André Lafosse

Who was André Lafosse?

André Lafosse was a professional trombonist and professor at the Paris Conservatoire in the early 20th century.

Lafosse was Professor of Trombone at the Paris Conservatoire from 1948 to 1960, where he took over from Henri Couillaud.

He wrote a book entitled Méthode complète pour le trombone in three volumes published in 1921 and 1946. In it he famously describes the practise of playing with vibrato as vulgar and glissandos of questionable taste. It should be also be apparent that the French trombones of the period could not play the fifth partial D in tune in the closed slide position so 4th position is used more frequently. There are just three pages of an appendix to cover the bass trombone.

He also composed a piece for brass quintet with drums, entitled "Suite Breve". The Suite Brève is available on indésens Records on physical CD as well as downloading on http://www.indesens.fr/index.php?art=3&th=56

In the 1920s and '30s he recorded in orchestras with Stravinsky. It has been suggested that he was the soloist in Stravinsky's own 1928 Paris recording of Pulcinella where the trombonist omits the written glissandos – instead playing the notes staccato. The Octet for winds recorded in the same period features trombonists André Lafosse and Raphaël Delbos.