After studying cornet players and drawing inspiration from them. I’ve been able to pick up some instinctual differences when compared to our trumpet brethren. I’m the kind of person that pays close attention to a musician’s stage presence. You have some musicians who pace across the stage like felines and then there are those who stay planted in one spot looking as if they had roots extending into the stage. The only way you can tell they are playing is if you’re close enough to see their fingers moving. Some musicians are laid back and look as if they are almost meditating while others look like they’re chopping down a tree with a butter knife. They really make it look hard.
Trumpet players and cornet players are two different musical beasts. Trumpet players tend to strut onto a stage and have the appearance of scouting a new territory. Cornetist on the other hand are more laid back. Cornet players float onto the stage almost effortless. With a slight nod the cornetist reassures everyone on stage that they are a team player. We are here to partake in the brotherhood and not take over.
It’s rare these days to see more than one cornetist on a stage in a jazz setting. We have been almost exterminated, but we will be back shortly. Our breed is making a comeback. Trumpet players seem to run in pacts. It’s not uncommon to see allot of them roaming a jazz jam session worth going to. If there is more than one trumpet player on stage, each one would act as if they marked their territory. Each is exercising their valves or tapping their feet. Nodding their heads in approval of their pack members’ improvisational agility is also common. While all this is going on, they are all plotting to play a higher note than the trumpet player before them, when their turn to solo arrives. With their legs spread apart, shoulders raised, and backs arched in a 45 degree angle they will heave their axes to their chops and begin howling away when it ‘s time for them to take a solo. Trumpet players look like they are putting allot of effort into their playing. This is their nature. They must display their power and aggression. With red faces, eyes bulging, and necks blown out of proportion they make sure that everyone knows that they are the creature of that moment and time. If they make mistakes or crack a note they know that the crowd appreciates their effort.
Cornet players make it look easy on the jazz stage. Our approach to the horn is not the same as the trumpet player. Lyrical playing is our forte. We won’t purposely crack a note or play a double F after a long 8 bar 32nd note expression of musical instinct. We know that there aren’t too many of us roaming the jazz clubs. We are solitary and free to be ourselves and no one is going to walk up to us a say that we sound like a famous trumpet player. Most of the time the audience won’t have a clue about what our axe is gong to sound like. Old timers and seasoned musicians might have a clue but even they are confused sometimes. Yes, our instincts are different but this is a good thing. Every horn can’t be a cornet. The music jungle is not that kind.
Totally agree! There may be more trumpet players, but that just makes us different. The less of the same the better we seem. Cornetist for life!
ReplyDeleteI sort of represent what you are hoping for, except I did play French Horn professionally with the Houston Symphony Orchestra for a few years in my mid-20s.
ReplyDeleteAs of Summer 2018, I had not played French Horn in about 10 years and realized I really missed playing a brass instrument. I play piano since 8 years old and play guitars, theremin and sing, but there is no feeling quite as cool as playing a brass instrument. Tons of physical feedback in the entire air column, yay! I did French Horn already and was not interested in playing it again, although it is certainly a most amazing instrument. So, I got on Ebay U.K. and purchased a Besson 600 Bb Cornet. The Besson arrived at the beginning of November, 2018, and I have been loving it since. Of course, I started out playing 3rd Cornet, but within weeks was asked to play 1st in our community band. I guess I am a "beginner with a bit of advantage". This past Monday, I did change mouthpiece from what came with the horn (a Besson 7 - no C) to a Schilke Symphony Series V1. The Besson 7 had too narrow an inside diameter at the rim for me, whereas the Schilke V1 is close to 18mm inside diameter. I played a bored-out-cup Giardinelli C3 French Horn mouthpiece as a pro, which was, by horn standards, pretty giant. The same holds true on cornet for me. I have much easier flexibility, high notes, focus, accuracy, articulation and dynamic range with as big a mouthpiece as I can handle. I will play the Schilke V1 for a good while before trying something larger (there's not much out there, unless you go custom).
Anyway, I will master the Cornet and it will be my primary brass instrument. I will indeed play Trumpet when I get one soon. Cornet is a sweet-toned beauty!