TromboneChat

I haven't done any poking around online yet regarding this subject but I thought the vast amount of experience on this forum would be a quicker path to what I'm looking for.

What are some really good books/reads regarding the manufacturing history of brass instruments or trombones in particular? I'm not looking for performance history like the 'who's who' of famous brass musicians but more specifically manufacturing techniques, build quality, design or even metallurgy regarding brass instruments. I'm hoping someone can recommend material that has been read already.

Thanks for any help,
Robert

The classic work in the tuba world (though now out of date regarding developments after its 1989 publication) is Donald Stauffer's "A Treatise on the Tuba" (https://books.google.com/books/about/A_ ... MwAAAAMAAJ). A bit hard to get your hands on.

Some of the stuff you are looking for may be very difficult to find.

Anthony Baines wrote a nice treatise on brass instruments.

David Guion wrote a history of trombones.

Lots of good information in the Historic Brass Journal. Mixture of design and performance practice.

Probably more.

Look at the writings of Herbert Heyde (books, articles, also catalogues of museums' brass instrument collections), he is pretty much the most reknowned specialist of brass instrument organology.

Also a recent book for the early days of the trombone : Hannes VEREECKE, The Sixteenth-Century Trombone: Dimensions, Materials and Techniques.

Recent dissertation by Tim Dowling ("Searching for Sattler") on the construction and playing characteristics of 19th century German trombones.

Peel through every HBSJ issue to find relevant articles, and then their bibliography will direct you to more sources as well.

Keep a copy of the Langwill Index at hand.

Originally recommended to me by Tim Dowling:
http://mfm.uni-leipzig.de/dt/shop/produ ... 7_10-2.php

Unluckily it's written in German, but gives very interesting history, some technical details etc. on the development of the German trombone.

In Germany, brass music instrument makers take vocational training for a couple of years as Lehrling after which they become Geselle and then eventually Meister (after a special examination). Vocational training is partly practical (you learn from a Meister) and partly theoretical (you got to trade school). In school, the textbook is

Bahnert, Herzberg, Schramm, Metallblasinstrumente, Fachbuchverlag Leipzig 1958

It describes in detail how to make all kinds of brass instruments with detailed plans and measurements. It is out of print but you can find from time to time copies second hand. Make sure the second copy has the loose folded plans in the back.

Another good book about the history of wind instruments (including lots of brass) in Germany is

Weller, Der Blasinstrumentenbau im Vogtland von den Anfaengen bis zum Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts, Dissertation Chemnitz, published by the Verein der Freunde und Foerderer des Musikinstrumenten-Museums Markneukirchen e.V., Geiger-Verlag, 2004.

It contains a comprehensive list and descriptions of various workshops that made brass instruments in the Vogtland, Germany main region for music instruments.

Don't forget to check the 'Historic Brass Society Journal,' of the Historic Brass Society https://www.historicbrass.org/. Lots of interesting articles on early brass instrument design and construction (not to mention pedagogy and brass music).