What is the traditional role of the Trombone Choir in Moravian worship?
Beginning the early 18th century, Moravian settlements in America used the trombone choir (German: Posaunenchor) as distinctive part of worship, though it is a practice that had its roots in centuries of Church tradition in Germany. It is still a widely-popular tradition in Protestant churches in Germany, though these days Posaunenchor generally indicates a church brass band, rather than an all-trombone group: I recently heard a performance by a 25-member German Posaunenchor that only had one Posaune in the group! In 18th-century Moravian settlements, the trombone choir, playing from the church tower or from in front of the entrance, served to call the congregation to worship, and served as the congregation’s “portable” ensemble for accompanying outdoor services: burial services and the Easter sunrise service traditionally held in the graveyard adjacent to the church. The Posaunenchor would also announce deaths in the community (see below) and generally serve as the settlement’s “publi
