
• “relatively easy, not too stinking high”
• “tradition”
• “Range and endurance are not as demanding”
• “Most practical as it can be done on tenor as well.”
• “Appropriate key, easy tessitura”
• “This is the easiest piece to play first”
• “The solo is in the key of Eb and is not a technical challenge. It provides the
student the opportunity to make music and learn intonation in equal
temperament.”
• “Key, it lays well for the horn, good intro to tuning the instrument easiest of the
major works”
• “Not too high and easy to hear.”
• “In my judgment it is the most accessible work for a player new to the
instrument.”
• “Very approachable technically and musically”
• “It’s in E-flat, nice range, works well.”
• “key”
• “Either one,89 depending on student’s interest.”
• “Key; simplicity”
• “ease”
• “Accessibility”
• “Good key and range”
• “Easier register demands”
• “Range”
• “Most easily learned for 1st piece and important to literature”
• “Lies well – easy to hear”
• “Range”
• “Key and relatively easy technically”
• “Students have played it on tenor.”
• “Easy key and not too demanding”
• “First movement is relatively simple to learn (key, range are good for the alto)”
• “Most approachable from the point of view of range and style. I like the
Albrechtsberger equally well.”
• “This solo is in E-flat Major and lies well for the instrument.”
• “timbre”
• “The pitch, range, and technical demands seem easier on the Wagenseil, making it
an appropriate ‘first’ solo.”
• “Key and tessitura”
• “Ease of execution, reasonable range”
• “it’s easy on the ear.”
• “Easier than the others listed. Tonality also well suited to alto.”
• “Style, range”
89
This respondent chose both the Wagenseil Concerto and the Albrechtsberger Concerto as appropriate
first pieces.
143
• “It has proven to be a good ‘starting’ piece for alto trombone students. It is not
terribly technically challenging, while providing the alto sound in the upper
register.”
• “Easier to master. Very little technically difficult sections. Makes for a good first
solo presentation.”
• “Technical and Range Demands.”
• “personal preference”
• “tradition”
• “It is musically interesting, and not unduly tiring.”
• “Range, easy construction”
• “Again – it is not technically difficult and the key is ‘very’ friendly.”
• “Either one,90 depending on student’s interest.”
• “It’s simply the one with which I am most familiar.”
• “familiarity”
• “It’s understandable, and moves in predictable sequences.”
• “Much simpler than the ‘standard’ works, yet sounds good. Easier in terms of
technique, ornamentation, and pitch.”
• “It is relatively easy, in E-flat”
• “Eb is a better key than the other. It lays much better on the horn for young
students”
• “It is idiomatic with a moderate tessitura. Music is of decent quality, and it is
easily prepared for recital purposes.”
• “I know it best.”
• “I select the Mozart because it is the only piece that I am personally familiar
with…others may be more appropriate, but this is what I have used.”
90
This respondent chose both the Albrechtsberger Concerto and the Wagenseil Concerto as appropriate
first pieces.
144
Albinoni: Concerto in B-flat
• “These pieces91 allow the student to become familiar with the instrument’s ‘Home
keys’ (E-flat, B-flat), thus facilitating assimilation of basic slide positions and
intonation tendencies.”
• “Range/tech.”
specify.)” or in the “Why?” space in the question, “What, in your opinion, is the most
• “Again, I’ll leave this blank since I don’t utilize any of the alto trombone’s
literature”
• “Undecided. Wagenseil or Albrechtsberger probably.”
• “Don’t have a big preference—as long as it interests the student”
• “something medium range and in a simple key”
• “Starting without the added issues of difficult keys or particularly high range
makes the chance of success much higher.”
• “Just a note: I had to beg my dept. chair for 4 years before he would buy me an
alto trombone. I think it is important to have around, but honestly we won’t use it
a ton.”
• “I would like to comment here. We don’t need another alto92 but if we did I would
ask for a Conn with the Bb attachment. That seems to be the instrument of choice
91
This respondent chose both the Albinoni Concerto and the Wagenseil Concerto as appropriate first
pieces.
92
The respondent’s school owns a Yamaha alto trombone.
145
right now. I would use the trigger to access better lip trills, not as to play regular
notes.”
• “2 of them93; don’t know if I’d make the same choice again”
Comments regarding the appropriate level of study for alto trombone to first be
taught
93
The respondent’s school owns two Yamaha alto trombones.
146
• “Depending on the goals of the student, undergrad or masters”
mouthpiece.
147
• “Although – it depends on the student and the mouthpiece.94 Some students can
change rims sizes between tenor and alto more easily than others. I recommend
Elliott due to the ease in changing parts.”
• “12C or whatever is comfortable. Should suit the instrument”
• “depends on their tenor mouthpiece”
• “Start with Bach 12C or Schilke 47 and then experiment like crazy.”
• “Whatever sounds/feels good.”
• “Eventually this can change—depends on player”
• “Elliot 100rim/c or d cup”
• “It would depend on the individual”
• “For some students yes. For some no.95 Elliot C cup and rim to fit particular
student”
• “I like a shallow 7C—I use w/my own rim from a Symphony T-Giardinelli”
• “I like the Slokar”
• “Whatever they use on small-bore trombone”
• “Elliot, Greg Black”
• “Equivalent to a 6½ AL rim”
• “Whatever works”
• “I personally use the same mouthpiece for both tenor and alto (with appropriate
shank), but as with shoes, I try to suggest mouthpiece sizes to fit the individual,
not some anticipated “standard.”
• “Whatever works.”
• “ideally, the mouthpieces rims should be similar. I like the Black 5.”
• “Bach 9 or something between a Bach 12 and a Bach 7. I do not like the sound of
a big mouthpiece on an alto, and try to convince my students to use a small
mouthpiece.”
• “Black, Elliot”
• “Bach”
• “No larger than Bach 6½”
• “The one that comes with the horn”
• “don’t know”
• “One that fits instrument, enables clarity of tone and good intonation.”
• “Bach 11C/12C with 5G rim (see Stork soon)”
• “varies”
• “not sure”
• “While not quite sure what you asked about here, certain brass players are more
sensitive to rims than others – for those students I’d recommend an identical rim”
• “Bach 7C or custom Doug Elliott”
• “depends on the needs of the student”
94
The respondent had selected, “Yes” to the previous question, agreeing that it is important for a student to
play a mouthpiece whose rim is identical to that of his/her tenor trombone mouthpiece.
95
The respondent was referring to the appropriate answer to the question regarding the importance of a
student keeping the same rim from tenor to alto.
148
• “Doug Elliot”
149
APPENDIX IV
The data collected from the non-respondents who were contacted by phone (See
Are you employed full time or part time by the institution at which you teach?
Yes: 5 No: 1
Yes: 2 No: 3
At what point in your career did you begin playing alto trombone?
Which published methods for alto trombone have you used in your own study of the
instrument?
150
Have you ever taught alto trombone to a student?
Yes: 5 No: 1
Which published methods for alto trombone have you used in your teaching?
Others
Berg: Three Orchestra Pieces 2
Schubert: Masses
Schubert: Symphonies 2
Brahms: All music
Mozart: Masses 2
Schumann: Symphony no. 2
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
Mendelssohn: Ruy Blas Overture
Haydn: The Creation
Schumann: Symphonies
Beethoven: Symphony no. 6
Monteverdi: Vespers and Orfeo
Mozart: The Magic Flute, K.620
Haydn: The Seven Last Words
What, in your opinion, is the most appropriate first orchestral excerpt for the alto
trombone student? Why?
151
Brahms: Symphony no. 1, Mozart: The Magic Flute, works by Schubert or
Schumann – “Not too many high notes”
Schumann: Symphony no. 3 – “It’s pretty easy—then, after that, whatever they
want to do.”
Others
Albinoni: Concerto in B-flat major
Besozzi: Sonata in C major
Boismortier: Sonata in C major
Ewazen: Sonata for Alto Trombone 2
Finger: Sonata in E-flat major
George: Sonata
Handel: Concerto in F minor
Hidas: Baroque Concerto
Hindemith: Sonata for Alto Horn and Piano
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words
Music for alto trombone and voice (Hapsburg Empire)
Music for alto trombone and voice (Zianni and Tuma)
Transcriptions of opera arias
What, in your opinion, is the most appropriate first solo for the alto trombone
student?
152
Does your school own an alto trombone?
Yes: 3 No: 3
Yes: 2 No: 1
Yes: 3 No: 0
Have you requested that your school or department purchase an alto trombone?
Yes: 1 No: 2
If you could have an alto trombone purchased by your school, what brand would
you have them purchase?
Conn: 2 Edwards: 1
Does the orchestra at your school regularly perform works for which the alto
trombone could be used effectively?
Yes: 4 No: 2
At what level of study do you think the alto trombone should first be taught?
Others
Beginner – “It’s a lighter instrument, and they can reach all the positions.”
“Depends on the level of the student.”
Do you believe that it is important for the alto trombone student to play a
mouthpiece whose rim is identical to that of his/her tenor trombone mouthpiece?
Yes: 2 No: 2
153
Comments
• “Give the student a choice—whatever works.”
• “An individual choice”
• “Yes, ideally, but you must consider control and pitch.”
• “Depends on the student”
Only half of the respondents rated any of the methods, and no method was rated by more
than two respondents. No one rated the Parow method. With only one or two respondents
rating any one method, comparison of the data with that of the large study would be of
little value statistically.
154