The Cambridge companion to brass instruments

Description

This Companion is the first book to cover so many diverse aspects of brass instruments and in such detail. It provides an overview of the history of brass instruments, and their technical and musical development. Although the greatest part of the volume is devoted to the western art music tradition, with chapters covering topics from the medieval to the contemporary periods, there are important contributions on the ancient world, non-western music, vernacular and popular traditions and the rise of jazz. Within this book are detailed descriptions of the development of individual instruments and the way that composers have written for them. Issues relating to performance practice recur as key considerations throughout this volume. Despite the breadth of its narrative, the Companion is rich in detail, with an extensive glossary and bibliography. Lipvibrated instruments of the ancient and nonwestern world 5 How brass instruments work 19 Design technology and manufacture before 1800 24 Brass instruments in art music in the Middle Ages 38 The cornett 51 Sackbut the early trombone 68 The trumpet before 1800 84 The horn in the Baroque and Classical periods 103 Brass bands and other vernacular brass traditions 177 Playing learning and teaching brass 193 The postclassical horn 207 Jazz improvisation and brass 217 Brass solo and chamber music from 1800 236 Frontiers or byways? Brass instruments in avantgarde music 255 Glossary 273 Notes 285 Design technology and manufacture since 1800 115 Keyed brass 131 The low brass 143 Brass in the modern orchestra 157 Select bibliography 311 Index 327 Copyright