Cornett

/kɔːrˈneɪt/ noun

Definition

An early Renaissance wind instrument made of wood with a curved shape and finger holes, precursor to modern brass instruments.

Etymology

From Italian cornetta, meaning little horn, from corna (horn). This was a wooden instrument popular from the 15th-17th centuries.

Kelly Says

The cornett was the ultimate Renaissance virtuoso instrument—it could play almost as fast as a flute but with the commanding presence of a trumpet, making it the celebrity soloist of royal courts.

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