camelbrass

I grew up playing in brass bands so I'm always ready to pull out the cornet if the situation calls for it and always when I'm practicing the Arban or Clarke solos...it just fits better (and I find them easier on cornet). I play an old Besson with the deepest GR mouthpiece.

The comment about cornetists versus trumpeters is interesting. I've always suspected that the distinction has more to do with concept rather than the instrument you're actually holding.

Regards,


Trevor

Joe DiMonte

Chez Cornet

I had the honor and pleasure of teaching at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory for two weeks back in the mid 1990's at the invitation of Mravinsky's legendary trumpeter, Veniamin Margolin. In addition to hearing some of the loudest trumpet students anywhere (Brantissimo!), I also enjoyed many vodka soaked conversations with Prof. Margolin covering stories of the old Leningrad Philharmonic, our students, and the state of world trumpet playing. A pattern emerged in these conversations: names such as Bud Herseth, Maurice Murphy, and Peter Masseurs were always identified by Margolin as "great trumpeters" while names such as Maurice André, John Wallace, Timofey Dokshitzer, and Reinhold Friederich emerged as "great cornetists". It was obvious that this distinguished Russian orchestral trumpeter considered all trumpet soloists as "cornetists", in spite of rarely performing on our conical cousin.

First,I'm neither a musician nor a trumpeter.
Secondly,I appreciate how he seperated the trumpeters from the cornetists
but disagree with the conclusion that all trumpet soloists as cornetists.

Having watched and listened to the great Jazz trumpet players for over 45+ years,Nat Adderley stood out as a great cornet player.
However,I cannot honestly say the same about him in the "Wide World of Trumpets/Fluglehorns" :) as the field was wide and deep.

ilikethetrumpet

cornet memory: My dad is a brass bander, and in seventh grade, I used paper route money to buy myself a Bach 184 XL bore (at Evanston Band and orchestra's "bach day") and really cherished the sound. My father, a falcone-trained euphonomist, was trying to teach me a point, I think, about edge by steering me towards the cornet. Lately, I have begun to appreciate "edge" in certain settings as a player, but I still love going back to the cornet. Freshman year in high school I was still playing on that cornet exclusively and everyone looked at me strange in high school band.

Then I went to symphony center and heard wynton do L'Historie and "the fiddler's tale." The group had david schifrin, i can't quite remember who (but he is a big name, I'm just blanking) on trombone, just top notch people--a young stefan harris on percussion. Wynton played the most colorful, beautiful, blending, character-filled cornet (I think it was a monette, but what does that matter). Of course, I was in the gallery, but I could hear so crystal clear. I know alot of people jump on Wynton, but that was an exciting night, to hear the cornet played so well. I only wished I had appreciated stravinsky then as I do now. That, in addition to some brass band albums, helped me realize i wasn't on a "baby trumpet."

ecarroll

ilike,

I too started on the cornet; an Olds Super, rented from Lyon & Healy in Chicago when I was 6. My own boys (now a sophmore and junior in high school) play both the piano and cornet/trumpet.

When I offered to buy my youngest a trumpet last year, his response was "but I'm a cornetist, Dad . . . ". I guess he's another example of an apple falling close to the tree.

Best,
EC

CarnivalOfVenice

I will never forget the day my teacher opened the perpetually-closed closet door behind my chair and carefully removed a certain battered, old, brown case. I was too dumbfounded to be in awe of what was lying within: a cornet. He actually let me play portions of my namesake (Carnival) on it, and I didn't want to let go of this beautiful, rusty instrument. Too bad my Strad's already paid for.

chez cornet truly is gourmet.

Dale Proctor

I have a couple of tasty dishes at my table. The first, a 1990's Bach 184G large bore short cornet, flavored with a gold brass bell and served up with a Bach 6 mouthpiece. A very tasty combo I use in brass band, church, and occasionally in quintet. Nice for a solo piece, too. The other is an 1870's Henry Lehnert side-action rotary valve cornet. Solid nickel-silver, with "Allen" valves, heavily engraved bell. Played with a variety of cornet mouthpieces to suit the venue. Used exclusively in the mid-19th century period brass band I play in.

I play cornet about 70% of the time, and drag out that "vulgar" trumpet only when I am required to do so.

ecarroll

Dale,

70/30 seems very healthy to my ears. A little heavy on the cholesterol, perhaps, but hey. . . you only play once!

Best,
EC

Richard Oliver

I love the cornet. I love everything about it. I really like my Denis Wick 4 mouthpiece and what happens on trumpet when I play it with the Vacchianno 4C (close in diameter). By March, I should have in hand my Getzen 3850. I shall gush.

I saw a quote about "change" awhile back . . . Gladstone or Burke can't recollect who: "Change! Aren't things bad enough already!!"

Sort of my point of view musically. Which to say might be a tad bit "opaque" shall we say. But then, I was on a different planet for 25 years. It's an interesting experience to come back into the trumpet world.

During the short 4 years + or - I studied with Walt Laursen (I can't for the life of recollect the time frame accurately) when I was last playing, prior to this year: Maurice Andre did not have grey hair. Malcomb Mc Nab and just performed the Tchaikovsky violin concerto at that year's ITG. David Hickman looked all business on the cover of his solo album I had bought. "The Incredible Trumpet Virtuosity of Timofei Dokshizer" was incredible. What a sound! Phillip Smith had just come to NY. Gerard Schwart's Cornet Favorites album rocked my world (had come out previously). Andre's "Joy Ride" series was too wonderful. Thomas Stevens was principal at Los Angeles -- I lived in an LA surburb. At the store where I worked, we sold Bach's for $425. Bob Reeves' valve alignment was sorta a new thing (here I might be wrong. was new to me when I had Mr. Reeves align the valves on my Benges). Clifford Blackburn was making leadpipes -- got a nice one from him too for my Bach 72 :)

Well that's all I can muster up at the moment.

Happy Practicing,

Richard Oliver

robertwhite

Ed, I remember reading comments similar to Margolin's in an ITG article a long time ago ( maybe an interview with Selianin? ).

I think the source of such a distinction must be the orchestration practices of 19th century Russian ballet, (which carry on well into the 20th century), of having cornets and trumpets alongside each other in the pit. The French influence on all things cultural probably fostered the bias towards cornetists as the "true" soloists as well as the preference for this sort of orchestration.

Saw Dave Douglas two weeks ago with John Zorn's "Acoustic Masada". He had a Yamaha Xeno cornet and sounded great.

andredub

I think Clark once said the trumpet was the instrument of the devil, and cornet was the thing to play. (He wrote this in a letter to someone, anyone remember what it was and who it was to?)

I've noticed that many of my friends who are really set on being soloists have started out on cornet. I think alot of it relates to the intimacy of the instrument. Personally, I find the cornet better connected to me then a trumpet, and I believe it purely relates to the length in my case. It allows me to hear myself alot better than on my trumpet, and it really brings my mind into focus better. (and my mind is hard to focus!)

Even if this is only something that is relevant to myself, I do find the cornet to be a foundation of my life as a trumpet player, and it seems some other people here as well have cornet roots.

I guess this was just a long way of saying I love the instrument!