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[watermailonman]

Hello

The part says "Trombone Alto" and is written in alto clef, but
what trombone would you choose for the first trombone part in Mendelssohn's Oratorie Paulus?

Watermailonman

[sanfranboner]

Neither the clef nor the instrument name at the top of they page has much bearing on which instrument is more appropriate.  For example, it's pretty clear that neither Bruckner nor Dvorak were writing for alto trombone in their symphonies.

While some of his contemporaries typically wrote for a section of two tenors and a bass, Mendelssohn was a conservative composer for his time, with more in common with Beethoven than Liszt or Berlioz.  I would use alto trombone for the 1st part of any of Mendelssohn's works, especially for a choral work where balance with the choir is a consideration.  The tessitura alone suggests using alto.  Others might feel differently.

[timothy42b]

I have a friend who went to a 2B for that, as potentially more authentic and easier to play precisely in tune.  Fine player, I couldn't argue with her results. 

[sanfranboner]

I have a friend who went to a 2B for that, as potentially more authentic and easier to play precisely in tune.  Fine player, I couldn't argue with her results. 

That seems like a perfectly acceptable solution to me!

[Stewbones43]

Should you take into consideration the trombones the other members of the section are using?

If the 2nd is on a large bore tenor, 88H size and the bass is one a 50B, then would a 2B or 6H be better on 1st
or, if the 2nd is using a 6H and 3rd a 88H as a bass, then would an alto be better?

It can depend on what the section would sound like and how the different instruments match.

Cheers

Stewbones