| | TrumpetHistory, Facts and interesting information about Medieval music, specifically, Trumpet Definition and Description of the Trumpet Definition and description of the Trumpet: The Trumpet can be described as a long instrument made of metal, often in four parts which is often associated with fanfares and pageants. Description: A wind instrument of great antiquity, much used in war and military exercises. In consists of a long metallic tube, curved (once or twice) into a convenient shape, and ending in a bell. Its scale in the lower octaves is limited to the first natural harmonics. Unlike our modern instrument, the medieval trumpet had no valves and the notes available on the trumpet were limited to the sounds the player could produce and the quality of the mouthpiece. Family of Instruments: The Trumpet belongs to the family of Woodwind instruments. The Waits History of the Trumpet The history of the Trumpet: The powerful Trumpet could be heard over the noise of a battle and were therefore used in Medieval warfare for signalling. Trumpets were also used by the Waits. The instruments were also used on special occasions such as royal weddings and trumpeters, or heralds, were employed by royalty, nobles and lords to announce their arrival by playing a fanfare on special occasions. A fanfare is a short piece of music played by trumpets and other instruments used to announce the arrival of the royal guests. Trumpets also provided a "call to dinner" for larger banquets as well as music for such courtly events as masquerades and the mummer's play. Both trumpets and drums were used at Medieval Tournaments or jousts to accent the occasion. The Medieval Long Trumpet used during the early period gave way to a folded S-shaped version and by 1450 the double-slide trumpet had emerged. Medieval Musical Instruments - Trumpet Medieval Musical instruments, including the Trumpet, would be used by the musicians of the period including the Waits, Minstrels or Troubadours. There were three categories of musical instruments in the Middle Ages - wind, string and percussion. Terms of description were Bas instruments and Haut instruments. Bas referred to soft instruments (literally, "low," but referring to volume, not pitch) which were suitable for the chamber which included the vielle, rebec and other bowed strings, the lute and other plucked strings. Haut referred to loud instruments (literally "high" but referring to volume, not to pitch) which were suitable for outdoors which included the shawm, sackbut, pipe and tabor. Read the above history, facts and information about the Trumpet. Medieval Music - Trumpet The Medieval Times website provides interesting facts, history and information about the musicians and styles of music which scatter the history books including Trumpet. The Medieval Life and Times Sitemap provides full details of all of the information and facts about the fascinating subject of the lives of the people who lived during the historical period of the Middle Ages. The content of this article on Trumpet provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework for history courses and history coursework. | |