The baroque trumpet is a brass instrument. It is made so that modern musicians can play music from that time, which is why it is often connected to the natural trumpet. The term "baroque trumpet" is used to distinguish an instrument with added vent holes and other modern changes from an original or replica natural trumpet that does not have these features. Some well-known baroque trumpet players are Alison Balsom, Niklas Eklund, Brian Shaw, and Caleb Hudson.

History

The Baroque trumpet was created around the middle of the 20th century. It is based on natural trumpets that were used during the 16th to 18th centuries.

Modern reproductions

The term "baroque trumpet" refers to a modified version of the original natural trumpet. These changes help modern players, who often use both the modern trumpet and this mixed version. The baroque trumpet is frequently used by period instrument ensembles when they aim to perform music in a way that reflects historical practices. Original natural trumpets are rarely used because they are very valuable.

Some modern performers use natural trumpets that have not changed since the Baroque era. However, most now prefer baroque trumpets with added vents, which were not present during the Baroque period. The choice between natural and baroque trumpets is debated among musicians. In general, professional trumpeters believe the modern baroque trumpet, which includes at least one vent, is a necessary compromise. It allows modern players to achieve better tuning and a clear sound while still resembling the original instrument's tone.

A key reason for using the baroque trumpet is to allow alternative tunings for difficult notes. The harmonic series of the trumpet is mostly in tune, but some notes are slightly off. Natural trumpet players adjust these notes by changing the shape of their lips, but modern players are less familiar with this technique. This often leads them to use the baroque trumpet instead.

Musical tuning systems during the Baroque period relied on just intonation and meantone temperament. These systems require less lip adjustment than the equal temperament used today. Notes like F and A (relative to a C fundamental) are usually played briefly in Baroque music. Composers like Bach and Handel avoided having trumpeters hold these notes for long periods. Other problematic notes, such as B flat, are even less common. The 11th harmonic is closer to F sharp and is typically played as such, which aligns well with meantone temperament.

The natural trumpet has twice the length of tubing compared to the modern trumpet. This makes the harmonics closer together, increasing the chance of playing the wrong note. However, it also makes it harder to accidentally play a note that clashes with the music, creating a sound similar to an expressive ornament.

Adjusting notes by changing lip shape increases the risk of mistakes, but the improved acoustics of natural trumpets (which do not require vents) help balance this.

Many conductors today prefer accurate tuning over an authentic sound, especially with recordings. This often leads players to use the baroque trumpet, which is a middle ground between the natural and modern trumpets.

Some baroque trumpets are made with modern techniques, not the hand-hammered methods used by historical craftsmen like Schnitzer and Haas. Museum originals may have imperfections in their design, such as irregular bore shapes, which make it easier to adjust out-of-tune notes. Factory-made instruments, with perfectly shaped bores, lack this feature. Some baroque trumpets are also made from gold or silver.

Bore anomalies include issues like poorly soldered seams or telescoping joints. Each of the five joints in a natural trumpet—between the crook and first yard, first yard and distal bow, distal bow and second yard, second yard and proximal bow, and proximal bow and bell—acts as a "choke-point." These points create slight changes in sound, making the harmonic series more flexible for players. These joints are held together by friction, not solder.

A natural trumpet sounds different from a baroque trumpet with vents, even when the vents are closed. When a vent is open, the sound becomes weaker and less resonant. Modern players who use vented instruments avoid the challenge of clearly playing out-of-tune notes, as Baroque music rarely requires them to be held for long.

Pictures of natural trumpet players show the instrument held upward in one hand. Baroque trumpets are usually held downward with both hands, limiting the player's breathing space.

When a vent is opened, it creates a node—a point along the vibrating air column where pressure is minimal. This shifts the entire harmonic series upward by a fourth, as seen with a single thumb vent.

Instruments

In Europe, many musicians use modern trumpets that have one hole, such as the "Modell Tarr" made by Ewald Meinl Musikinstrumentenbau GmbH in Germany. This hole is usually covered by the right thumb. When the hole is covered, the trumpet plays in its original key, such as B flat, C, D, E flat, or F. To play specific notes that are slightly out of tune, like the 11th and 13th harmonics (f and a), the player opens the thumb hole and plays these notes as if they were the 8th and 10th harmonics in a new series.

British musicians often choose baroque trumpets with three or four holes. These allow the player to change the pitch by half steps and play a high C more easily.

An example of a multi-hole baroque trumpet is the coiled Jägertrompete made by Helmut Finke. This instrument was used by the Concentus Musicus Wien in many early recordings. However, this model is not commonly used by period instrument groups today.

Mouthpieces

The mouthpiece helps make a performance sound like it did in the past. Many trumpeters still use a modern mouthpiece on the baroque trumpet, but it has a larger shank. This is not ideal because playing the highest notes, called the clarino register, relied heavily on the shallow-cupped mouthpieces used during that time. Using a shallow-cupped mouthpiece makes it easier to reach high notes and creates a softer, less loud sound. This sound blends better with other baroque-style instruments, is less tiring for the player, and is more suitable for performances with those instruments.