Thomas Ranieri

Prof. Baker
Music of The 19th Century
15 September 2014
The History of The Trumpet
The Trumpet is one of the oldest musical instruments of all time and one of the first
brass instruments as well. When we think about the trumpet most picture the Bb # valve
brass model that is commonplace in modern orchestras. But these didnt truly surface until
the Romantic Period.
The farthest we can date back evidence of a trumpet like instrument takes us to at least
1500 B.C. and earlier. Before these instruments were built makeshift instruments using the
combination of technology and environment around early civilizations were constructed. As
seen in Figures 1 & 2 animal horns and conches are some examples of this. One of the most
popular horned trumpets is the Jewish shofar, which has been around for thousands of years.
Conch shells as a trumpet can be dated back to the Neolithic era mostly on costal areas
including Oceania but archeologists have also discovered traces of them in inland areas like
Tibet, places throughout Central Europe and the Incas of the Andes Mountains.
Yet we also see the first manufactured trumpets in King Tuts tomb. These horns
were constructed out of bronze and silver as were similar horns throughout ancient
Asian and South American civilizations. But, these were all still far from the purposes of
music making and natural enjoyment. These were hand crafted primarily for the use of
the military of these groups for war calls. These early bugles lived on and are a close
ancestor to the instrument that many people picture being played by a boy scout or
military personal performing taps today and can be seen in Figure 3.
The early instrumental trumpets surfaced around medieval times. These were
very close to the trumpets we use currently. In Figure 4 we see the natural trumpet this

brass-constructed instrument had no valves so range of pitch on these horns were very
limited. Also each of these were hand crafted so two of the same instrument may have a
very tough time blending with each other in an ensemble. But finally we see this trumpet
used for the same purposes we use today and would be constantly revised throughout
the Baroque period when it was very popular.
It wasnt until a few centuries later that the valve trumpet surfaced with popularity
in the 1800s. This was the perfect instrument to emerge during the Romantic period
because of its wide range of notes, but even more so its strong control of dynamics. The
wide array of emotion with paralleling chromatic notes of the style made it a prime choice
by composers to feature. Here it is, the modern trumpet in all of its glory seen in Figure
5. This grew throughout the 19th century of music as a staple of orchestral music and
also solo pieces as well.
In my own opinion, the Trumpet hit its peak of popularity in the early 20th century.
This period was known as the Jazz Era. Jazz music carried on the free wielding
emotions of the Romantic era and took it to a new level, incorporating the blues scale, a
heavier use of chromatics, the use of mutes of the bell and a large reliance on big sound
and improvisation. The jazz trumpet of the early 1900s was the model for the role of the
rock n roll electric guitar, which emerged in the 1950s and is still one of the most
popular instruments present day.
In the present day the trumpet is one of the most accessible and popular band
instruments. I for one was a trumpet student starting at the elementary level at my public
school. The trumpet can also be found in all styles of music nowadays. One example is
the up and coming famous pop star, Bruno Mars. Many of his iconic songs like
Treasure include a full band that features a trumpet. This easily recognized instrument
has so far stood the test of time. Though it may not always be around, its unique sound

and tone will always be a building block for many instruments of the present and the
future.

Figures 1 & 2 Animal Horn Trumpet and Conch Trumpet

Figure 3 Military personnel playing taps

Figure 4 Medevial Natural Trumpet

Figure 5 Modern Trumpet

Work Cited

"A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TRUMPET." A Brief History of the

Trumpet. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2014
"The Revolutionary Instrument, the Trumpet :: Papers." The
Revolutionary Instrument, the Trumpet :: Papers. N.p., n.d. Web.
15 Sept. 2014.