The cornettino (plural cornettini) is the descant instrument of the cornetto family. Cornettini usually have a primary scale of C or D major, with middle C or the adjacent D the pedal note of the instrument. The regular cornett is the 'treble' instrument of the family.
Like the cornetto, the cornettino was originally made from two pieces of wood, carved out and glued together. The instrument was covered in leather or parchment to prevent leaks and improve the grip for the player. Some instruments were made from ivory and these instruments were, accordingly, not covered in leather. The mouthpieces were made from animal horn, bone or ivory. Some instruments featured metal mountings at one or both ends of the instrument; these mountings help prevent the fraying of the leather or parchment and were decorative. Silver and gold were used for these mountings. Some modern instruments are made from a plastic such as ABS resin.
HistoryEdit
Cornettini were common in the high Renaissance and the Baroque musical periods. They were featured extensively in Northern European music and ignored almost entirely by Southern European composers, except those who migrated north. In the time of Michael Praetorius, the cornettino seems to have sometimes been used in sacred vocal music to play in unison with voices (especially tenors) an octave higher. Later in the 17th century, Northern European composers frequently used cornettini in large scale Masses, cantatas and other sacred music. The cornettino was favoured by the Stadtpfeiffen and composers like Johann Caspar Horn and Matthias Spiegler wrote a significant quantity of consort music featuring one to three cornettini. It appears that the cornettino continued to be used, primarily in church music and in Stadtpfeiffer bands, in some places in Europe until the late 18th century. Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Sebastian Bach used the cornettino in several church cantatas.
TessituraEdit
The tessitura or compass/range of the cornettino is c' (C4) to around g" (G5)'. A player with a strong embouchure may be able to coax higher notes from this instrument. (C4 is middle C.)
PitchEdit
Almost all surviving specimens of this instrument are pitched circa a' = 466 Hz or higher. Like organs, cornetts and trombones, the cornettino was regarded as primarily an ecclesiastical instrument and hence was constructed in Chor-ton (choir pitch) or Kornett-ton[clarification needed] pitch. Pitch standards at the time varied widely.
TimbreEdit
The timbre of the cornettino is more pungent, brighter and a little more incisive than that of the regular cornetto. Cornettini were frequently used in large consorts and orchestras in the company of trumpets and high violin parts. The timbre of the instrument seems to have been regarded by 17th century Northern European composers as very agreeable juxtaposed the natural trumpets of the time which featured a conical bell and a much more "oboe-like" sound and the violins pitched at a' = 466 Hz. The second and third octaves of the cornettino can be made to sound piercing. The primary/fundamental octave has an agreeable "reedy" quality, which is reminiscent of the later oboe.
VariantsEdit
A small number (three: one in Nuremberg; two in Vienna) of mute cornettini (id estdescant mute cornetti) have survived and these instruments are straight, like their treble and alto counterparts, with an integral mouthpiece. No extant music for the mute cornettino has yet come to light and the function of this instrument remains obscure. The surviving score of the large scale madrigal, Udite chiari e generosi figli à 16 voci, by Giovanni Gabrieli, requires a cornetto muto on the cantus line of Choro I. Since this part requires the instrument to play up to a", a mute cornettino may have been intended by the composer - certainly this part would be readily playable on such an instrument, although, the tessitura of the part is well within the compass of a regular mute cornett in G or F.
Matthias Spiegler Canzon à 2: Cornettino, Fagotto, Organo.
Matthias Spiegler Canzon à 3: 2 Violini ô 2 Cornettini, Fagotto, Organo.
Matthias Spiegler Capriccio à 3: 2 Cornettini, Fagotto, Organo.
Giovanni ValentiniSonata à 4: Violino, Cornettino, Trombone, Fagotto, Organo.
Matthias WeckmannSonata à 4[10 sonatas with same scoring]: Cornettino, Violino, Trombone ["o Viola da braccio" in one sonata], Fagotto ["o Bombard" in several], Basso continuo.
Crato BütnerDeus in adjiutorium meum intende à 7, 12: SSATB in concerto, SSATB in ripieno [composer suggests the ripieni may be replaced by 2 Cornetti & 3 Tromboni), 2 Violini, 2 Cornettini, 2 Viole, Viola basso, Bombard grosso.
Crato BütnerSiehe, es hat überwunden à 14,18: SSATTB in concerto, SATB in ripieno, 2 Violini, 2 Cornettini, 2 Trombettae, 3 Tromboni, Viola basso, Bombard grosso.
Samuel Friedrich CapricornusDer Herr ist mein Hirte: SSATTB, 2 Cornettini, 2 Violini, 4 Tromboni o 3 Viole e Fagotto, Basso continuo.
Maurizio CazzatiDeus in Adjutorium meum intende à 7 vel 12: Choir I SATTB; Choir II SATTB ripieno, doubled by Cornetto, 4 Tromboni; 2 Violini, 2 Cornettini, Basso viola, Bombard basso, Fagotto, Organo.
Johann Melchior GletleExpeditionis musicae classis II ... Op. II, 166839 Psalmi Breves All scored thus: SSATB concertato, SSATB in cappella, 2 Violini o 2 Cornettini, 2 Violae o 2 Tromboni, Fagotto o Trombone, Violone, Organo.
Andreas HammerschmidtFreue dich, du Tochter Zion à 6: SSTB 2 Cornettini, Basso continuo.
Andreas HammerschmidtWarlich ich sage euch à 7: SSSTB, 2 Cornettini, Basso continuo.
Johann Caspar Horn Lasst uns aus spatzieren fahren: SS, 2 Cornettini, 2 Voilae, Fagotto, Basso continuo.
Sebastian KnüpferHerr, ich habe lieb die Städte deines Hauses: ATB, 2 Cornettini, Trombone, Basso continuo.
Sebastian KnüpferIch Habe dich zum Licht der Heiden gemacht à 16: SATTB in concerto, SATTB in cappella, 2 Violini, 3 Viole, 2 Cornettini, 3 Tromboni, Fagotto, Organo.
Sebastian KnüpferJauchzet dem Herrn alle Welt à 17: SATB, SATB, SATB in ripieno, 2 Violini, 3 Viole, 2 Trombettae, 2 Cornettini, Cornetto, 2 Tromboni, Fagotto, Organo.
Sebastian KnüpferO benignissime Jesu à 6, 10: ATB concertato, SATB ripieno, 2 Violini o 2 Cornettini, Viola da Gamba o Bombard o Trombone, Organo.
Sebastian KnüpferSuper flumina Babylonis à 10, 15, 19: SATB in concerto, SATB in cappella, 2 Violini, 3 Viole, 2 Cornettini, 3 Tromboni, Fagotto, Organo, Basso continuo.
Sebastian KnüpferSurgite, populi à 26, 34: SATB in concerto, SATB in cappella, SATB in concerto, SATB in cappella, 5 Trombettae, Timpani, 2 Cornettini, Cornetto muto, 3 Tromboni, 2 Violini, 3 Violae, Fagotto, Organo.
Sebastian KnüpferVeni Sancte Spiritus à 20, 25, o 30: SSATB in concerto, SSATB in ripieno, 4 Trombettae, Timpani, 2 Cornettini, 3 Tromboni, 2 Violini, 2 Violae, Fagotto, 5 unspecified instruments ripieno, Basso continuo.
Sebastian KnüpferChrist lag in Todesbanden à 19: SSATB in concerto, SSATB in cappella, Cornettino, 3 Bombarden, Violino piccolo, Violino, 3 Violae, Basso continuo.
Johann Albrecht Kress In te Domine speravi: Alto, Cornettino, Basso continuo.
The cornettino was also known as: Cornettin [Cornettinen], Kornettin, Quart-Zink, Klein Discant Zink, Klein Diskant Zink, Diskant Zink, Krummer Diskant Zink and corñio (as in Bach's chorale cantataChristum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 121). The accepted English plurals of "cornettino" are "cornettini" and "cornettinos".
cornettino, cornettino, plural, cornettini, descant, instrument, cornetto, family, cornettini, usually, have, primary, scale, major, with, middle, adjacent, pedal, note, instrument, regular, cornett, treble, instrument, family, contents, construction, history,. The cornettino plural cornettini is the descant instrument of the cornetto family Cornettini usually have a primary scale of C or D major with middle C or the adjacent D the pedal note of the instrument The regular cornett is the treble instrument of the family CornettinoContents 1 Construction 2 History 3 Tessitura 4 Pitch 5 Timbre 6 Variants 7 Repertoire 8 Nomenclature 9 See also 10 ReferencesConstruction EditLike the cornetto the cornettino was originally made from two pieces of wood carved out and glued together The instrument was covered in leather or parchment to prevent leaks and improve the grip for the player Some instruments were made from ivory and these instruments were accordingly not covered in leather The mouthpieces were made from animal horn bone or ivory Some instruments featured metal mountings at one or both ends of the instrument these mountings help prevent the fraying of the leather or parchment and were decorative Silver and gold were used for these mountings Some modern instruments are made from a plastic such as ABS resin History EditCornettini were common in the high Renaissance and the Baroque musical periods They were featured extensively in Northern European music and ignored almost entirely by Southern European composers except those who migrated north In the time of Michael Praetorius the cornettino seems to have sometimes been used in sacred vocal music to play in unison with voices especially tenors an octave higher Later in the 17th century Northern European composers frequently used cornettini in large scale Masses cantatas and other sacred music The cornettino was favoured by the Stadtpfeiffen and composers like Johann Caspar Horn and Matthias Spiegler wrote a significant quantity of consort music featuring one to three cornettini It appears that the cornettino continued to be used primarily in church music and in Stadtpfeiffer bands in some places in Europe until the late 18th century Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Sebastian Bach used the cornettino in several church cantatas Tessitura EditThe tessitura or compass range of the cornettino is c C4 to around g G5 A player with a strong embouchure may be able to coax higher notes from this instrument C4 is middle C Pitch EditAlmost all surviving specimens of this instrument are pitched circa a 466 Hz or higher Like organs cornetts and trombones the cornettino was regarded as primarily an ecclesiastical instrument and hence was constructed in Chor ton choir pitch or Kornett ton clarification needed pitch Pitch standards at the time varied widely Timbre EditThe timbre of the cornettino is more pungent brighter and a little more incisive than that of the regular cornetto Cornettini were frequently used in large consorts and orchestras in the company of trumpets and high violin parts The timbre of the instrument seems to have been regarded by 17th century Northern European composers as very agreeable juxtaposed the natural trumpets of the time which featured a conical bell and a much more oboe like sound and the violins pitched at a 466 Hz The second and third octaves of the cornettino can be made to sound piercing The primary fundamental octave has an agreeable reedy quality which is reminiscent of the later oboe Variants EditA small number three one in Nuremberg two in Vienna of mute cornettini id est descant mute cornetti have survived and these instruments are straight like their treble and alto counterparts with an integral mouthpiece No extant music for the mute cornettino has yet come to light and the function of this instrument remains obscure The surviving score of the large scale madrigal Udite chiari e generosi figli a 16 voci by Giovanni Gabrieli requires a cornetto muto on the cantus line of Choro I Since this part requires the instrument to play up to a a mute cornettino may have been intended by the composer certainly this part would be readily playable on such an instrument although the tessitura of the part is well within the compass of a regular mute cornett in G or F Repertoire EditSome composers who specified the use of the cornettino in their scores include Michael Praetorius Heinrich Schutz Johann Heinrich Schmelzer Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber Matthias Weckmann Antonio Bertali Johann Caspar Horn Johann Erasmus Kindermann Matthias Spiegler Johann Vierdanck Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann A small selection of extant works featuring the cornettino Antonio Bertali Sonata Sancti Leopoldi a 14 2 Violini 2 Cornettini 2 Clarini 3 Violettae Cornetto muto 4 Tromboni Organo Kaspar Forster Sonata a 7 instrom 2 Violini 2 Cornettini Viola da braccio Fagotto Violone Basso continuo Johann Heinrich Schmelzer Sonata II a otto due cori Violino 3 Violae Cornettino 3 Tromboni Organo Johann Heinrich Schmelzer Sonata XII a sette 2 Cornettini 2 Trombettae 3 Tromboni Organo Matthias Spiegler Canzon a 2 Cornettino Fagotto Organo Matthias Spiegler Canzon a 3 2 Violini o 2 Cornettini Fagotto Organo Matthias Spiegler Capriccio a 3 2 Cornettini Fagotto Organo Giovanni Valentini Sonata a 4 Violino Cornettino Trombone Fagotto Organo Matthias Weckmann Sonata a 4 10 sonatas with same scoring Cornettino Violino Trombone o Viola da braccio in one sonata Fagotto o Bombard in several Basso continuo Crato Butner Deus in adjiutorium meum intende a 7 12 SSATB in concerto SSATB in ripieno composer suggests the ripieni may be replaced by 2 Cornetti amp 3 Tromboni 2 Violini 2 Cornettini 2 Viole Viola basso Bombard grosso Crato Butner Siehe es hat uberwunden a 14 18 SSATTB in concerto SATB in ripieno 2 Violini 2 Cornettini 2 Trombettae 3 Tromboni Viola basso Bombard grosso Samuel Friedrich Capricornus Der Herr ist mein Hirte SSATTB 2 Cornettini 2 Violini 4 Tromboni o 3 Viole e Fagotto Basso continuo Maurizio Cazzati Deus in Adjutorium meum intende a 7 vel 12 Choir I SATTB Choir II SATTB ripieno doubled by Cornetto 4 Tromboni 2 Violini 2 Cornettini Basso viola Bombard basso Fagotto Organo Johann Melchior Gletle Expeditionis musicae classis II Op II 1668 39 Psalmi Breves All scored thus SSATB concertato SSATB in cappella 2 Violini o 2 Cornettini 2 Violae o 2 Tromboni Fagotto o Trombone Violone Organo Andreas Hammerschmidt Freue dich du Tochter Zion a 6 SSTB 2 Cornettini Basso continuo Andreas Hammerschmidt O ihr lieben Hirten a 6 SATB 2 Cornettini Basso continuo Andreas Hammerschmidt Was meinestu wil aus dem Kindlein werden a 5 ATB 2 Cornettini Basso continuo Andreas Hammerschmidt Gelobet sey der Herr a 4 AB 2 Cornettini Basso continuo Andreas Hammerschmidt Warlich ich sage euch a 7 SSSTB 2 Cornettini Basso continuo Johann Caspar Horn Lasst uns aus spatzieren fahren SS 2 Cornettini 2 Voilae Fagotto Basso continuo Sebastian Knupfer Herr ich habe lieb die Stadte deines Hauses ATB 2 Cornettini Trombone Basso continuo Sebastian Knupfer Ich Habe dich zum Licht der Heiden gemacht a 16 SATTB in concerto SATTB in cappella 2 Violini 3 Viole 2 Cornettini 3 Tromboni Fagotto Organo Sebastian Knupfer Jauchzet dem Herrn alle Welt a 17 SATB SATB SATB in ripieno 2 Violini 3 Viole 2 Trombettae 2 Cornettini Cornetto 2 Tromboni Fagotto Organo Sebastian Knupfer O benignissime Jesu a 6 10 ATB concertato SATB ripieno 2 Violini o 2 Cornettini Viola da Gamba o Bombard o Trombone Organo Sebastian Knupfer Super flumina Babylonis a 10 15 19 SATB in concerto SATB in cappella 2 Violini 3 Viole 2 Cornettini 3 Tromboni Fagotto Organo Basso continuo Sebastian Knupfer Surgite populi a 26 34 SATB in concerto SATB in cappella SATB in concerto SATB in cappella 5 Trombettae Timpani 2 Cornettini Cornetto muto 3 Tromboni 2 Violini 3 Violae Fagotto Organo Sebastian Knupfer Veni Sancte Spiritus a 20 25 o 30 SSATB in concerto SSATB in ripieno 4 Trombettae Timpani 2 Cornettini 3 Tromboni 2 Violini 2 Violae Fagotto 5 unspecified instruments ripieno Basso continuo Sebastian Knupfer Christ lag in Todesbanden a 19 SSATB in concerto SSATB in cappella Cornettino 3 Bombarden Violino piccolo Violino 3 Violae Basso continuo Johann Albrecht Kress In te Domine speravi Alto Cornettino Basso continuo Works by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber and Andreas Hofer specify the cornetto in a number of sacred compositions but one may presume that such parts were intended to be played on cornettini on account of the tessitura of such parts The Missa Salisburgensis a 53 voci is an example Nomenclature EditThe cornettino was also known as Cornettin Cornettinen Kornettin Quart Zink Klein Discant Zink Klein Diskant Zink Diskant Zink Krummer Diskant Zink and cornio as in Bach s chorale cantata Christum wir sollen loben schon BWV 121 The accepted English plurals of cornettino are cornettini and cornettinos See also EditCornett Tenor cornett Mute Cornett Alto Cornett Bass Cornett SackbutReferences EditA Catalogue of Music for the Cornett by Bruce Dickey and Michael Collver Indiana University Press 1996 ISBN 0 253 20974 9 Woodwind Instruments and their History by Anthony Baines Faber and Faber Limited c Anthony Baines Third Edition 1967 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cornettino amp oldid 1178129467, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
