Cornet

The cornet is a brass instrument that is counted despite the trumpet- like shape and voice because of its scale to the horn instruments. It is a transposing and mostly tuned in B, sometimes in it.

Origin

The name of the instrument derives from French cornet à piston ( " small valve horn "). For the first time it was constructed around 1828 by Louis Antoine Halary, the inventor of Ophicleide. Halary to have had the idea to provide the German post horn with valves in order to produce such a chromatic series of tones can. The cornet à piston fact is merely an evolution of a previous valveless version ( cornet ), which took over the function of a bugle in the French chasseur regiments.

After a further development by the Frenchman Gustave Auguste Besson cornet won an enormous popularity. Besson was awarded in 1837 with only 18 years the patent on an instrument that had all the defining characteristics of the modern cornet and was superior to all contemporary models. The Besson brand exists today as part of The Music Group.

In 1850, was a short, deep form of cornets in England under the name cornopean known. The English form was fitted with three piston valves and a trill key for Ganztontriller. In addition, there was a modular instrument with interchangeable Umstimmbögen for As, G and F, and mouthpiece for Bb tuning slides and A. Until the First World War, it was as cheap version, without the deep F- crook, rebuilt in France.

A duplex version of the cornet is the so-called Echokornett (also called echo horn ), which has a built-in damper. A special valve allows the instrumentalists instant switching between normal and muted sound.

Use

The cornet is found almost exclusively in wind bands, brass bands and military bands. The instrument is occasionally also in symphonic works, especially in Latin countries to meet and also played in the early jazz music an important role (Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Buddy Bolden, Rex Stewart).

In the French orchestras of the 19th century, it often replaces the trumpet. Especially with small string section, as in the operetta by Jacques Offenbach, the cornet mixes better than the trumpet with the other instruments, so that the sound of the tutti passages does not look as brittle.

Popular cornet is also as a school instrument for trumpet students, as the sound easier responsive than the trumpet and it is due to its compact design easier to hold for children.

Differences for Trumpet

The similarity in construction and playing style makes a change between cornet and trumpet for intermediate players easy, but there are in addition to the features already mentioned some important other differences: by the conically shaped horn and a mouthpiece, which has a thinner compared to the trumpet edge and has lower boiler gets the cornet a softer, rounder sound, but offers conversely, not the dynamic possibilities of the trumpet and makes playing very high notes. The extensive convolutions of the tube have no effect sound.

Kornettsolisten

From the ITG (International Trumpet Guild ) 2005, a double CD with historical sound recordings was (starting 1899-1950 ) edited mainly from Kornettsolisten: European Cornet And Trumpet Soloists. This unique manual is based on the collection of Ernst W. Buser, the founder of the Trumpet Museum in Bad Säckingen.

Well-known soloists on the cornet:

1931-2000 Nat Adderley 1901-1971 Louis Armstrong 1903-1931 Bix Beiderbecke 1927-2003 Ruby Braff 1843-1906 Theodor high 1885-1938 Joe "King" Oliver Muggsy Spanier 1906-1967 1907-1967 Rex Stewart 1911-1986 George Swift 1849-1891 Hugo Türpe