Cornett

The cornett (also spelled cornetto, cornetta; German: Zink; French: cornet à bouquin; Italian: cornetto) is an early wind instrument that combines aspects of both brass and woodwind instruments. It is typically made of wood, ivory, or horn, and covered with leather. It features a conical bore and a cup mouthpiece similar to that of a trumpet or trombone, but has fingerholes like a recorder or shawm.

The cornett produces a sound somewhere between a trumpet and a recorder, and requires a specific embouchure technique to play accurately. The tone is often described as bright and agile.

There were several varieties of cornett, including the curved cornett (cornetto curvo), the straight cornett (cornetto diritto), and the mute cornett (cornetto muto, also known as a Lysarden or little serpent), each with slightly different characteristics. The mute cornett had a softer, more subdued sound.

The cornett reached its peak of popularity during the Renaissance and early Baroque periods (roughly 1500-1650), being used extensively in both sacred and secular music. It was often used to double or replace vocal lines, and was known for its ability to play complex and ornamented passages. Notable composers who wrote for the cornett include Giovanni Gabrieli, Claudio Monteverdi, and Heinrich Schütz.

By the late Baroque era, the cornett gradually fell out of favor, replaced by instruments such as the violin and the trumpet, which were considered more versatile and easier to play in tune. Its use declined significantly, and it became relatively rare by the 18th century.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, there has been a revival of interest in the cornett, with performers specializing in early music seeking to recreate the sounds and techniques of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Modern cornett players often use replicas of historical instruments.