Cornett: Encyclopedia II - Cornett - Music for the cornett

Cornett - Music for the cornett

Historically, the cornett was frequently used in consort with sackbutts (2 cornetts, 3 sackbutts), often to double a church choir. This was particularly popular in Venetian churches such as the Basilica San Marco, where extensive instrumental accompaniment was encouraged, particularly in use with antiphonal choirs. Giovanni Bassano was an example of a virtuoso early player of the cornett, and Giovanni Gabrieli wrote much of his resplendent polychoral music with him in mind. Heinrich Schütz also used the instrument extensively, especially in his earlier work; he had studied in Venice with Gabrieli and was acquainted with Bassano's playing.

The cornett was, like almost all Renaissance instruments, made in a complete family; the different sizes being the high cornettino, the cornetto, the tenor cornett (or lizard) and the rare bass cornett (the serpent was preferred to the bass cornett). Other versions include the mute cornett, which is a straight narrow-bore instrument with no mouthpiece, quiet enough to be used in a consort of viols or even recorders.

The cornett was also used as a virtuoso solo instrument, though not much cornett music survives. The use of the instrument had largely died out by 1700. It was last scored for by Gluck, in his opera Orfeo ed Euridice (he suggested the soprano trombone as an alternative). As a point of interest, Gluck was also the last person to score for the recorder, in the same opera.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Music for the cornett", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki