"English slide trumpet, nominal pitch: F etc"

English slide trumpet, nominal pitch: F etc | Goodison | Circa 1830

English slide trumpet, nominal pitch: F etc. Photo by Rui Wang Photograph © The University of Edinburgh

Audio Clips

Slides began appearing on trumpets during the Renaissance. The early slide trumpets had a telescoping mouthpiece, where the player would hold the mouthpiece up against their lips and move the entire body of the instrument. Although cumbersome to play, this early slide allowed players to play more notes than a natural trumpet. This instrument is a later version and has a slide that the player moves with the fingers of the left hand. The slide, which can lower the pitch by one or two semitones, is drawn towards the player and returns under tension provided by a clock spring.

Slide trumpet

Instrument Data

Instrument Information

Title

English slide trumpet, nominal pitch: F etc

Alternative Title

Slide trumpet.

Accession Number

3288

Collection

Shaw-Hellier Collection; MIMEd

Date Information

Date Made

Circa 1830

Period

19th century; 1820s; 1830s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Wolfson Gallery

Case

Brasswind case 3

Maker Information

Maker Name

Goodison

Maker Biography

James Goodinson (1803-1860) was a London based brass instrument maker noted for his French horns and trumpets. Following his death, the family firm was taken over by James’ son Charles Attwood (1837-1898).

Made In

City

London

Country

England

Description

Technical Description

Technical description: The tubing of gilding metal or red brass with yellow brass ferrules, ball, mechanism etc. Twin drum clock springs for slide; closed slide position adjustable by multi-toothed end-stop. With crooks for Eb, D and C of gilding metal or red brass; single-coil. The tuning bit is of yellow brass. Decoration: Bell garland inscribed with floral pattern; decorated ball with groove. Signature marks: Inscribed on applied silver shield on bell garland "J. GOODISON / MAKER / Broad St Golden Sq / LONDON". Overall size: 593; bell 109 Sounding length; instrument without shanks or crooks, 1819; overall air column lengths of crooks: (a) 271; (b) 385; (c) 650; bit (d) 80.5. Bore: at c118mm from mouthpiece receiver (minimum bore), 10.8 at 910 mm from bell end, c 10.9; main slide 10.9 - 10.9; at c 222mm from bell end 15.4; at c 13.0mm from bell end, 68.5. Dia of mouthpiece receiver: taper on instrument body to receive crooks, bits or mouthpiece 12.3 - 11.7. Usable pitch: Plays c 50 cents above A⁴ = 440 Hz with mouthpiece (3289), with slide fully closed and without any bit; either a bit or the toothed slide stop mechanism allows use at A⁴ = 440 Hz or below. Performance characteristics: The input impedance and harmonicity of the air-column resonances are reported in Myers and Campbell 2006. Playing accessories: The three crooks (giving Eb, D and C) and one tuning bit appear to be associated with this instrument, but the association cannot be established with certainty. Lent with, possibly formerly used with and possibly supplied by manufacturer with mouthpiece (3289).

Provenance

Collected by Colonel T.B. Shaw-Hellier (1836-1910).; on loan to the Collection.

Classification