Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/198

182 the third it is drawn to its full extent or 5 inches. In the upper part of the scale above treble C all the natural harmonics are consecutive, and the slide is not required for producing intervals of a whole tone. It is in constant use in this part of the register for the production of chromatic intervals involving the notes  The semitones do not become consecutive as open notes until above C in alt;   but such a compass is practically unattainable. It will be seen from the table that this consecutive series really begins a tone lower, with B♭. But as this is the well-known harmonic seventh not used in music, it is commonly replaced by the C depressed a tone with the whole length of the slide drawn out.

A number of alternative notes are given in good instruction books, such as that already quoted, by which, on the same principle, other notes may be tempered to suit the harmony, and Mr. Harper very judiciously sums up his directions by saying: 'It will therefore be seen that the required length of slide for certain notes varies with each change of crook, consequently when it is necessaiy to extend the slide, the ear must assist the fingers.' This fact has already been noted in regard to the Trombone, and exists to a certain extent in the Bassoon and Ophicleide. It is quite impossible on the Valve Trumpet.

The mediæval use of the Trumpet is well given in Eichborn's book already named; but somewhat exceeds our present limits. He states however that Henry VIII of England had 14 Trumpeters, one 'Dudelsack* (or bagpipe), and 10 Trombones in his band, and Elizabeth, in 1587, 10 Trumpets and 6 Trombones. Indeed, it is in the 16th century, according to him, that the 'building up of the art of sound' made a great advance. He divides the band of that day, 'the day of Palestrina and of Giovanni Gabrieli' into seven groups, of which group 3, Zinken or Cornets, Quart-Zinken, Krumm-horns, Quint-Zinken, Bass-Zinken and Serpents of the Bugle type, group 6, Trumpets, 'Klarinen,' and 'Principal or Field-Trumpets,' with group 7, the Trombones, from soprano to bass, most concern us.

At this period falls in Baltazarini's picture, named before, of the marriage of Margaret of Lorraine with the Duke of Joyeuse, of which we have the music as well as the pictorial representation. Claudio Monteverde, about 1610, has 1 Clarino, 3 Trombe and 4 Tromboni, in his orchestra; and Benevoli in a mass at Salzburg Cathedral in 1628 has 'Klarinen, Trompeten, Posaunen'; Prætorius in 1620, already quoted under (p. 176) waxes enthusiastic, and says 'Trummet ist ein herrlich Instrument, wenn em gute Meister, der es wohl und künstlich zwingen kann, daruber kömmt.'

About this time began the curious distinction into Clarini and Principale which is found in Handel's scores, and especially in the Dettingen Te Deum. The Principale was obviously a large-bored bold-toned instrument resembling our modern Trumpet. It was apparently of 8-foot tone as now used. To the Clarino I and II of the score were allotted florid, but less fundamental passages, chiefly in the octave above those of the Principale. They were probably of smaller bore, and entirely subordinate to the 'herrlich' Principale, both in subject and in dominance of tone. A like arrangement for three Trumpets occurs in J. S. Bach's Choralgesang 'Lobe den Herrn,' though the Principale is not definitely named. The mode of scoring is an exact parallel to that for the three Trombones. A good example of it also occurs in Haydn's Imperial Mass, where, besides the 1st and 2nd Trumpets, there is a completely independent 3rd part of Principale character.

Beethoven's use of the Trumpet is in strong contrast to his use of the Horn. The Horn he delights to honour (and tease), the Trumpet he seldom employs except as a tutti instrument, for reinforcing, or marking rhythms. He takes it so high as to produce an effect not always agreeable; see the forte in the Allegretto of Symphony No. 7 (bar 75) and in the Allegro assai of the Choral Symphony (Theme of the Finale, bar 73). In the Finale of the 8th Symphony however there is an F♮ prolonged through 17 bars, with masterly ingenuity and very striking effect. An instance of more individual treatment will be found in the Recitative passage in the Agnus of the Mass in D; and the long flourish in the overtures to Leonora, nos. 2 and 3, (in the no. 2 an E♭ Trumpet and in triplets, in the no. 3 a B♭ one and duple figures,) can never be forgotten. But on the whole the Trumpet was not a pet of Beethoven's.

Schubert uses it beautifully in the slow movement of the great Symphony in C as an accompaniment pianissimo to the principal theme.

Mendelssohn wrote a 'Trumpet overture,' but the instrument has no special prominence, and it is probable that the name is merely used as a general term for the Brass.

The only successful attempt to apply valves to this instrument is the 'Univalve Trumpet' of Mr. Bassett, who brought it under the notice of the Musical Association in 1876. It is the ordinary Slide Trumpet, with the addition of a single valve tuned in unison with the open D, or harmonic ninth—in other words, lowering the pitch a minor tone. This valve—worked by the first finger of the left hand, the instrument being held exactly in the usual manner does not injure in the slightest degree the pure tone of the old Trumpet, the bore of the main tube remaining perfectly straight. By the use of this single valve and the slide, it is possible to produce a complete scale, major or minor, with a perfection of intonation only limited by the skill of the player, as it is essentially a slide instrument. The valve not only supplies those notes which