A Survey of Solo Repertoire for Cornet

Abstract

The cornet is a brass instrument that has impacted large facets of musical repertoire, brass instrument design and brass pedagogy. The trumpet eventually became the primary soprano brass instrument of choice because of projection and brilliance. Cornets are now featured in British-style Brass Bands and by select classical and jazz soloists.

The ‘cornet a pistons’ was integrated into symphonic writing in the early nineteenth century. With the invention of the valves in 1815, this instrument was able to play chromatically. Cornets were able to change keys quickly within symphonic pieces while natural trumpets had to change crooks to match the key.

My dissertation focuses on cornet solo repertoire in different eras of musical history. The recitals are organized by specific movements in musical eras. The first recital focused on the early New Orleans style of jazz cornet. The second recital focused on the use of the cornet in hard-bop and post-bop. The final recital focused on American and European classical pieces for cornet and piano.