Introducing: The Baroque Trumpet

What is the Baroque trumpet?

The Baroque trumpet is the predecessor to the modern trumpet which was played before the invention of the valve in the mid-19th Century.

It can only play the notes of the harmonic series (as pictured below). Notably, the notes are quite far apart in the lower to mid register and become closer in the upper (carino) register, making it possible to play melodies.

Natural vs Baroque Trumpet

The baroque trumpet is actually a mid-20th century invention based on the natural trumpet played from the 1500s to the 1700s. The baroque trumpet was designed so musicians could replicate the sound of a natural trumpet whilst making it slightly easier to play.

The primary difference between the two instruments is that the modern baroque trumpet has vent holes and a natural trumpet does not. Vent holes work differently to valves because they make notes more in tune as opposed to adding tubing to extend the range of the instrument.

Natural trumpets were designed to be played with one hand to create a regal appearance whilst performing a fanfare.

Left: Baroque Trumpet R. Van Ryne

Right: Renaissance trumpet (Nuremberg, 1581) by Anton Schnitzer. Vienna, Sammlung

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Piccolo Trumpet vs Baroque Trumpet

For a period, it became common practice to perform baroque repertoire on a modern piccolo trumpet. Half the size of a standard Bb trumpet it allows greater ease in the upper register and requires a similar technique, making it very accessible. However, the sounds they produce are exceedingly different. In my opinion, the baroque trumpet possesses a far more interesting and colourful sound, whilst the piccolo trumpet is quite one dimensional. Since the revival of historically informed performance in the mid to late 20th Century the baroque trumpet has begun to make a comeback.

This video by Alison Balsom for Classic FM explains in great detail the difference between the baroque trumpet, piccolo trumpet and modern C trumpet.