Danny Lucin, Cornetto Instrument (ART & OBJECTS 2023)

Photos:

Danny Lucin

Video tour

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=aoH3a_JNAig

This is a cornetto, a professional musical instrument, it was single most popular instrument of the renaissance; Venice, Italy was a major centre for its construction and performance. It can be described as a combination of two instruments; the trumpet from which it owes its cup mouthpiece and blowing technique, and the flute from which it takes its wooden body and finger holes. It is this combination of instruments and playing techniques that gives the cornetto its distinctive vocal quality and its expressive and virtuosic agility. The instrument is curved along its length (approx 600mm) and is hand carved in two halves and then glued together (Titebond III), this method of construction allows for carefull attention to the caving of its complex conical bore, which ranges from approximately 7.5mm to 25mm at the bell. The instrument is planed to an octagonal shape and the walls of the instrument are approx 4.5mm thick. It is covered in leather (veg tan kangaroo) and has decorative diamonds carved at the mouthpiece end. Before applying the leather, the instrument is soaked in organic boiled linseed oil for a few weeks. This instrument is made from maple and the small trumpet like mouthpiece is turned from buffalo horn. I play this instrument professionally with my ensemble La Compania.

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