The crumhorn
Atlas (1998:371) writes that it was likely that the crumhorn
is a J- shaped double-reed instrument developed in Germany towards end of the 15th
century. The reeds are covered with a
slotted reed-cap into which to player blew to create sound. The crumhorn would have been made in a
variety of sizes directly affecting its register, but was most likely found in
a combination of three; bass, alto-tenor and descant. Traditional Music in the
Time of Vermeer [online] (n.d.), write that:
“Crumhorns produce a
range in tone from a gentle, somewhat nasal humming to a rich, resonant buzzing.
Due to their limited range, music for crumhorns is usually played by a group of
instruments of different sizes and hence at different pitches. Such a group is
known as a consort of crumhorns.”
The website details a long history of the crumhorn, suggesting
that its earliest appearance was at the court of Albrech Achilles of
Ansbach. In addition, Michael
Praetorius’ Syntahma Musicum (1615-1620), a key text for the crumhorn player,
suggests that the ideal configuration for the crumhorn is within an ensemble of
nine, featuring one exilent (small descant), two descants, three tenor-altos,
two basses and one great bass. However, Traditional Music in the Time
of Vermeer [online] (n.d.) argues that this large range of instruments would
not have been universally available, and therefore the crumhorn was more
commonly found in smaller groups of four.
Bernard Thomas (1974:151-156) writes that for players of the
oboe or bassoon, playing the crumhorn would be relatively similar. However, the recorder player would have
experienced a variety of issues including difficulty in producing ‘clean’
notes, lack of breath pressure and the fatigue of the lips after long periods
of playing. I presume that this
difficulty comes from the recorder player being familiar with the feel of a
reed instrument.
Despite much research, I found it relatively difficult to
find information on composers using the crumhorn. However, Johann Hermann Schein’s Padouana fur
4 Krummhorner (1617) was composed for a quartet of crumhorn and gives a good
insight into the how four crumhorns can be used to create a sense of texture,
despite their limited range individually.
In addition, Thomas Stoltzer’s Erzurne Dich Nicht (1526), a six part
setting of Psalm 37, is thought to be another significant piece for the
instrument. My thoughts on these pieces
can be found in my listening log.
The lute
O’Rourke-Jones & Summers (2013:63-65) detail the long
history of the lute, dating back to 2nd century China, where it was
know as the pippa. It appears that the instrument underwent
a huge number of changes between its earliest appearance and the Baroque
era. Some of these changes include the
addition of courses (pairs of strings), the lengthening of the neck to create a
bass instrument and the favouring of ‘finger plucking’ as opposed to the
traditional use of a plectrum. Burkholder
et al., (2010:267) suggest that the lute was the most popular household
instrument in the 16th Century.
They describe the instrument as:
“The standard lute was
pear-shaped, with a rounded back, flat fingerboard and pegbox turned back at a
right angle. It had one single and five
double strings, usually tuned G-c-f-a-d’-g’, which where plucked with the
fingers”
The text continues to detail how skilled players could
produce a great variety of effects including runs, melodies and
counterpoint. Lutes would be used as
accompaniments, solo performances and as a part of an ensemble.
From 1400 - 1700 there are a huge number of composers who featured
the lute within their compositions. Musicians
such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, the Galeli and Dowland families
and Francesco Spinacino, to name but a few, have all used the instrument in a
variety of different ways to reflect the mood and movement of their music. Details on my thoughts about pieces composed
for the lute are available on my listening log.
The sackbut
The sackbut provides one of the earliest examples of the
modern trombone. Built with a bore, bell
and telescopic slider to change the pitch of the instrument, the sackbut bears
resemblance to many other Renaissance instruments in that it was crafted in a
number of sizes (alto, tenor, bass and double bass).
Fischer (1984) gives a description of the Renaissance
sackbut, based on the few remaining examples of a tenor instrument. He details the craft in the construction of
the instrument, noting the technique of ‘beating’ the metal to its desired
thickness as opposed to today’s method of rolling. He also writes about the pitch range of the
instrument and includes many diagrams and images of the original
instrument.
Giovanni Martino Cesare’s La Hieronyma (1621), from
his collection Musicali Melodie per voci
et instrument a una, due, tre, Quattro, cinque, e sei, is thought to be one
of the earliest compositions for accompanied solo sackbut. However, it is its use in chamber music in
the 17th century that saw composers such as Massaino, Cima and
Castello beginning to feature the tones of the sackbut. In the 18th century, major
composers such as Bach and Handel used the sackbut in church cantatas and
oratorios, possibly to reflect the tones of the preceding Renaissance
period.
As my research on this instrument progressed I found
multiple references to sacred, theatre and court music as well as references to
its use across the world.
This versatility, teamed with the relatively few
alternations that form our current trombone, leads me to believe that the
sackbut has been an integral part of the development of the brass section and
the modern orchestra itself. My
reflections on pieces featuring the sackbut can be found in my listening log.
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