An equale or aequale (from , equal voices or parts) is a musical idiom. It is a piece for equal voices or instruments. In the 18th century the equale became established as a generic term for short, chordal pieces for

trombone The trombone (, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's lips vibrate inside a mouthpiece, causing the Standing wave, air c ...

choirs, usually quartets or trios. The instruments were not necessarily equal in pitch, but formed a closed consort.

Commemoration of the dead

Aequales were conventionally used in Austria to commemorate the dead. They were performed from towers on All Souls' Day (2 November), and on the previous evening. They were also performed at funerals. While aequales might be played by other instruments, the sound of trombones was thought to be especially solemn and noble. Trombones had also already acquired an association with death and the afterlife. Finally, the theological symbolism of the trombone, representing divine presence, the voice of the angels, and the instrument of judgment, was thereby underscored.

Examples

Notable examples of the genre are the three ''Equali'' for four trombones of

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

( Drei Equale, WoO 30), written for Franz Xaver Glöggl and performed in Linz Cathedral on All Souls' Day (2 November), 1812. Two of them were later performed, with the addition by Ignaz von Seyfried of words from the ''Miserere'', at Beethoven's own funeral in 1827. They were also played as instrumental pieces at the funeral of William Gladstone in

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

in 1898. The two ''Aequali'' in C minor of Anton Bruckner date from 1847 and are for three trombones. Three years earlier, in 1844, the little-known Wenzel Lambel (1788–1861) of Linz had published ten equali for three or four trombones. Stravinsky scored ''In memoriam Dylan Thomas'', his setting of " Do not go gentle into that good night", for tenor, string quartet and four trombones, which may be an "echo" of the tradition.

References

{{Portal bar, Classical music Death music Brass instruments Compositions for trombone Musical terminology