Instruments of Change: Technical developments and brass chamber music in mid-nineteenth century Paris

This paper provides a repertoire-focused perspective on refinements to brass instruments in Paris circa 1848-1868 by examining the instrumentation and timbral possibilities in three sets of chamber music composed for chromatic brass during this period: the twelve quintets and septets of Auguste Mimart; the twelve quintets and other compositions of his predecessor Jean-François Bellon; and a later series of quintet arrangements by Julien Tollot. It compares the specific instruments for which each composed and the contexts in which their works were written and performed. It further explores some of the cross-Channel exchanges, collaborations, and competition during this period in relation to the development of different brass ensemble traditions in France and Britain.