Exposition

Searching for Sattler (2017)

Timothy Dowling (KC)
open exposition

About this exposition

Abstract Name: Timothy Dowling Main Subject: Trombone Research Supervisor: Charles Toet Title of research: “Searching for Sattler; Reproducing a Romantic Trombone”. The history and development of the trombone, particularly in Leipzig, between Beethoven’s Fifth and Schumann’s Rhenish Symphonies, 1808-1851 Research Question: Does the prevailing tendency within the so-called “Historically Informed” performance tradition of performing early nineteenth century German composers’ trombone parts on narrow bore classical( or even baroque) reproduction instruments or modern German trombones truly reflect the performance practice of the trombonists performing in orchestras within the time period of this study? What were the instruments used by the original performers? Who were the builders of these instruments and what were their dimensions? Is it now possible to build a truly idiomatic mid nineteenth century German style trombone based upon traditional techniques that truly reflects the sound world of the early nineteenth century orchestra? Summary of results: After extensively examining in detail the use of trombones in orchestras between 1808 and 1851 in an historical context, I have concluded that the current common practice of performing the trombone parts of the music of mid century German composers such as Mendelssohn and Schumann on the standard reproduction classical trombones of three different sizes and pitches : alto, tenor, and bass, is unlikely to be an accurate representation of the instruments used, particularly in Leipzig, during the time period of Mendelssohn’s directorship of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, where most of this repertoire was first performed. After meeting instrument builders, instrument collectors, and viewing and measuring many instruments in museums and private collections, I have concluded that it is possible and desirable to design and build a set of Romantic reproduction trombones based on models of the Leipzig master instrument builder Christian Friedrich Sattler and his successor Johann Christoph Penzel, that could accurately represent the trombone sound for which Mendelssohn and Schumann wrote. In this study I have made a detailed proposal (within the scope of my expertise) as to how these instruments should be built and it is my fervent hope that in so doing I can add to the understanding and advancement of nineteenth century trombone performance practice among trombonists for both “authentic” performance practitioners and modern symphonic trombonists. Biography: Melbourne-born trombonist Timothy Dowling began his professional career in Australia in 1979, performing in four different Australian orchestras before being appointed to his current position of solo trombonist of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague in 1988. He is also a noted performer on historical instruments, and is a founder member of baroque ensemble In Stil Moderno and is currently principal trombonist with Anima Eterna Bruges. He has been teaching modern trombone at the Royal Conservatoire since 2006.
typeresearch exposition
keywordsTrombone, Christoph Penzel, Christian Friedrich Sattler, instrument building, 19th century, Research by teachers of the Royal Conservatoire
date09/05/2017
published19/07/2017
last modified19/07/2017
statuspublished
share statusshared with registered RC users
affiliationRoyal Conservatoire
licenseAll rights reserved
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/360420/360421
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue1. Master Research Projects


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id name copyright license
360436 220px-TheateranDerWienJakobAlt - copy None All rights reserved
360438 belcke detail - copy Tim All rights reserved
360440 Belcke's trombone drawing - copy Tim All rights reserved
360445 David Bild Tim via Google All rights reserved
360449 DavidTitelblad_0002 (1) Tim All rights reserved
360455 DSCN1225 Tim All rights reserved
360459 Sattler tenor bell (5) Tim All rights reserved
361035 Penzel 1860's bell detail Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361040 G Ullmann engraving Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361047 Piering catalogue (2) Mario Weller, Markneukirchen All rights reserved
361195 Froehlich scan None All rights reserved
361198 Speer1c None All rights reserved
361200 Praetorius None All rights reserved
361202 Franz_Joseph_Fröhlich Wikipedia All rights reserved
361204 Stadtpfeiffer Tom Naylor, Brass Press All rights reserved
361208 Crone trombone Rainer Egger All rights reserved
361524 1839 sattler valve description Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361526 1839 sattler valve description Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361528 1839 sattler valve description Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361547 1839 sattler valve description Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361549 nabich Digital public Library of America All rights reserved
361551 1841 tenor engraving Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361553 a_bruns Guido Ulfig All rights reserved
361555 plauderei_a_bruns Guido Ulfig All rights reserved
361815 Sattler alto SK engraving and Crown rim Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361817 DSCN1210 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361820 Zimmerman Kat Cas gevers All rights reserved
361822 Zimmermann Katalog Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361827 Penzel alto Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
361981 Sattler AmZ 1839 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362384 J.c.Penzel tenor G.Hett Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362390 G.Ullmann G.Hett Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362415 G.Ullmann G.Hett Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362436 Penzel Alto-Hett Video 07-07-16 15 09 49 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362439 Penzel Alto-Hett Video 07-07-16 15 09 49 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362440 Video 07-07-16 15 09 49 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362442 G.Ullmann G.Hett Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362444 G.Ullmann G.Hett Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362445 Ullmann tenor Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362481 Ullmann tenor (2) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362482 PenzelHett film for youtube Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362558 Ullmann tenor (2) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362561 Sattler tenor bass Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362581 Scan_20170513 ISMLP All rights reserved
362583 Scan_20170513 (2) ISMLP All rights reserved
362585 431px-TN-FSchubert_Symphony_No.9,_D.944_fs ISMLP All rights reserved
362588 nabich Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362590 Lobes ISMLP All rights reserved
362592 Schumann 1850 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362597 TD with Glassl Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
362884 Scan_20170514 (3) Leipzig All rights reserved
362885 Queisser portrait (2) Leipzig All rights reserved
362897 Kuchengarten Sebastian Krause All rights reserved
362934 Müller Handrow All rights reserved
362936 Meyer Concertino Titlepage Handrow All rights reserved
362939 Nabich (2) KH Weber All rights reserved
363213 Nabich (2) Karlheinz Weber All rights reserved
363755 rhenish Online Trombone Journal All rights reserved
363793 DSCN1231 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363797 DSCN1233 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363806 Sattler set 1841 (2) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363811 sattler set 3 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363878 Leuchter alto markus Leuchter All rights reserved
363888 Sattler bell Sebastian Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363897 DSCN1208 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363901 Bell bow Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363906 1841 tenor engraving Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363914 DSCN0697 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363929 DSCN1206 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363932 Penzel alto original slide and bell Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363936 Penzel alto Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363938 Detail bell engraving and shell dec. Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363940 Bell bow Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363953 DSCN1217 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363986 DSCN1219 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363989 DSCN1216 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363992 Sattler bell S.Krause Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
363995 Sattler Silver markneukirchen Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364001 Moennig trombone with berlin valve Byron Pillow All rights reserved
364005 Scan_20170110 (3) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364020 Bell form comparison Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364038 Penzel bell with F valve (projection) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364060 Pollter (1) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364066 Slide bow tenor bass Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364068 DSCN0697 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364086 Konzertsaal_Altes_Gewandhaus Wikimedia All rights reserved
364088 csm_1871-Altes-Gewandhaus_820ec40696 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364092 csm_1881-Altes-Gewandhaus-Konzertsaal_d793f575d3 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364094 Katalog 1896 S. 4-5 (1) Mario Weller All rights reserved
364361 Scan_20170516 (3) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364363 Scan_20170516 (2) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364366 Scan_20170516 (5) Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364385 DSCN1206 Timothy Dowling All rights reserved
364593 RTEmagicC_21Standort_Erstes_Gewandhaus_el Notenspur Leipzig All rights reserved

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