The Cambridge Companion to Brass Instruments

An invaluable overview of the history, technical and musical development of brass instruments.

Trevor Herbert (Edited by), John Wallace (Edited by)

9780521565226, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 October 1997

364 pages, 42 b/w illus. 6 tables 23 music examples
24.6 x 17.6 x 2.1 cm, 0.619 kg

'This book is quite simply the most important on the subject since anthony Baines' classic Brass Instruments: their history and development appeared a generation ago … infectious in its enthusiasm, comprehensible to a layman, and entirely absorbing.' John Humphries, Brass Bulletin

This Companion covers 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. Despite the breadth of its narrative, the book is rich in detail, with an extensive glossary and bibliography. The editors are two of the most respected names in the world of brass performance and scholarship, and the list of contributors includes the names of many of the world's most prestigious scholars and performers on brass instruments.

List of illustrations
Notes on the contributors
Preface
Acknowledgements
Nomenclatures
Introduction Trevor Herbert and John Wallace
1. Lip-vibrated instruments of the ancient and non-western world Margaret Sarkissian
2. How brass instruments work Arnold Myers
3. Design, technology and manufacture before 1800 Robert Barclay
4. Brass instruments in art music in the Middle Ages Keith Polk
5. The cornett Bruce Dickey
6. 'Sackbut': the early trombone Trevor Herbert
7. The trumpet before 1800 Edward H. Tarr
8. The horn in the Baroque and Classical periods Thomas Hiebert
9. Design, technology and manufacture since 1800 Arnold Myers
10. Keyed brass Ralph T. Dudgeon
11. The low brass Clifford Bevan
12. Brass in the modern orchestra Simon Wills
13. Brass bands and other vernacular brass traditions Trevor Herbert
14. Playing, learning and teaching brass Ralph T. Dudgeon, Phillip Eastop, Trevor Herbert and John Wallace
15. The post-classical horn Robert Evans
16. Jazz, improvisation and brass Roger T. Dean
17. Brass solo and chamber music from 1800 John Wallace
18. Frontiers or byways? Brass instruments in avant-garde music Simon Wills
Glossary
Notes
Select bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Wind instruments [AVRN]