Musical instrument cornet

The cornet is a brass musical instrument considered to be a direct descendant of the post horn. The performance of many classical pieces is impossible without a cornet. In a modern brass band, the melody of a cornet is almost always played. In music schools, it serves as an educational tool.

The modern pipe called the cornet is made of copper, while the early counterparts were made of wood. The musical instrument is also known under the name "zinc". In the XV-XVII centuries. the outlandish pipe for music making was incredibly popular in Europe. Its sound was heard at all mass city festivals during the Renaissance. Cornet solos were common in 16th century Italy. In our time, musical history glorifies the famous musicians of that time - the virtuoso Giovanni Bassano and the equally talented Claudio Monteverdi.

In the 17th century, the instrument apparently passed in popularity, overshadowed by the demand for the violin. The longest in the favorites, he held out on the territory of northern Europe. There, the last solo works were heard after another century. With the advent of a new era, in the 19th century, the cornet has completely lost its relevance.

The classic cornet was replaced by modern counterparts in the form of keyboard-wind instruments. In particular, it was the legendary cornet-a-piston created in 1830 in the French capital by Sigismund Stelzel. The designer presented the updated modification of the cornet with two valves. In 1869, there was a surge in the popularity of keyboard-wind instruments, in particular, an improved instrument. It was fashionable to learn to play this instrument. In the building of the Paris Conservatory, an enrollment for special music courses was opened.

At the origin of this idea was a cornetist named Jean Baptiste Arban - a virtuoso in his field. At the end of the century, the instrument was at the height of its popularity. It was at this time that they learned about him in the Russian Empire. Sovereign Nikolai Pavlovich became the first among the reigning persons who knew how to play various types of wind instruments known at that time. The tsar was able to excellently handle any structure of the cornet. Contemporaries confirmed that he had outstanding abilities in the musical field. The sovereign even learned the works of his own composition, traditionally - military marches.

The cornet was first introduced to the symphony orchestra at the height of the 19th century. The instrument often sounded in the scores of P. Tchaikovsky ("Italian Capriccio"). The updated version of the cornet-a-piston became part of the symphony orchestra and was used during opera concerts. And also they found a worthy application in brass bands, entrusting the leading melodic role.

The classic cornet is a brass wind instrument, which is an improvement of the old post horn (from Italian, corno is translated as a horn or post horn). The cornet is similar to a trumpet by its construction and manner of sound production. Moreover, its tube is shorter and wider, and pistons are installed instead of valves. The body tube resembles a cone with a spacious recess at the base of which the mouthpiece is located. The piston system of the cornet-a-piston has key buttons at the top, located with the mouthpiece in a single plane.

The timbre of the sound is somewhat softer, and the technique is more flexible. Thanks to the valve mechanism, it is possible to obtain a large volume of chromatically filled scale on it. The instrument is capable of taking 3 octaves, which provides space for composing melodic improvisations. Cornet-a-piston according to the classification refers to aerophones. The musician forcibly blows air into the mouthpiece, air masses accumulate in the body and create sound vibrations.

The next type of instrument - the echo cornet - was popular with the people of America and the British.who played music at the time of Queen Victoria. A feature of the tool is the presence of 2 sockets. By switching with the help of an additional valve to another bell, the performer managed to create the effect of playing with a mute, often for sounding an echo.

Such instruments were produced in a limited edition. In particular, this was done by Boosey & Hawkes. Nowadays, the production of such cornets has been established in India, although the quality of Indian products does not stand up to criticism. Therefore, professionals prefer to deal with old instruments.

Let's consider the known models of this tool.

• Bb BRAHNER CR-430S. Model in the style of YAMAHA YCR-2330, only made in silver design. A distinctive feature of the model is easy sound production. The timbre sounds pleasant, bright and velvety.

• Bb BACH CR-700. A solid and high-quality variation of a musical instrument from a manufacturer, very famous in the music world.

• Bb ROY BENSON CR-202. Pump-action instrument made of brass with a tompak mouthpiece, covered with clear varnish. It is distinguished by the presence of a fixed ring and a stopper on the third crown, a hook for adjustment on the first crown, two drain valves and a hard case with two straps.

• Bb BRAHNER CR-350. Definitely a worthwhile cornet model. Made in the style of YAMAHA YCR-2330. Differs in easy sound production, pleasant soft timbre and comfortable pump mechanism.Compact size and design - yellow copper with transparent varnish, plus the presence of a branded case make this version of the cornet even more attractive.

The famous cornetist Jean-Baptiste Arban has made an invaluable contribution to the popularization of the cornet around the world. The solo performed by the cornet became a classic - the Neapolitan dance from "Swan Lake" by P. I. Tchaikovsky and the dance of the ballerina in the ballet "Petrushka" by I. F. Stravinsky.

The cornet was also used in the performance of jazz compositions. Famous musicians, famous for playing the cornet, are represented by the personalities of jazzmen Louis Armstrong and King Oliver.

In Russia, the most famous musician who mastered the cornet was Vasily Wurm, the author of the book "School for a cornet with pistons" published in 1929. His student A.B. Gordon is the author of several sketches.