"Cornopean, nominal pitch: B♭ etc"

Cornopean, nominal pitch: B♭ etc | George Smith | 1830-1846

Cornopean, nominal pitch: B♭ etc. Photo by Rui Wang Photograph © The University of Edinburgh

Audio Clips

In England the early cornet was called the cornopean and initially played by keyed bugle players. This instrument has three valves and a clapper key. The key was used to help players perform trills, a type of musical ornament. The combination of valves and key made the cornopean a versatile instrument and it quickly replaced the keyed bugle in amateur bands.The typical British version of the cornet-pistons, with a`clapper key’ for playing trills. With shanks for Bb and A, crooks for Ab, G and F. Lent by J.W. Phillips.

Cornopean

Instrument Data

Instrument Information

Title

Cornopean, nominal pitch: B♭ etc

Accession Number

3293

Collection

Shaw-Hellier Collection; MIMEd

Date Information

Date Made

1830-1846

Period

19th century; 1830s; 1840s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Wolfson Gallery

Case

Brasswind case 3

Maker Information

Maker Name

George Smith

Made In

City

Birmingham

Country

England

Description

Technical Description

Cornopean. Nominal pitch: Bb etc. Maker: George Smith. Birmingham. 1830 46. Serial number: 35. Overall size: 250 perpendicular to bell; bell 117. Sounding length: with co shank or crook, minimum 1261; overall air column lengths: shanks (a) 71.4, (b) 140; crooks (c) 235, (d) 313, (e) 513. Bore: shank (a) at distal end (minimum bore) 9.7; shank (b) at distal end (minimum bore) 9.9; crook (c) at c 50mm from mouthpiece receiver (minimum bore) 10.0; crook (c) at distal end, 10.0; crook (d) at c 40mm from mouthpiece receiver (minimum bore) 10.0; crook (d) at distal end, 10.0; crook (e) at c 50mm from mouthpiece receiver (minimum bore) 10.0; crook (e) at distal end, 10.2; instrument body at c 40mm from shank/crook receiver (local minimum bore) 11.2; m.t.s. at c 222mm and c 378 from shank/crook receiver, tuning slide bore (m.t.s. stuck); centre of valve cluster at c 666mm from shank/crook receiver, v.t.s. bore (1,2,3) 11.6; 631mm from bell end, c 11.6; c 267mm from bell end, 16.4. Dia of mouthpiece receiver: internal tapers of shanks (a) 11.8 10.9, (b) 12.0 11.0, crooks (c) 11.7 11.3, (d) 11.7 11.0, (e) 11.8 11.0; external tapers of shanks (a) 10.9 11.7, (b) 11.0 11.8, crooks (c) 10.8 11.7, (d) 10.8 11.8, (e) 11.1 11.8; shank/crook receiver taper 11.9 11.4. Brass with silver garland, clapper key etc. Plain bell garland. Clapper key. Shanks for B♭ and A, brass with silver wings; single-coil crooks for A♭, G and F, brass with silver mouthpiece receiver ferrules. Valve type: 3 Stölzel valves with compression spring inside sleeve; alignment by key on this sleeve; metal partitions. Decoration: Knurled decoration on valve top caps and touchpieces. Clapper key embellished with inscribed pattern overall. Signature: Inscribed on bell "Improved / AND MADE BY / George Smith / 144, SNOW HILL / BIRMINGHAM / 35". With fitted wooden case with hairy lining.

Provenance

on loan to the Collection.

Classification