Legato Trombone a Survey of Pedagogical Resources
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UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date: 9-Feb-2010 I, Eric Blanchard , hereby submit this original work as part of the requirements for the degree of: Doctor of Musical Arts in Trombone It is entitled: Legato Trombone: A Survey of Pedagogical Resources Student Signature: Eric Blanchard This work and its defense approved by: Committee Chair: Timothy Anderson, MM Timothy Anderson, MM Ann Porter, PhD Ann Porter, PhD Timothy Northcut, MM Timothy Northcut, MM 3/9/2010 390 Legato Trombone: A Survey of Pedagogical Resources a document submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS in the Performance Division of the College-Conservatory of Music 2010 by Eric John Blanchard B.M., Utah State University, 1999 M.M., University of Michigan, 2002 Committee Chair: Timothy Anderson UMI Number: 3426098 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI 3426098 Copyright 2010 by ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This edition of the work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 ABSTRACT The purpose of this document was to explore the pedagogical techniques of legato trombone. Professional trombone books, method books, articles and web-pages were surveyed in order to understand legato pedagogy and to see if there were changes over the past century or differences in pedagogy throughout world regions. The most common legato pedagogy was highlighted and used in comparison to pedagogy taught in three distinct areas of literature: trombone specific method books, brass method books for pre-service and in-service music educators, and beginning band methods. This comparison was used to reveal gaps between the pedagogical techniques shown in beginning band methods and those that are generally accepted by trombone pedagogues. Through this survey, those methods books which best apply the professional pedagogy are endorsed. Tables containing comprehensive lists of trombone specific method books, brass method books for pre-service and in-service music educators, and beginning band methods are found in the appendices. These tables supply data concerning the legato pedagogy in each method book, which allows trombonists and music educators to quickly compare the pedagogy in method books. It is hoped that through this project the understanding of legato performance on trombone will increase. This will enable pedagogues of beginning, intermediate, and advanced trombone students to use the best possible and most personally adequate techniques in teaching legato trombone. ii iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisory committee, Professor Tim Anderson, Dr. Ann Porter, and Professor Tim Northcut for their willingness to take on the project of reading this document and guiding me with kind feedback. I would like to express gratitude to my family for all of their support. My parents have always supported me in my musical habits and my mother has spent countless hours practicing and performing with me, which has been a great blessing throughout my life and helped to increase my love of music. A special thanks to my wife, Elizabeth, for her ceaseless support and encouragement during the long hours of research and writing. Thanks to my children for giving up their dad for several months. Thanks to Kirk Jones for being my long-distance library and scanning aide. Thanks to Aliza Kroek for help with German translation. Lastly, I would like to thank those administrators and educators that gave me the opportunity to spend five splendid years in the classroom, learning to love teaching young music students and to appreciate their exuberance and wisdom. These experiences led to the desire to take on and complete this project. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………...………………….………ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………....................iv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS……………………………………………………………………viii Chapter 1. USE OF ARTICULATION IN TROMBONE HISTORY……………………………..1 2. TERMINOLOGY………………………………………………………………………6 3. LEGATO PEDAGOGY IN PROFESSIONAL TROMBONE LITERATURE… ……13 Overview…………………………………………………………………………13 Basic Slurring…………………………………………………………………….15 Airflow…………………………………………………………………………...34 Slide Motion and Grip...........................................................................................38 Alternate Positions……………………………………………………………….45 Other Important Legato Pedagogy……………………………………….............47 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….50 4. LEGATO PEDAGOGY IN BEGINNING TROMBONE-SPECIFIC METHOD BOOKS………………………………………………………52 Overview…………………………………………………………………………52 Basic Slurring…………………………………………………………………….55 Airflow…………………………………………………………………………...65 Slide Motion and Grip…………………………………………………………...66 Alternate Positions……………………………………………………………….68 v Other Important Legato Pedagogy……………………………………………….70 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….71 5. PEDAGOGICAL RESOURCES FOR PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERIVCE MUSIC EDUCATORS…….……………………………..72 Overview…………………………………………………………………………72 Basic Slurring…………………………………………………………………….75 Airflow…………………………………………………………………………...87 Slide Motion and Grip…………………………………………………………...89 Alternate Positions……………………………………………………………….92 Other Important Legato Pedagogy…………………………………………….....95 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….....95 6. LEGATO PEDAGOGY IN BEGINNING METHOD BOOKS FOR HETEROGENEOUS ENSEMBLES....……………...……..……………97 Overview…………………………………………………………………………97 Basic Slurring…………………………………………………………………...102 Airflow………………………………………………………………………….112 Slide Motion and Grip………………………………………………………….115 Alternate Positions……………………………………………………………...117 Other Legato Pedagogy…………………………………………………………118 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...119 7. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………122 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOURCES CITED……………………………………………………..126 Appendix A. Table of Entries for Beginning Trombone-Specific Method Books………...………137 vi B. References cited in Appendix A and not in Document……………………………...141 C. Table of Entries for Brass Methods Books……..………………………………..….142 D. References cited in Appendix C and not in Document……………………………...145 E. Table of Entries for Beginning Band Method Books……………..…...…………….146 F. References cited in Appendix E and not in Document………………………………156 vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page FIGURE 2.1 – LEGATO PASSAGE ........................................................................................... 7 FIGURE 2.2 – SLURRED PASSAGE ......................................................................................... 7 FIGURE 2.3 – TENUTO PASSAGE........................................................................................... 7 FIGURE 2.4 – HARMONIC SERIES.......................................................................................... 9 viii CHAPTER 1 USE OF ARTICULATION IN TROMBONE HISTORY Music historians write frequently about the importance of the use of articulation in trombone performance as well as its use with instruments preceding the trombone. In the late 14th-century, bagpipes were used as the lowest voice in shawm bands. Their use was short-lived, however, because of the bagpipes inability to match the articulations of shawms. Bagpipes were discontinued in most of the records of ensembles at the beginning of the 15th century. This left a void in the ensemble which prompted musicians, instrument makers, and metal workers to produce new brass instruments that could fill the vacancy in the ensemble. Through the efforts of those craftsmen, the slide trumpet was invented and added to the shawm band. The slide trumpet was a single slide instrument that was held with one hand near the mouthpiece and the other hand gripping the middle of the instrument. This instrument was a welcome addition to the shawm band because it had the ability to match articulation and style with the reed sounds of the shawm. The slide trumpet began as a straight instrument and then evolved into the shape of an "S" later. The addition of the slide trumpet helped the shawm band or loud ensemble to heighten its musical ability and quickly became the most popular music ensemble serving the government1 as is shown by the sudden rise in pay that occurred thereafter.2 Some music historians have discussed the apparent difficulty in holding the slide trumpet during performance and one has even contended that the awkwardness shown in iconography from the time makes it impossible to believe that the instrument actually had a slide.3 This 1Keith Polk, "Art Music in the Middle Ages," in The Cambridge Companion to Brass Instruments, ed. Trevor Herbert and John Wallace (Cambridge, N.Y.: University Press, 1997), 45-7. 2 Timothy McGee, "In the Service of the Commune: The Changing Roles of Florentine Civic Musicians, 1450- 1532," Sixteenth Century Journal 30, no. 3 (Autumn 1999): 731. 3 Peter Downey, "The Renaissance Slide Trumpet: Fact or Fiction?," Early Music 12, no. 1 (Feb 1984): 27-8. 1 difficulty in performance led instrument manufacturers and musicians, mostly from Germany, to create the double or "U"-shaped slide trombone around 1450. The new construction allowed performers to be able to play chromatically in a much larger