372
7 The Amazing Diversity of Brass Instruments
have not always been the same. It is generally accepted that the designs of both
instruments have converged since the introduction of the cornet in the 1830s, with
the differences between trumpets and cornets becoming less obvious (Campbell et
al. 2020).
In the mid–late nineteenth century a cornet was pitched in 4
1
2 -ft B or higher,
possibly with crooks for lower nominal pitches, had an approximately conical bore
profile between mouthpiece receiver and valves, and had a short, horn-influenced
wrap; at this time a valve trumpet was commonly pitched in 5-ft G, 6-ft F or lower,
had a predominantly cylindrical bore profile from mouthpiece receiver for at least
half the sounding length, and had a long, natural trumpet-influenced wrap. The
mouthpieces, too, were not interchangeable and differed in cup shape. By the early
twentieth century both were commonly pitched in 4
1
2 -ft B and had an expanding
bore profile between mouthpiece receiver and valves. Cornets dispensed with the
detachable shanks and crooks (which accommodated much of the bore expansion
between mouthpiece receiver and valves), but the fixed-mouthpipe models have
retained the narrower mouthpiece receiver. The trumpet has always been used with a
mouthpiece with a wider tapered stem than a cornet and thus had a wider mouthpiece
receiver. Modern B-flat trumpets have a constriction in the mouthpipe which is
followed by an approximately conical bore expansion to the valves. Mouthpieces
will often be provided by makers with exactly the same cup and rim shape for
cornets and trumpets (to ease transition for musicians who play both).
The cornet in 4
1
2 -ft B shown in Fig. 7.18 is typical of mid–late nineteenth
century models; the valve trumpet in 4
1
2 -ft B shown in Fig. 7.19 is a typical of
early twentieth century models. The complete bore profiles of these two instruments,
illustrated in Fig. 7.52, are very similar, and it would be hard to claim that the cornet
is significantly more conical than the trumpet. Trumpet bell end diameters are on
average slightly smaller than those of cornets, but both range significantly and the
ranges overlap, so bell size cannot be used as a distinguishing feature. The most
reliable distinction between trumpets and cornets is in the width of the mouthpiece
receiver.
Figure 7.53 shows a plot of brassiness potential and minimum bore for typical
cornets and trumpets; a group of flugelhorns is included for comparison. There is
a clear distinction between the group of cornets (B in the range 0.57 to 0.61) and
the group of relatively early valve trumpets in B (B in the range 0.70 to 0.76).
While cornet bore profiles have changed relatively little, the later valve trumpets
show a progression through the twentieth century to more constricted mouthpipes
and lower values of B, probably to allow playing at higher dynamic levels without
excessive cuivré effect. The remaining differences between cornets and these later
trumpets are limited to wrap (and thus general appearance) and mouthpiece receiver
taper. The timbral difference between a cornet and a late valve trumpet with the
same minimum bore and brassiness potential depends not so much on properties of
the instrument but on the player’s mouthpiece choice and technique.
In the late nineteenth century, orchestral trumpet parts were frequently played on
cornets: even with careful mouthpiece selection and playing techniques, the timbre
7 The Amazing Diversity of Brass Instruments
have not always been the same. It is generally accepted that the designs of both
instruments have converged since the introduction of the cornet in the 1830s, with
the differences between trumpets and cornets becoming less obvious (Campbell et
al. 2020).
In the mid–late nineteenth century a cornet was pitched in 4
1
2 -ft B or higher,
possibly with crooks for lower nominal pitches, had an approximately conical bore
profile between mouthpiece receiver and valves, and had a short, horn-influenced
wrap; at this time a valve trumpet was commonly pitched in 5-ft G, 6-ft F or lower,
had a predominantly cylindrical bore profile from mouthpiece receiver for at least
half the sounding length, and had a long, natural trumpet-influenced wrap. The
mouthpieces, too, were not interchangeable and differed in cup shape. By the early
twentieth century both were commonly pitched in 4
1
2 -ft B and had an expanding
bore profile between mouthpiece receiver and valves. Cornets dispensed with the
detachable shanks and crooks (which accommodated much of the bore expansion
between mouthpiece receiver and valves), but the fixed-mouthpipe models have
retained the narrower mouthpiece receiver. The trumpet has always been used with a
mouthpiece with a wider tapered stem than a cornet and thus had a wider mouthpiece
receiver. Modern B-flat trumpets have a constriction in the mouthpipe which is
followed by an approximately conical bore expansion to the valves. Mouthpieces
will often be provided by makers with exactly the same cup and rim shape for
cornets and trumpets (to ease transition for musicians who play both).
The cornet in 4
1
2 -ft B shown in Fig. 7.18 is typical of mid–late nineteenth
century models; the valve trumpet in 4
1
2 -ft B shown in Fig. 7.19 is a typical of
early twentieth century models. The complete bore profiles of these two instruments,
illustrated in Fig. 7.52, are very similar, and it would be hard to claim that the cornet
is significantly more conical than the trumpet. Trumpet bell end diameters are on
average slightly smaller than those of cornets, but both range significantly and the
ranges overlap, so bell size cannot be used as a distinguishing feature. The most
reliable distinction between trumpets and cornets is in the width of the mouthpiece
receiver.
Figure 7.53 shows a plot of brassiness potential and minimum bore for typical
cornets and trumpets; a group of flugelhorns is included for comparison. There is
a clear distinction between the group of cornets (B in the range 0.57 to 0.61) and
the group of relatively early valve trumpets in B (B in the range 0.70 to 0.76).
While cornet bore profiles have changed relatively little, the later valve trumpets
show a progression through the twentieth century to more constricted mouthpipes
and lower values of B, probably to allow playing at higher dynamic levels without
excessive cuivré effect. The remaining differences between cornets and these later
trumpets are limited to wrap (and thus general appearance) and mouthpiece receiver
taper. The timbral difference between a cornet and a late valve trumpet with the
same minimum bore and brassiness potential depends not so much on properties of
the instrument but on the player’s mouthpiece choice and technique.
In the late nineteenth century, orchestral trumpet parts were frequently played on
cornets: even with careful mouthpiece selection and playing techniques, the timbre