Ludwig van Beethoven\u27s orchestration of the trombone

Ludwig Van Beethoven is considered one of the first composers to fully realize the wide-ranging performance potential of the trombone. Although the instrument had already been scored in sacred and operatic works by major composers (and symphonies by lesser-known composers), it was Beethoven who was considered to be the first to truly emancipate the trombone from its sacred and operatic boundaries and write for it in various secular, choral, and even chamber music genres. In this paper, every composition of Beethoven\u27s that includes trombones is examined. The historical context of each individual work will be established, along with any general trombone-related observations from the work in question. Musical examples from each work will be examined in detail, with the view of elucidating compositional techniques such as melodic and solo usage, doubling, range, dynamic range, percentage of measures actually played, and placement within orchestration. Comparisons between genres and time periods will also be made, with the objective being to establish patterns of musical evolution---if any---across time or between genres