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Sackbut
| Sackbut is the name given to the
Renaissance trombone. This literally means 'push-pull'.
It is uncertain when the sackbut first appeared but by 1500 it is
mentioned often and there were lots of pictures of this
instrument. Detailed information about the instrument is given
by Praetorius, who also pictures four principal sizes: the alto,
tenor, bass, and great bass |
| The Tenor Sackbut is the most useful
size and it is the instrument that has evolved into the modern tenor
trombone. In the early seventeenth century the sackbut was
considered an instrument of the virtuoso performer. |
| For outdoor music the top part of a
sackbut ensemble was usually taken by a shawm, and for church music,
by a cornett. The sackbut player should imitate the sound of the
cornett, not the trumpet. Thus today's marching band trombone blasts
have no place in the performance of early music. In spite of the
instrument's wide range of dynamic and chromatic compass, and its
ability to be played "in tune" (by slide adjustment), the
sackbut did not become a regular member of the orchestra until the
early nineteenth century. |
Last updated 17 September 2000
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