Cornett

The cornett is a hybrid aerophone in that it has features in common with brass instruments (a cupped mouthpiece) and with woodwind instruments (a tube with fingerholes). The replica instrument pictured here is a treble, the middle of three sizes in use during the Renaissance and Baroque eras (see cornettino for information on the smallest member of this family, and the detail image for a comparison of the cornett and cornettino). Its greatest period of use was from about 1550-1700, when virtuosos throughout Europe capable of producing extremely florid melodic elaborations were active.

This instrument has a curved body with fingerholes drilled in it (one thumbhole on its back side, six others on top operated by fingers of both hands), a conical bore, and utilizes a cup mouthpiece. The body of this replica instrument is made of resin; traditionally, it would be constructed from two long pieces of wood glued together and covered with thin leather. Before gluing, the instrument's conical bore would be carved out of the slats. The exterior of both historic and replica instruments is planed to produce an octagonal cross section for much of its length, but close to the mouthpiece end there is more elaborate decorative faceting of the surface. A small metal mouthpiece is provided with the replica instrument, but wood, ivory, bone and horn have historically been used to construct mouthpieces.