Alto or Tenor Cornopean
1837–50
Medium
Brass, nickel-silver
Dimensions
Width: 15 9/16 in. (39.6 cm) Diameter (Of bell): 7 5/16 in. (18.5 cm)
Classification
Aerophone-Lip Vibrated
Culture
Belgian
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.2412
Art Historical Context
This striking Alto or Tenor Cornopean, crafted by Belgian maker Melchior Gomar de Vries between 183 and 1850, a pivotal moment in the evolution of brass instruments. Made of brass with nickel-silver fittings, the instrument features a compact, gracefully curved shape with a bell measuring just over seven inches across. As an aerophone played by lip vibration, it belongs to the early family of valved cornets that helped bridge the gap between traditional natural horns and the more agile brass instruments of the Romantic era. De Vries worked during a time of rapid innovation in musical technolo...