Cimbasso

The cimbasso is a low brass instrument that plays in the same range as a tuba or a contrabass trombone. It first appeared in Italy in the early 1800s as an upright serpent, and later became known as an instrument that could play the lowest brass part in Italian opera orchestras. Today, the cimbasso has a design with four to six rotary valves, a forward-facing bell, and a cylindrical bore, which gives it a sound similar to the bass of the trombone family.

In modern orchestras, cimbasso parts are usually played by tuba players as a doubling instrument. While it is most commonly used in late Romantic Italian opera, it has also become more popular in other types of music. Jazz musician Mattis Cederberg uses the cimbasso in big bands and as a solo instrument. The cimbasso is now often featured in film and video game soundtracks. Tuba players from Los Angeles, such as Tommy Johnson, Doug Tornquist, and Jim Self, have played cimbasso in many Hollywood recordings, especially in soundtracks that feature loud, low-brass heavy orchestration.

Etymology

The word cimbasso comes from Italy and started being used in the early 1800s. It likely comes from a shorter way musicians said "corno basso," which means "bass horn." Back then, people used the word cimbasso to talk about the lowest brass instrument they had, and this changed over time. Later, around the middle of the 1900s, some German-speaking countries started using cimbasso to describe a special kind of slide trombone. Because the word was used in so many ways, it made studying the instrument's history tricky.

History

The cimbasso is a low brass instrument that first appeared in Italy in the early 1800s. It was originally similar to an instrument called the upright serpent, used in military bands. These early versions were made from wood and had a brass bell.

Later, the name "cimbasso" was used for several different instruments. By the late 1800s, famous composer Verdi wanted a better instrument for his operas. In 1887, an instrument maker created the "trombone basso Verdi," a special type of trombone that could play very low notes. This design became the basis for the modern cimbasso. Today, the cimbasso is used in orchestras, especially in Europe.

Main article: Serpent (instrument) § History

Construction

The modern cimbasso is usually made with four to five rotary valves, sometimes piston valves, and has a bell that faces forward. These parts help it make deep sounds like a trombone but with more flexibility. It is most often tuned to a low F note, though other tunings exist.

The mouthpiece and leadpipe sit in front of the player, and the valves are arranged between the player's knees, resting on the floor with a support like a cello. The bell points forward over the player's shoulder, which helps in tight spaces and lets the sound reach the conductor and audience clearly.

Repertoire and performance

The cimbasso is most often used in performances of late Italian operas by composers like Verdi and Puccini. Since the middle of the 20th century, it has been used in many different kinds of music.

It has appeared in modern compositions, like works by Russian composer Boris Tishchenko, Swedish composer Anders Hillborg, and English composer Brian Ferneyhough.

The cimbasso is also used in film and video game soundtracks. Tuba players in Los Angeles, such as Tommy Johnson, Doug Tornquist, and Jim Self, have played the cimbasso in many Hollywood movies and games, including the remake of Planet of the Apes (2001), Call of Duty (2003), and Inception (2010). The band Korn used two cimbassos in their MTV Unplugged album. Swedish jazz musicians Per-Åke Holmlander and Mattis Cederberg use the cimbasso as a solo instrument and for playing trombone parts in big bands.

Playing old cimbasso music can be difficult. It is hard for modern low-brass players to use old instruments like the serpent or ophicleide. It is also hard for instrument makers to find good old examples to copy.

Some people think it is not right to use a large modern C tuba for cimbasso parts. Italian expert Renato Meucci suggests using a small F tuba or a bass trombone. James Gourlay recommends using the modern F cimbasso as a balance between the larger B♭ trombone basso Verdi and the bass trombone. He also suggests using a euphonium if an old instrument is not available, as it sounds closer to the serpent or ophicleide used before 1860. Douglas Yeo suggests that in a modern group of slide trombonists, it is okay to play cimbasso parts on a modern contrabass trombone.