200601 Cornett

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A TRUMPETERS GUIDE TO THE CORNETTBY ELISA KOEHLER

January 2006 Page 14

14 ITG Journal / January 2006 2006 International Trumpet Guild

F ew instruments suffer from the identity crisis thatplagues the cornett. As the premier virtuoso windinstrument of the Renaissance, it flourished between1500 and 1650 under a variety of names: cornetto (Italian), cor-neta (Spanish), cornet bouquin (French), and Zink (German).For the sake of clarity, this article will refer to the instrumentby its English name, cornett, rather than the Italian cornetto.1

Although the cornett is often played by trumpeters, it is alsopopular with recorder players. This highlights a fundamentalissue regarding the cornett: it is essentially a woodwind instru-ment with a brass instrument mouthpiece, and a rather smallone at that.2 Given its unique hybrid nature and fickle tech-nique, the cornett is undoubtedly one of the most difficultinstruments to master.

During its heyday, the cornett was strictly an instrument forprofessional musicians. Cornettists were trained through rigor-ous apprenticeships. While the cornett was briefly mentionedin sixteenth-century theoretical treatises, few detailed instruc-tion manuals were written for the instrument.3 The 1990s wit-nessed a distinct flowering in pedagogical and scholarly litera-ture for the cornett. Some contemporary cornett virtuosi pro-duced new study material, most notably Bruce Dickey, Mich-ael Collver, and Jeremy West.4 The Historic Brass Society(HBS) was founded in 1989 and has since produced a wealthof scholarship regarding the cornett as well as several interna-tional conferences. HBS President Jeffrey Nussbaum, in partic-ular, has done a tremendous service for the early brass commu-nity with his many articles (listed in the bibliography below)that compile lists of instrument makers, discographies, andartist interviews.

This article aims to provide a practical introduction fortrumpeters desiring to play the cornett. For that reason, back-ground information on the instruments heritage and literaturewill not be discussed here. Many fine historical introductionsto the instrument are readily available.5 A detailed bibliogra-phy follows this article directing readers seeking more informa-tion to some of the best recent scholarship on the cornett andrelated issues.

Thanks to the cornett renaissance (pun intended) and thepopularity of early music recordings, basic information aboutthe instrument is now more commonly available. Gone are thedays when trumpeters were surprised and perhaps evenappalled to hear how Gabrieli and Monteverdi were meant tosound on period instruments. In fact, contemporary cornettmasters have reached heights of artistic expression to whichmodern trumpeters would do well to aspire.

The Cornett and the Early Music Revival

The cornett gradually declined in prominence during themiddle of the seventeenth century as the violin usurped its roleas the dominant soprano solo instrument. Unlike instrumentsthat mutated into altered versions of their former selves (likethe recorder, the traverso and the modern flute), the cornett

simply went the way of the dinosaur.6 Although cornetts stillaccompanied liturgical music in Germany and North Americaas late as the middle of the 19th century,7 the instrument fellout of the mainstream. The cornett survived, scarcely noticed,as a museum piece for over a century until the early musicrevival turned its attention to the instrument, thanks in largepart to Otto Steinkopf and Christopher Monk.

The early music revival began in stages, depending on therepertoire and philosophy under consideration. For example,Englands Academy of Ancient Music regarded anything writ-ten before 1580 to be ancient in 1731.8 From Mendelssohns1829 revival of Bachs St. Matthew Passion to the neoclassicmovement of the 1920s, the concept of rediscovering oldmusic seems to have never gone out of style.

Today, as in the past, the early music movement has gener-ated controversy among mainstream critics. It has been vari-ously derided as reactionary, counter-cultural, and puritanicalwhile being championed by supporters as a revelation.9

Regardless of such shifting opinions, the proof is in the per-formance. Paul Hindemith defended historically informedperformance (abbreviated as HIP) in 1951 by pointing outthat,

All the traits that made the music of the past lov-able to its contemporary performers and listenerswere inextricably associated with the kind of soundthen known and appreciated. If we replace this soundby the sounds typical of our modern instruments andtheir treatment we are counterfeiting the musicalmessage the original sound was supposed to trans-mit.10

Although Hindemith later admitted that it was not possibleto recreate period audiences as easily as period instruments,attempts at musical time travel attracted a growing followingamong those disenchanted with 20th-century modernism.

Hindemith joined the faculty at Yale University in 1940and exerted a powerful influence on the growing early musicmovement. He founded the Yale Collegium Musicum, and isconsidered the father of the collegiate early music movementin North America. His primary goal was to broaden the hori-zons of his students by providing them hands-on experiencewith music they were studying. Hindemith often conductedperformances on period instruments borrowed from theMetropolitan Museum of Art as well as from private collec-tions. Such performances included Dufays Mass Se la face aypale at Yale in 1946 and Monteverdis Orfeo in Vienna in1954.11

Throughout the Baroque Revival of the 1960s and 1970s,HIP grew more professional as musicians gained experiencewith period instruments. The 1980s and 1990s witnessed asurge in HIP recordings as well as institutions devoted to fos-tering early music, such as the Historic Brass Society. Manynotable performance ensembles were formed featuring bril-liant cornett soloists such as Concerto Castello (Bruce

This article was reviewed and approved for publication by the ITG Editorial Committee.

A TRUMPETERS GUIDE TO THE CORNETTBY ELISA KOEHLER

2006 International Trumpet Guild January 2006 / ITG Journal 15

Dickey), Concerto Palatino (Bruce Dickey), Le Concert Bris(William Dongois), La Fenice (Jean Tubry), His MajestiesSagbutts and Cornetts (Jeremy West), Les Sacqueboutiers deToulouse (Jean-Pierre Canihac), and Musica Fiata (RolandWilson).

Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, HIP finds itselfin the curious position of becoming a mainstream phenome-non. The true barometer of HIPs influence and successremains the emotional impact of the music performed.Regardless of the philosophical debates and artistic turf warssurrounding HIP, there is no denying that brass musicians nowhave more repertoire and convincing interpretive optionsavailable thanks to theearly music revival.

The cornett occupies aunique position amongperiod instruments. Un-like violinists playing alter-ed forms of that well-known instrument, trum-peters taking up the cor-nett are faced with a steeplearning curve and delayedgratification. With dedica-tion, patience, and seriousstudy, there can be light atthe end of the tunnel,though. The cornett reper-toire is sumptuous andvast.12 Opportunities forgood players are growing.Best of all, acquiring alevel of competence on thecornett can open up new possibilities for artistic expression,and this can translate into more sensitive and sophisticatedplaying on modern instruments as well.

Preliminary Study

One of the best prerequisites for cornett study is to learn toplay the recorder. Woodwind fingering technique presents aformidable challenge for trumpet players approaching the cor-nett, and playing the recorder provides a relatively stress-freeintroduction to this vital skill. The recorder also requires sub-tle articulation and gentle airflow which is useful for good cor-nett playing. Plastic instruments are inexpensive and easilyobtainable, and many good method books are available.13 It isadvisable to begin with the soprano (descant) recorder pitchedin C. The alto (treble) recorder pitched in F is also an option.Because the cornett is pitched in G, recorder fingerings foreither the soprano or alto instruments are not identical tothose for the cornett.14 Still, the basic fingering techniques arethe same, and trumpeters accustomed to transposing shouldnot be bothered by switching between recorder and cornett.

Studying good vocal technique also prepares a musician forsuccess with the cornett. Cornett literature often doubles vocalparts (known as colla parte playing), and the instrument ishighly prized for its ability to imitate the soprano voice. If pos-sible, take some voice lessons, or at the very least, take a classi-cally trained singer out to lunch and pick his or her brain.15

Understanding vocal placement and nasal resonance alongwith consonant and vowel articulation is part and parcel with

cornett playing. Modifying the shape of the inside of themouth (i.e., forming different vowel sounds, such as oh, oo,ah, ee, etc.) is also an important skill for altering tone coloron the recorder as well as the cornett. And, of course, anyadded work on breath control and phrasing pays enormousmusical dividends for any wind instrumentalist.

Acquiring a working knowledge of foreign languages, espe-cially Italian and German, is extremely useful for budding cor-nettists. A large portion of the repertoire is Italian (witness theHistoric Sources cited below), so the ability to follow texts andperceive appropriate pronunciation and word stress greatlyenhances phrasing. Liturgical Latin (the wellspring of all

romance languages, especially Italian) is another importantlanguage to learn.

Finally, listening to good recordings of cornettists, periodinstrument ensembles, and singers is essential. Immerse your-self in the sound and the style. If you have not previously heardthe likes of Bruce Dickey, Jean Tubry, Jeremy West and theircolleagues, you are in for a rare treat (see Selected Recordingsbelow).

Finding an Instrument

With the advent of the Internet, locating and purchasing acornett is much easier now than it was only ten years ago. TheHistoric Brass Society Newsletter regularly publishes updatedlists of contact information for a variety of recognized makers.The most recent list was published in 1999.16 Professionalwooden instruments cost about as much as a new trumpet, sostarting with an inexpensive resin (plastic) cornett is highlyrecommended. Such instruments are available from Chris-topher Monk Instruments (run by Jeremy West) at about 25%the cost of a wooden cornett (approximately $300 US).17 Itshould be noted that makers vary the pitch and temperamentof their instruments. For example, Jeremy West and SergeDelmas craft instruments that play in meantone temperamentat a variety of pitch levels. The cornetts of American makerJohn McCann can be designed to play in equal temperamentas well as meantone.

Once a degree of comfort has been acquired playing a Monkresin cornett, upgrading to a wooden instrument is highly rec-

Fig. 1. Two cornetts pitched in different tunings, A = 465 (top) and A = 440 (bottom).Both instruments are made by John McCann. It should be noted that the smaller, high-pitched cornett,which plays one half step higher than A = 440, is not a cornettino, which would be pitched a fourth

higher than the standard cornett.

ommended. Wooden cornetts are lighter than resin (less stresson the hands) and play with more ease and resonance.Cornetts are available in boxwood, sandalwood, maple, plum-wood, and other fruitwoods. Mouthpieces are often suppliedwith cornetts, depending on the maker. Cases are sold sepa-rately. Jeremy Wests web site (Christopher Monk Instruments,listed below) carries a variety of hard and soft cases for singleand multiple cornetts. In addition to Monk and McCann,other fine cornett makers include Serge Delmas, PaoloFanciullacci, Graham Nicholson, and Roland Wilson. Whenordering a professional wooden cornett, time must be allowed(an average of 3 8 months) for the instrument to be handcrafted.

Mouthpieces

The quest for the ultimate mouthpiece is nothing new fortrumpet players learning the cornett. Given the one-piece con-struction of the cornett, it is the only part of the instrumentthat is remotely customizable to suit individual preferences.Just as the size and inner dimensions of the mouthpiece affectthe sound on a trumpet, such considerations are magnifiedtremendously on the cornett. Selecting a good cornett mouth-piece is undoubtedly one of the most important decisions aplayer can make. Because most mouthpieces are handmade, aplayer must try out several different models to find a goodmatch.

Authentic cornett mouthpieces of the acorn type are notori-ously small and feature a sharp rim. Although playing on sucha mouthpiece may seem like an impossible proposition for atrumpeter, it can be done.18 An efficient, focused embouchuremakes it possible.19 Acorn mouthpieces tend to produce aclearer tone and cleaner articulation, and are generally consid-

ered to be more historically appropriate. A large body of icono-graphical evidence indicates that many cornett players used anembouchure at the side of the mouth (see Fig. 5 below), wherethe lips are thinner and have more response and resonance.20

Contemporary cornett virtuosi Jean Tubry and YoshimichiHamada both play with a side embouchure, however manyothers play in the center with an acorn mouthpiece (see Fig. 4below).

Larger compromise mouthpieces are available from Chris-topher Monk Instruments that are specifically designed toaccommodate trumpeters with deeper cups and thicker rims.21

According to Jeremy West, a trumpet-type mouthpiece []tends to help [modern brass players] feel at home on theinstrument relatively quickly.22 While West notes the pitfallsof a larger mouthpiece (i.e., a tubby sound and impaired flex-ibility), he wisely counsels players to find a mouthpiece thatenables you to play the cornett in a style and with a sound thatresembles the human voice.23 Professional cornettists whoplay the instrument exclusively usually prefer the acornmouthpiece while those who double on trumpet sometimesprefer the larger compromise mouthpiece. It should be notedthat few historic mouthpieces exist24 and measurements differwidely among makers.

The material used for a mouthpiece is also important. Thesound and flexibility of those made from ivory and animalhorn is superior to those made from resin or plastic.

Instrument Care

Both plastic and wooden cornetts should be swabbed outfrequently. Unlike the trumpet, there is no water key on thecornett. Moisture tends to accumulate inside the instrument


Fig. 2. Two different sized cornetto mouthpieces made of animal horn: an acorn type by Graham Nicholson (top) with a thin rimand bowl-shaped cup, and a trumpet type by Jeremy West (bottom, David Staff model) with a wider rim and larger cup. Dental floss

is wrapped around the shank of both mouthpieces for use in making slight tuning adjustments.


during playing sessions and seep out of the thumb hole and thebottom end of the cornett. A simple woodwind cloth swabwith a weight on the end of a string works well. An Englishhorn swab is a good size for the cornett. An oboe swab is alsoacceptable, but a clarinet swab might be too thick. Just removethe mouthpiece and turn the cornett upside down. Drop theweighted end of the swab into the bell and slowly pull the swabout the other end.

The inside bore of a wooden instrument should be oiledwith light mineral oil approximately once a month. Commonwoodwind bore oil is a good choice, but it is important to fol-low any specific directions from the maker. Cornetts are madefrom a variety of woods and some require special oils like wal-nut, linseed, or olive oil. A good way to oil the bore is toremove the mouthpiece and turn the cornett upside down,dripping oil down the inner sides. Twist the instrument gentlywhile dripping the oil for maximum coverage, and rock thecornett back and forth like a baby to help distribute the oil.After oiling, prop the cornett in a corner (upside down)overnight with a folded hand towel underneath to soak up anyexcess oil.

Cleaning out the mouthpiece can be accomplished with astring of dental floss. Thread the floss through the backboreand work it around the inside of the cup and throat. Pipecleaner can also be used. Oil and residue tend to collect underthe thumb hole on the inside of the cornett, so dabbing thearea with a cotton swab once a week is a good idea.

Finger Technique

One of the most vexing facets of cornett technique is thehand position. Although the standard cornett is curved tofacilitate fingering, this fact is small consolation when startingout. The position of the thumb hole for the left hand is sub-stantially higher on the cornett than it is on the recorder.Finding a stable bracing position for the hands is of primeimportance in order to allow the fingers to move freely over theholes. This is a daunting proposition on the cornett where nothumb rests or other handling aids exist;25 however the leathercovering of the instrument is specifically designed to provide abetter grip in addition to binding the wooden halves together.

The foundation of a stable bracing position lies betweenthree points on each hand: 1) the bottom knuckle joint on theindex finger, 2) the base of the thumb, and 3) the little finger,or pinky. The thumb of the right hand also serves as a stabiliz-

er. Ideally, the weight of the cor-nett rests on the right handbetween the thumb, the pinky,and the two joints of the indexfinger (the knuckle and thecurved middle joint). The lefthand merely rides on top withthe thumb operating like anoctave key on a clarinet. Theright hand grip is similar to thatused to hold a cello bow. A goodway to test a stable right handposition is to raise the cornett upand down, vertically, while hold-ing it with just the right hand. Ifthe grip feels natural, balanced,and secure, the position is cor-rect. Figure 3 demonstrates goodplaying position for the cornett.

The fingering chart on the nextpage shows the common patternsused for notes on the standardtreble cornett pitched in G. Alter-nate fingerings are also listed toassist with awkward passages andto adjust intonation for differenttemperaments. Cornetts all haveindividual personalities, so besure to select the fingering for anygiven note based on optimal

sound and intonation.As is shown in Figure 4 (below), the size of a players hands

does not dictate success on the cornett, provided the fingers arecurved. Those familiar with recorder finger technique shouldbe warned that the cornett hand position is not the same.Perpendicular fingers plague many novice cornettists. Take theshape of the instrument as a cue and be sure to curve the fin-gers.

Effective cornett hand position is similar to that of the fluteadapted to a vertical plane. The inside of the knuckle joint ofeach index finger should be close to the body of the cornettallowing the fingers to curl into a naturally stretched position.Trumpeters who also play the violin or guitar will notice somesimilarities in the curved finger position used by the left handto move up and down the neck of a stringed instrument.

The importance of an effective hand bracing position for thecornett cannot be overstated. If the knuckle joints of the indexfingers are not touching the instrument, undue stress is placedon the fingers covering the holes, and the player feels as thoughthe cornett might be dropped while playing.

Fig. 3. Effective cornetto handposition is similar to that of theflute adapted to a vertical plane.The inside of the knuckle joint ofeach index finger should be closeto the body of the cornett allowingthe fingers to curve into a naturallystretched position. Note the highplacement of the thumb on the lefthand (top hand).

Bear the weight of the cornett with the right hand. Remember, the fingers dont have to stretch very far;

they curve. Practice holding the cornett with the stable hand brac-

ing position while freely moving the fingers over theholes.

Keep the fingers very close to the instrument. Min-imize any flapping motion.

Stretch the hands regularly. Take frequent practicebreaks.

Practice finger aerobics by silently practicing difficultpassages.

HELPING HANDS FOR THE CORNETT


T1 or T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T12 2 2 2 2 O O3 3 3 O O 3 O

O [] O 4 O O O5 5 O O O [5] OO 6 O O O O O

TO or TO TO or OO OO or OO T1 T1 T12 O O 2 [2] O 2 2 2O 3 O 3 O 3 3 3 3

O O O 4 O O 4 4 4O O O 5 O [5] 5 5 OO O O O O [6] 6 O [6]

T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 or T1 T12 2 2 2 O 2 O3 3 O O 3 O O

O O 4 O O 4 O5 O O O O 5 O

[6] O [6] O O 6 O

TO TO TO OO T1 T12 2 2 2 2 2O 3 3 3 3 []

O 4 O O 4 OO O O O 5 OO 6 O O O O

T1 TO OOO O O[3] O O

O O OO O OO O O

The following symbols designate finger positions:

T: thumb of left hand1 O = open hole2 T, 1, 2, etc. = closed hole3 = half open hole4 [n] = optional closed hole5 = lip up; note tends to be flat6 = lip down ; note tends to be sharp

T1 T1 T1 T1 or T1 T1 T1 or T12 2 2 2 2 2 2 23 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 45 5 5 5 5 5 O O6 6 6 6 O O 6


Fig. 4. Stanley Curtis and Flora Newberry demonstrate good posture for playing the cornett. Note that the hand positions areslightly altered, depending on the size of the hands.


Although sound is the single most important component ofcornett playing, proper hand position is the first major hurdlefor new players. Time spent developing a secure grip withergonomic finger movement is a wise investment. Workingwith a teacher in the early stages is highly recommended.

Beginning to Play

Once a player gains a comfortable working hand position,playing the cornett is a joy. Long tones are the natural place tostart. It is advisable to begin with the notes G and A in themiddle of the treble staff.26 They require the least number offingers and respond well for most players. Strive for a smooth,consistent airflow at all times, especially when connectingnotes. A good exercise for developing the appropriate airflowfor cornett playing is to hold up a feather and blow at it gen-tly through a straw.27 Make sure that the feather moves lightly,and is not blown across the room.

It is important to minimize muscle tension when performingbreathing and blowing exercises. Wind players tend to storetension in the jaw and the neck, especially when learning newskills. Exercises like shoulder rolls and neck stretches can helpalleviate and prevent such problems. Many of the good breathcontrol exercises used in brass pedagogy can also be adapted forthe cornett. The main difference is the air velocity and direc-tion, which is very similar to that of the modern oboe.

After some good work on airflow and long tones, play smallstreams of slow notes. It is best to start with a left hand fingerpattern like the following example:

Be sure to finger the A in the third measure with the second(or third) finger for added stability. Although the pitch can beplayed completely open, with no finger holes covered, thisawkward position for A is discouraged, especially for fast pas-sage work (passaggi). Experiment with different articulationsand dynamic levels (e.g., breath attacks, slur groups of two, slurthe entire line, tongue one and slur three, etc.). Play at aleisurely pace and focus on connecting the notes as smoothlyas possible. Extend the fermata on the final note and be sure topractice a dynamic swell (also known as a messa di voce). Letthe air flow and try forming different vowels inside the mouthto color the sound. Close your eyes and enjoy creating theuniquely seductive sound of the cornett.

An important technique that should be mastered very earlyis known as going over the break (i.e., suddenly using all thefinger holes after using only one). On the treble cornett, thebreak occurs between the notes A and B flat (or B natural,depending on the key) in the middle of the staff. A helpfulexercise for learning this skill is to take an extra beat betweennotes to change fingerings.

finger A finger B finger C etc.

Swiftly coordinated finger movement is essential. Note thatit is harder to lift the fingers than it is to put them down.Practice with a metronome and strive for regular, rhythmicmotions. Be patient and dont rush. With a steady, solid foun-dation, finger technique develops quickly on the cornett. Savethe lip and spend some extra time practicing finger patternssilently. Its a good idea to plant the mouthpiece on the chin tosimulate a realistic playing position when doing isolated fingerwork.

After a good technical workout, be sure to play some enjoy-able simple melodies. Find a church hymnal and play someeasy, familiar hymns. Hymn tune playing was one of the mostimportant aspects of cornett playing in Protestant Germany.Not only will they be in a good range for novice cornettists,but their vocal nature will reinforce the singing quality neces-sary for good phrasing. Always remember, mechanical fingersand fluid sound are the twin goals of good cornett technique.

Tuning and Temperament

During the golden age of the cornett, a universal pitch stan-dard did not exist. Instrument manufacture, especially that ofkeyboards, exerted a strong influence on pitch levels alongwith regional performance traditions. Before the IndustrialRevolution, pitch standards were not labeled in terms of fre-quency (e.g., A=440 Hz), but rather by the circumstances oftheir use. For example, the pitch for secular music was calledCammerton [chamber pitch], while that for church music wasChorton [choir pitch].28 Chorton was usually the pitch of organs

and brass instruments. A vestige of this system lives on todaythrough the term, concert pitch.

Studies of historic cornetts from museum collections haveshown that the general pitch of those instruments (A=466) wasabout a half step higher than A=440. This higher pitch stan-dard was labeled Cornet-ton. According to musicologist BruceHaynes, Cornettenthon [Praetoriuss spelling] can be regardedas a constant, since cornetts had a single principal pitch centerthat did not change from the 16th to the 17th centuries, oreven from the 17th to the 18th.29 Many contemporary earlymusic ensembles (e.g., Roland Wilson and Music Fiata Kln)perform at high pitch and most of the recognized cornett mak-ers build instruments in a variety of tunings. Beginning cornet-tists are advised to start on an instrument pitched at A=440 tomaximize performance opportunities with modern keyboardinstruments. However, it should be stressed that singers (espe-cially sopranos) and string players are affected by historic pitchstandards far more than wind players.

Terms for individual tuning notes should not be confusedwith temperament, or the tuning between notes in a scale.


Equal temperament is the system used today, but much of thecornett literature was written in meantone temperament.Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that playing inmeantone is a game of opposites. Notes with sharps should betuned low and flat notes should be played on the high side.30

Meantone produces beautifully pure thirds and narrow fifths,and is only effective in keys with fewer than four flats orsharps. A good multi-temperament electronic tuner like theKorg OT-12 is extremely useful for working in meantone. Thetuner can play reference pitches in addition to providing visu-al feedback from the meter. Its best to practice with a drone(root, third, or fifth) played by the tuner. This gives the playermore of a feel for the relationships between pitches. Checkingisolated pitches is good for reference, but it doesnt developensemble intonation skills. In the meantone system, every notehas its place, so it is important to know exactly where the noteslie. Playing scales in meantone while watching the meter pointyou in the right direction helps to train a sense of appropriatepitch tendencies.

Navigating intonation on the cornett is quite a challenge.The only adjustable part of the instrument is the mouthpieceand theres very little room to move. Dental floss should bewrapped around the shank of the mouthpiece (see Fig. 2above) to allow for adjustments. The floss may be unwound tomove the mouthpiece further in and raise the pitch and morefloss can be added to move out and lower the pitch. The famil-iar strategy of lipping pitches up and down certainly workswell on the cornett, and there are a number of possible alter-nate fingerings for most notes. Finally, changing the insideshape of the mouth, like a singer, also helpsto alter pitch as well as tone color.

Articulation

Historical articulation is perhaps the leastfamiliar playing technique for trumpeterslearning the cornett. Unlike the straight-ahead equal tonguing normally used bymodern trumpet players, early wind musicrequired tonguing patterns that were decid-edly unequal. For example, rather than ta,ta, ta, for single tonguing, ta, da, la mightbe used to reflect metric stress (e.g., strongand weak beats) and phrase direction.Syllables were generally softer and morevocal, overall, and reflected a hierarchy ofarticulations. Most important was bringingout differences between melodic high pointsand passing notes.

Double tonguing presents even more pos-sibilities. The trumpeters familiar ta ku taku is most unwelcome in the realm of thecornett. Instead, a variety of more subtleoptions are employed, again, to reflect met-ric stress, melodic shape, and the more vocalnature of the music. Bruce Dickey outlinesthree different compound tonguings, 1) teche te che, 2) te re te re, and 3) le re le re. Thefirst of these tonguings was described ashard and sharp, the third as smooth andpleasing, the second as intermediate.31

Trumpeters learning the cornett may prefer

to begin articulation work with the intermediate articulation,te re te re.

The third option, le re le re, was highly favored for perform-ing florid virtuosic passages (passaggi) and lines of sparklingornamentation because it imitated the sound of coloraturavocal passages (i.e., melismas, or streams of fast notes on ah).This technique was often referred to as lingua reversa. Englishspeakers should note that the rolled r in Italian results in asound very similar to d. With this in mind, le re le re, resultsin a sound that resembles le de le de or diddle diddle, whichapproximates the doodle tonguing familiar to jazz players.32

A good way to get used to this sound is to pronounce LittleItaly as liddle iddally. Learning the fluid, unequal articula-tion patterns is greatly aided by preliminary study of therecorder and the Italian language, as recommended previously.

Discerning where to employ the various flavors of articula-tion in the music is largely left up to the player. Listening togood recordings and studying vocal music is a good way todevelop an ear for the style. A great deal of cornett literature isbased on vocal music, so following the text provides ampleclues for word stress, syllabic rhythms, and breathing points.This is especially important when performing sacred workswith a choir. Cornetts routinely doubled choral vocal parts(i.e., colla parte playing) in ensemble music, so the text is com-monly printed underneath the notes played. Following suchinstrumental diction is a vital component of good perform-ance practice. Subsequently, these tendencies become habitwhen the cornettist transfers these techniques to purely instru-mental music.

Fig. 5. The painting by Valentin de Boulogne (1594 1632) on the cover of thisfine CD by Bruce Dickey features a cornettist with a side embouchure.


Repertoire and Ornamentation

One of the great benefits of playing the cornett is the abun-dant repertoire available. Obviously, familiar works by Andreaand Giovanni Gabrieli spring to mind, but it is best to workfirst on simple hymn tunes, as discussed previously. Becausethe cornett customarily doubled the soprano line in vocalpieces, the possibilities for performance are remarkable.Michael Collver and Bruce Dickey compiled the definitive listof repertoire in their book, A Catalog of Music for the Cornett.A wealth of good repertoire is also available (free of charge)at the Choral Public Domain Library on the Internet(http://www.cpdl.org).

Musical notation developed gradually between 1500 and1700. For this reason, new cornettists must become acclimat-ed to reading white note rhythms and original sources thatlack the familiar conventions of modern notation. The mostimportant difficulty is that the notes lack beams and barlines.For those accustomed to Robert Kings arrangements of Gab-rieli for modern brass, it can be unsettling to see the samemusic recast in larger rhythmic values, but it is not difficult toget used to reading such notation. The duet collections listedin the bibliography below provide an excellent introduction tothis type of notation and repertoire for beginning cornettists.Many pieces also include text for the original vocal sources,and this provides good material for practicing instrumentaldiction and unequal articulations as well. There are no cor-nett excerpt books available; however, Jeremy Wests methodbook includes some good introductory repertoire.

The summit of the cornett playing is undoubtedly the art ofornamentation. Known as playing divisions, the skill of dec-orating melodic lines was highly prized during the golden ageof the cornett, during which time musicians were expected toornament freely, especially at cadences. After all, thats the ori-gin of the cadenza at the end of a concerto movement. Trum-peters familiar with jazz improvisation will have a field day.Much of what is known as the cornett solo literature is actual-ly written-out divisions. Many good historical sources are list-ed in the bibliography below. The works by Bassano, Bovicelli,Brunelli, and Dalla Casa are highly recommended, although itis best to begin with the divisions by Ortiz.

Further Study

Practicing the cornett can be a very lonely experience. Oncesome skill on the instrument is developed, playing with othermusicians is crucial. The cornett is essentially an ensembleinstrument, so that is also where many playing opportunitiesare to be had. If there are no cornettists in your area, play duetswith a recorder player or an oboist. The Historic Brass Societyholds annual summer festivals that feature informal playingsessions for players of all levels.

There are several fine summer programs where opportunitiesfor group lessons, private study, and ensemble experience maybe found. The largest and most comprehensive program in theUnited States is the Amherst Early Music Festival, held eachsummer in late July in different locatikons in the NortheasternU.S. Over the past few years, the cornett faculty has includedsuch outstanding professionals as Bruce Dickey, Douglas Kirk,Michael Collver, Jean Tubry, and Kiri Tollaksen. Ensemblecoaching sessions with the renowned sackbut player and con-ductor Wim Becu were an added attraction. Other prominentfestivals are held in Europe and Canada. The Historic Brass

Society is the best source for information on such events. TheHBS regularly publishes updates on study opportunities, inst-rument makers, and recordings as well as interviews with pro-fessional players.

Despite all the work required to learn the cornett, the artis-tic benefits are enormous. Spending time with the cornett,even just for exploratory purposes, affords a perspective onmusical phrasing and interpretation that is not availablethrough the modern trumpet. So, if you are interested in learn-ing to play the cornett, just close your eyes, take a deep breath,and cross the threshold into a new world of sensuous sound.

Recommended Resources for Cornett Study

Selected Repertoire

Duets

Bistmantova, Bartolomeo. 66 Duetti due tromba Cornetti &Preludio per Cornetto. Edited by Edward Tarr. Cologne:Wolfgang G. Haas Musikverlag, 1997.

di Lasso, Orlando. Motetti et Ricercari a due voci. Edited byBernard Thomas. London Pro Musica Edition LPM RM6,1990.

Giamberti, Gioseppe. Duo Tessuti con dieversi SolfeggiamentiScherzi Perfide et Oblighi (1657) for Two Instruments. Editedby Bernard Thomas. London Pro Musica Edition, LPMRM4, 1985.

Morley, Thomas. First Book of Canzonets to [sic] two voices(1595). Edited by Bernard Thomas. London Pro MusicaEdition LPM RM8, 2000.

Solo Literature

Bassano, Giovanni and Girolamo Dalla Casa. Divisions onVesti i colli for treble instrument and continuo. Edited byBernard Thomas. London Pro Musica Edition LPM REP13, 1987.

Cima, Giovanni Paolo and Andrea. Two Sonatas and Capricciofor Soprano Recorder or Violin and Basso Continuo. Edited byMartin Nitz. Winterthur: Amadeus Verlag, 1995.

Frescobaldi, Girolamo. Five Canzoni for Soprano Instrumentand Continuo. Edited by Bernard Thomas. London ProMusica Edition, 2002.

Selected Recordings

Cornett Soloists

Dickey, Bruce. Quel lascivissimo cornetto: Virtuoso Solo Musicfor Cornetto. Tragiocomedia. Accent CD, ACC9173D,1991.

Dongois, William. La Barca DAmore: Improvisations and Dim-inutions of the Italian Renaissance. Le Concert Bris. CarpeDiem CD, 16254, 1997.

Hamada, Yoshimichi. Estro Venetiano. Anthonello. Cookie &Bear CD, C&B 00002, 1998.

Tubry, Jean. Dialoghi Venetiani. La Fenice. Ricercare CD,RIC 157142, 1995.

West, Jeremy. The Age of Extravagance: Virtuoso Music fromIberia and Italy. Timothy Roberts. Hyerpion CD,CDA66977, 1998.

Ensembles

Castello, Dario. In stil moderno. La Fenice. Jean Tubry.


Ricercar CD, 206422, 1995.Gabrieli, Giovanni. Sonate e Canzoni per concertar con lor-

gano. Concerto Palatino. Bruce Dickey and Charles Toet.Harmonia Mundi France CD, HMC 901688, 2000.

Gabrieli, Giovanni. The Canzonas and Sonatas from SacraeSymphonae (1597). His Majesties Sagbutts and Cornetts.Timothy Roberts. Hyperion CD CDA66908, 1997.

Monteverdi, Claudio. Vespro Della Beata Vergine. His MajestiesSagbutts and Cornetts. English Baroque Soloists. Monte-verdi Choir. John Eliot Gardiner. Deutsche GramophoneDVD, 073 035-9, 2003.

Schmelzer, Johann Heinrich. Sonata e Balletti. Musica Fiata.Roland Wilson. CPO CD, 9998782, 2001.

Bibliography

Historical Sources

Bassano, Giovanni. Ricercate, passage et cadentie (Venice,1585), modern edition by Richard Erig (Zurich: PelikanVerlag, 1976).

Bismantova, Bartolomeo. Compendio musicale (manuscript,1677), facsimile edition with preface by M. Casetllani (Flor-ence: S.P.E.S., 1978); partial English and German transla-tion and commentary by B. Dickey, P. Leonhards and E. H.Tarr in The Discussion of Wind Instruments in B. Bisman-tovas Compendio musicale (1677), Basler Jahrbuch fr his-torische Musikpraxis 2 (1978), 143-87.

Bovicelli, Giovanni Battista. Regole, passaggi di musica, madri-gali et motetti passeggiati (Venice, 1594); English translationby Jesse Rosenberg in Historic Brass Society Journal Volume4, 1992.

Brunelli, Antonio. Varii esercitii (1614). Zrich: Musikverlagzum Pelikan, 1977.

Dalla Casa, Girolamo. Il vero modo di diminuir con tutte le sortidi stromenti (Venice, 1584), facsimile edition with a prefaceby Giuseppe Vecchi (Bologna: Forni, 1970); English transla-tion by Jesse Rosenberg in Historic Brass Society JournalVolume 1, 1989.

Ganassi, Silvestro. Opera intulata Fontegara (Venice, 1545).Modern edition. (Bologna: Forni, 1980).

Ortiz, Diego. Tratado de glosas sobre clausulas y otros generos depuntos en la musica de violones. (Rome, 1553). Edited byMax Schneider. Kassel; New York: Brenreiter, 1961.

Praetorius, Michael. Syntagma Musicum III. Translated andedited by Jeffrey Kite-Powell. Oxford: Oxford UniversityPress, 2004.

Rognoni, Francesco. Selva de varii passaggi Vol 1. (1620),Edited by Richard Erig. Zrich: Musik Hug, 1987.

Rognoni, Riccardo. Passaggi per potersi essercitare nel diminuire.(Venice, 1592), modern edition with preface by Bruce Dick-ey (Bologna: Forni, 2001).

Study Material

Collver, Michael. 222 Chop-Busters for the Cornetto. SecondEdition. Privately published, 2000.

Collver, Michael and Bruce Dickey. A Catalog of Music for theCornett. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996.

Dickey, Bruce. Varii esercitii per cornetto. Privately published.Bologna, 1992.

Kernbach, Volker. How to Play the Treble Cornett. [c. 1970]Monkemeyer, Helmut. Spielanleitung fr Zinken in d und a.

Celle : Moeck Verlag, 1978.Van Eyck, Jacob. Der Fluyten Lust-hof. Vol. 1. Edited by Win-

fried Michel and Hermien Teske. Winterthur: AmadeusVerlag, 1984.

West, Jeremy. How to Play the Cornett. With Susan Smith.London: JW Publications, 1997.

Books

Ahrens, Christian and Gregor Klink, ed. Zur Geschichte vonCornetto und Clarine: Symposium im Rahmen der 25. TageAlter Musik in Herne 2000. [On the history of the cornettoand clarino: symposium in the course of the 25th EarlyMusic Days in Herne, 2000]. Munich: Katzbichler, 2001.

Baines, Anthony. Woodwind Instruments: Their History andDevelopment. Mineola, NY: Dover, 1991.

Butt, John. Playing with History: The Historical Approach toMusical Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge UniversityPress, 2002.

Carse, Adam. Musical Wind Instruments. New York: Da CapoPress, 1965.

Carter, Stewart, ed. A Performers Guide to Seventeenth-CenturyMusic. New York: Schirmer, 1997.

Cellini, Benvenuto. Autobiography. Revised edition. Translatedwith an Introduction by George Bull. London: PenguinBooks, 1998.

Cline, Gilbert. The Cornetto: A Guide Toward Performance,Within Historical Context, Indicating the Use of theRecorder as a Companion Instrument. D.M.A. Disserta-tion, University of Oregon, 1990.

Erig Richard, ed. Italian Diminutions: The pieces with morethan one Diminution from 1553 to 1638. Zurich: AmadeusVerlag, 1979.

Grouse, Charles Frederick. The Cornett. Dissertation, BostonUniversity, 1973.

Haskell, Harry. The Early Music Revival: A History. Mineola,NY: Dover Publications, 1996.

Haynes, Bruce. A History of Performing Pitch: The Story of A.Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2002.

Herbert, Trevor and John Wallace, ed. The Cambridge Com-panion to Brass Instruments. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ-ersity Press, 1997.

Heyde, Herbert. Hrner und Zinken. Leipzig: Deutscher Ver-lag fr Musik, 1982.

Kite-Powell, Jeffrey, ed. A Performers Guide to RenaissanceMusic. New York: Schirmer, 1994.

Klein, Linda Marie. The College Teachers Guide to the Cor-nett D.M.A. Dissertation, University of Wisconsin Mad-ison, 1994.

Lasocki, David with Roger Prior. The Bassanos: Venetian Music-ians and Instrument Makers in England, 1531-1665. Lon-don: Scolar Press, 1995.

Overton, Friend Robert. Der Zink: Geschichte, Bauweise undSpieltechnik eines historischen Musikinstruments. Mainz:Schott, 1984.

Selfridge-Field, Eleanor. Venetian Instrumental Music fromGabrieli to Vivaldi. Third, Revised Edition. Mineola, NY:Dover, 1994.

Sherman, Roger. The Trumpeters Handbook: A ComprehensiveGuide to Playing and Teaching the Trumpet. Athens, OH:Accura Music, 1979.

Steele-Perkins, Crispian. The Trumpet. London: Kahn & Aver-


hill, 2001.ArticlesCarter, Stewart. The Salem Cornetts. Historic Brass Society

Journal Volume 14 (2002): 279 308.Campbell, Murray. Cornett Acoustics: Some Experimental

Studies. Galpin Society Journal 49 (1996): 180 196.Dickey, Bruce. Laccento: In Search of a Forgotten Orna-

ment. Historic Brass Society Journal Volume 3 (1991): 98 121.

_____. Cornett and Sackbut in A Performers Guide to Seven-teenth-Century Music. Edited by Stewart Carter. New York:Schirmer, 1997.

_____. Ornamentation in Early Seventeenth-Century ItalianMusic in A Performers Guide to Seventeenth-Century Music.Edited by Stewart Carter. New York: Schirmer, 1997.

_____. A Message from a Cornettist at St. Marks, Dated1614. Historic Brass Society Newsletter No. 10 (1997): 16 17.

_____. The cornett in The Cambridge Companion to BrassInstruments. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Drake, Julian. The Christ Church Cornetts, and the IvoryCornett in the Royal College of Music, London. The Gal-pin Society Journal 34 (1981): 44 50.

Dudgeon, Ralph. A Handbook for the Cornetto Internat-ional Trumpet Guild Journal. Vol. 3, No. 1 (October 1976):30 34.

Fontana, Eszter. The Manufacture of Ivory Cornetti. TheGalpin Society Journal 36 (1983): 29 36.

Garnier-Marzullo, Marie. A Brief Discussion on CornettoMaking with Serge Delmas. Historic Brass Society NewsletterNo. 15 (2002): 10 11.

Hamada, Yoshimichi. The Side Embouchure Historic BrassSociety Newsletter No. 5 (1993).

Haynes, Bruce. Cornetts and Historical Pitch Standards His-toric Brass Society Journal Volume 6 (1994): 84 109.

Kirk, Douglas. Cornett. A Performers Guide to RenaissanceMusic. Edited by Jeffrey Kite-Powell. New York: Schrimer,1994.

Klaus, Sabine. Persistent Detective Work Sheds New Lighton Two Precious Ivory Cornetti in the Utley Collection.Americas Shrine to Music Museum Newsletter 28, no. 1(February 2001): 4 5.

Koehler, Elisa. An Interview with Kiri Tollaksen. Internat-ional Trumpet Guild Journal. Vol. 28, No. 4 (June 2004):39 41.

Nussbaum, Jeffrey. An Interview with Cornetto VirtuosoBruce Dickey. Historic Brass Society Newsletter No. 4(1992): 3 5.

_____. Cornetto Discography. Historic Brass Society News-letter No. 8 (1995): 21 41.

_____. Cornetto Discography: Part 2. Historic Brass SocietyNewsletter No. 11 (1998): 13 22.

_____. Cornetto and Serpent Makers Worldwide. HistoricBrass Society Newsletter No. 12 (1999): 10 12.

_____. Cornetto Symposium in Oxford. Historic Brass Soc-iety Newsletter No. 13 (2000): 21 23.

_____. An Interview with Cornett Player, Maker, and MusicaFiata Director Roland Wilson. Historic Brass Society News-letter No. 14 (2001): 3 7.

_____. An Interview with Jean-Pierre Canihac and MarieGarnier-Marzullo. Historic Brass Society Newsletter No. 16

(2003): 4 7.McCann, John. A Cornett Odyssey. Historic Brass Society

Journal Volume 3 (1991): 33 42.Monk, Christopher. First Steps Towards Playing the Cornett:

1. Early Music Vol. 3, No. 2 (April 1975): 244 248._____. First Steps Towards Playing the Cornett: 2. Early

Music Vol. 3, No. 3 (July 1975): 132 133.Paduch, Arno. New Facts About Cornetto Playing in 17th-

Century Central America. Historic Brass Society NewsletterNo. 15 (2002): 13.

Parks, Raymond. The Tuohitorvi: Cornett Survival or Re-Creation? The Galpin Society Journal 48 (1995): 188 193.

Smith, Susan. A Cacophony of Cornettists. Historic BrassSociety Newsletter No. 9 (1996): 26 32.

Web Sites

Amherst Early Music Festivalhttp://www.amherstearlymusic.org

Choral Public Domain Libraryhttp://www.cpdl.org

Historic Brass Societyhttp://www.historicbrass.org

Christopher Monk Instrumentshttp://www.jeremywest.co.uk/cmi/cornets.html

David Jarratt-Knocks Cornetto Pagehttp://www.cornetto.org.uk/cornetto.html

McCann Cornettshttp://www.mccann-cornetts.com

About the Author: Elisa Koehler is assistant professor ofmusic at Goucher College and the music director and conduc-tor of The Frederick Orchestra. She also performs with theLyric Brass Quintet, the Orchestra of the 17th Century, andthe Washington Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble. Between 2002and 2005 she served as Recording Reviews Editor for the ITGJournal and contributed several articles as well. Research for thiswork was supported by a grant from Goucher Colleges LaheyFaculty Development Fund. The author thanks the followingfor their kind assistance: Stanley Curtis, H. Gene Griswold,Michael Holmes, Flora Newberry, and Kiri Tollaksen.

All photographs courtesy of Elisa Koehler unless otherwise noted.

Endnotes

1 It is important to distinguish the cornett from the 19th-century valved cornet. Some musicians prefer to use theItalian term cornetto for similar reasons of clarification,but recent scholarship in the English language overwhel-mingly favors the British spelling.

2 Anthony Baines, Woodwind Instruments and Their History(Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1991), 237, 259 263. It is notable that Baines omits any formal discussionof the cornett in his similar volume on brass instruments(Brass Instruments: Their History and Development. Dover,1993), but he does classify the cornett in the Trumpetclass of early woodwinds (237). The familiar instrument


tables from Praetoriuss Syntagma Musicum II (1618) pic-ture the cornett with brass instruments (plate reproducedin Herbert & Wallace, The Cambridge Companion to BrassInstruments, 71). Crispian Steele-Perkins describes an ob-scure descendent of the cornett called the Mock-Trum-pet in the chapter concerning the cornett is his book, TheTrumpet (London: Kahn & Averill, 2001), 57 59.

3 Bruce Dickey, The cornett in The Cambridge Compan-ion to Brass Instruments ed. Trevor Herbert and JohnWallace (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997),62 64. Some of the theoretical treatises that mention thecornett are Aurelio Virgilianos Il dolcimelo (c. 1590),Michael Praetoriuss Syntagma Musicum (in three volumes,1615 1619), and Mersennes Harmonie universelle(1635). The most extensive instructions on playing thecornett appear in Bistmantovas Compendium musicale(1677).

4 Bruce Dickey. Varii esercitii per cornetto (Bologna: Private-ly published, 1992). Michael Collver. 222 Chopbusters forthe Cornett (Privately published, 2000). Jeremy West andSusan Smith. How to Play the Cornett. (London: JW Mus-ic Publications, 1995, revised in 1997).

5 Bruce Dickey. Cornett and Sackbut in A PerformersGuide to Seventeenth-Century Music. Ed. Stewart Carter(New York: Schirmer, 1997), 98 115. Douglas Kirk.Cornett in A Performers Guide to Renaissance Music. Ed.Jeffrey Kite-Powell (New York: Schirmer, 1994), 79 96.Ralph Dudgeon. A Handbook for the Cornetto in Inter-national Trumpet Guild Journal Vol. 3, No. 1 (October1976).

6 Hotteterre, Jacques Martin. Principles of the Flute, Recorderand Oboe [Paris, 1707]. Translated with Introduction andNotes by Paul Marshall Douglas. (Mineola, NY: Dover,1968) It should be noted that the recorder can be claimedas an ancestor of the oboe as well as the flute. While theoboe certainly developed from the double-reed shawm,many 18th-century musicians doubled on the flute andthe oboe, which employed the same fingering patterns.For example, Quantz played cornett as well as the flute,oboe, recorder, violin, trumpet, and cello. Johann JoachimQuantz, Versuch einer Anweisung die Flte traversiere zuspielen [On Playing the Flute. Berlin, 1752] Second Edit-ion. Translated with notes by Edward R. Reilley (Boston:Northeastern University Press, 2001), xii xiii. Medievaland Renaissance stadtpfeifer and pifarri [pipers] wererenowned for their versatility.

7 Stewart Carter, The Salem Cornetts in Historic BrassSociety Journal 15 (2002): 296 303. Carters article con-cerns Salem, North Carolina. See also Baines, 262.

8 Harry Haskell, The Early Music Revival: A History. (Min-eola, NY: Dover, 1996), 9.

9 John Butt, Playing with History: The Historical Approach toMusical Performance (Cambridge: Cambridge UniversityPress, 2002), 3 50. See also Peter Kivy, Authenticities:Philosophical Reflections on Musical Performance (Ithaca:Cornell University Press, 1995); Richard Tarushkin, Textand Act (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995); LydiaGoehr, The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works: An Essayin the Philosophy of Music (Oxford: Clarendon, 1992).

10 Haskell, 179. A picture of Hindemith playing the cornettat the Berlin Academy of Music in 1933 is available online

(http://www.hindemith.org/E/paul-hindemith/life.htm).11 Haskell, 108 109, 145. Nikolaus Harnoncourt was par-

ticularly inspired by Hindemiths performances. 12 Michael Collver and Bruce Dickey. A Catalog of Music for

the Cornett. (Bloomington: Indiana University Press,1996).

13 The Trapp Family Singers. Enjoy Your Recorder. (Sharon,CT: Magnamusic Distributors, 1954). Many beginningsoprano recorder methods are written for elementaryschool general music instruction and move at a slow ped-agogical pace. That is not the case with this excellentmethod by the Austrian musical family of The Sound ofMusic fame. It includes satisfying quality repertoire andassumes that students already possess a working knowl-edge of musical notation and basic theory. A good sourcefor technical advice on breathing, blowing, fingerings andtonguing is Frances Baker. The Recorder Players Compan-ion (Albany, CA: PRB Productions, 1994).

14 Although Renaissance alto recorders pitched in G do exist(which use fingerings identical to the treble cornett), theyare rare and expensive instruments. Purchasing a goodwooden cornett would be a much wiser investment. Also,some sources label the treble cornett as being pitched in Abecause the instrument plays A with all the finger holescovered as well as with no finger holes. The cornett ispitched in G because of the instruments length, eventhough there is no 7th hole for the pinky of the right handto play the low G.

15 Rene Fleming. The Inner Voice: The Making of a Singer(New York: Viking, 2004), 16 55. Hardly a tell-all mem-oir, Flemings book primarily concerns the development ofher vocal technique and career in astute detail. Of course,listening to any of Flemings fine recordings is highly rec-ommended. A collection like Rene Fleming: By Request(Decca CD, B0000C3ICO, 2003) is a good place to start.

16 Jeffrey Nussbaum. Cornetto and Serpent Makers World-wide. In Historic Brass Society Newsletter 12 (1999): 10 12.

17 http://www.jeremywest.co.uk/cmi/cornetts.html; resincornetts are tuned in meantone temperament and pitchedat A=440.

18 Elisa Koehler, An Interview with Kiri Tollaksen Inter-national Trumpet Guild Journal Vol. 28, No. 4 (June2004), 39 41.

19 An exceptional tool for developing a controlled, efficientembouchure is James Thompsons Buzzing Book (EditionsBIM, 2001). Thompsons well-written introduction out-lines embouchure mechanics very clearly. Jeremy West(25) notes, As you move up the register the best practiceis to keep the lips bunched, the corners of the mouthtight, and the tongue flat and relaxed. You can achieveeverything you need by increasing the airflow with yourabdominal muscles. West also cautions cornettists tothink about maintaining the poised and relaxed attitudeof lower register playing: open throat, bunched embou-chure but open aperture, and lots of support from yourlungs.

20 Yoshimichi Hamada, The Side Embouchure in HistoricBrass Society Newsletter No. 5 (1993). See also DouglasKirk, Cornett in A Performers Guide to Renaissance Mus-

Continued on Page 31


ic (New York: Schirmer, 1994), 87 88. Bruce Dickey,Cornett and Sackbut in A Performers Guide to Seven-teenth-Century Music (New York: Schirmer, 1997), 108.Jeremy West with Susan Smith, How to Play the Cornett(London: JW Publications, 1997), 9. Some contend thatthe side embouchure for the cornett was employed toavoid interference with a center embouchure used foranother wind or brass instrument.

21 Some of the models are named for the players who usethem: Michael Laird and David Staff. Allan Dean has alsoachieved good results on a cornett with a larger mouth-piece.

22 West, 5.23 West, 6.24 The few that do exist have very shallow cups and paper

thin backbores; this generates an entirely different conceptfrom a large, deep mouthpiece. Susan Smith, A Caco-phony of Cornettists in Historic Brass Society NewsletterNo. 9 (1996), 28.

25 Some cornettists prefer to affix an improvised thumb reston the instrument for the right hand. While this may be auseful aid for some players, it is not recommended fordeveloping an optimal level of technical facility.

26 Jeremy Wests book includes several pages of good begin-ning exercises which he affectionately calls a cornettonursery (59 61).

27 I am indebted to Kiri Tollaksen for this helpful exercise. 28 Bruce Haynes, A History of Performing Pitch: The Story of

A (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2002), xxxiii xxxvi. 29 Haynes, 79.30 The system is formally known as Quarter Comma Mean-

tone. Herbert W. Myers, Tuning and Temperament inA Performers Guide to Seventeenth-Century Music. Ed.Stewart Carter (New York: Schirmer: 1997), 318 324.Before meantone, musicians favored Pythagorean tuning,which actually favored pure wide fifths, but had highthirds and high leading tones.

31 Dickey, Cornett and Sackbut, 109 110. GanassisOpera intulata Fontegara (Venice, 1545) is an excellent his-toric source for information on articulation.

32 West, 30.

Cornett continued from page 25

Cover SheetIntroductionThe Cornett and the Early Music RevivalPreliminary StudyFigure 1: Two cornettsFinding an InstrumentMouthpiecesInstrument CareFigure 2: Two mouthpiecesFinger TechniqueHelping HandsFigure 3: Hand positionFingering chartFigure 4: Playing postureBeginning to PlayTuning and TemperamentArticulationFigure 5: CD coverRepertoire and OrnamentationFurther StudyRecommended ResourcesSelected RepertoireDuetsSolo LiteratureCornett SoloistsEnsembles

BibliographyHistorical SourcesStudy MaterialBooksWeb Sites

About the AuthorEndnotes

200601 Cornett

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