In 2026 the alto cornet seems to be pretty much a rarity in bands, Something which think Is almost inexplicable given the range of the instrument [Which includes most of the “normal” Bb tenor trombone range, but can extend right up into “normal” trumpet range].
History of Alto cornets
From everything we know about the evolution of brass instrument manufacture through the 19th century, it is clear enough that the manufacture of an instrument answering the general description of a cornet, but in alto voice, was unavoidable – inevitable.
The earliest reference that I have come across – specifically to an alto cornet – is in the New Langwill Index: it attributes [credits] a 1835 manufacture of an alto cornet, in this way –
” Wieprecht, Wilhelm Friedrich (b Aschersleben
10 August 1802; d Berlin 4 August 1872) BI inventor
fl Berlin.
A trombonist, he came 1824 to Berlin, becoming
bandmaster in 1828; 1828 collaboration with GRIESLING & SCHLOTT over new brass instrument valve; …….. collaboration with (1) J.G. Moritz and
his widow, son, over the production of an entire range of brass instrument for military use, many of which were marked “Wieprecht & Moritz’: 1833 soprano, alto cornet, 1835 ……”
The following two pages are from “Das Saxhorn – Adolphe Sax’ Blechblasinstrumente im Kontext ihrer
Zeit. Romantic Brass Symposium 3 Herausgegeben von Adrian von Steiger, Daniel Allenbach und Martin Skamletz” –
provide a good start to understanding the alto cornet and recognizing its taxonomic place in the hierarchy of brass instruments.
The book “Fanfares and finesse: a performers guide to trumpet history and Literature” by Elisa Koehler [Indian University Press, 2014] relates [p.167] –
” Just as the Distin Family Quintet benefited
from a kind of sponsorship arrangement with Adolphe Sax and performed on his saxhorns, Kosleck formed an association with the Bohemian instrument maker Václav Cervený, who built a unique quartet of brass instruments in circular shape (two cornets in B-flat, an alto cornet in E-flat, and a tenor in B-flat) in 1876 that were dedicated to Crown Prince Alexander (the future Czar Alexander III). These instruments and Kosleck’s ensemble both embraced the name Kaiser-Kornett-Quartett (Crown Prince Cornet Quartet). “
GALLO’S BAND BOOK – A TREATISE ON WIND INSTRUMENTS, SYMPHONY BAND AND MILITARY BAND By STANISLAO GALLO, Conductor of the Gallo Symphony Band and Head Instructor of the School for Bandmasters and Players at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston – PART I
WIND INSTRUMENTS THEIR TECHNIQUE, NOTATION, TONE-COLOR, AND USE IN BAND AND ORCHESTRA [published January 1921 by the Boston Music Co, Boston, Mass] declares that the alto cornet’s place in musical taxonomy is as an alto saxhorn [at page 68] –
Early Boston manufacture of Alto cornets is referred to on the website trumpet-history.com [Ron Berndt]
In June 1919 alto cornets were being used by musicians who played – amongst other things – cornet and trumpet, as this 1919 advertisement for a doubler’s mouthpiece shows –
Grove’s Dictionary of Music mentions an example of the practice of what amounts to the widespread but arbitrary exclusion or inclusion of particular instruments from being used [which is germane to this discussion because the tenor horn occupies a similar intermediate range to that of the alto horn] –
” British military bands were standardized at a conference held at Kneller Hall (Royal Military School of Music) [in 1921: the tenor horn was abandoned and saxophones were added, a trend already apparent somewhat earlier in works such as K.]J. Alford’s march Colonel Bogey (1914). The instrumentation then established remained in force at the end of the century …” [[i.e. the 20th Century]]
Willson, Switzerland, alto cornet [branded DEG Getzen]
Below is a photograph from Facebook post The Mellocast which compares Tiffany Johns’ standard and alto cornets.
Her post, and the discussion that’s resulted from it, confirms that the most obvious feature of this instrument is the fun that players of this instrument are getting out of it.
Donald Getzen [DEG] has been a bold and prolific experimenter in interesting, beautifully detailed and designed brass instruments sporting tone rings etc – ..I’ve tried and liked DEG trumpets, trombones and cornets as well as the less successful Frumpet [a cross between French horn and trumpet]: DEG produced some great instruments. But all I can convey about my own DEG / Willson alto cornet, is my enthusiasm.
The full description: a European [Lake Geneva Switzerland] DEG Getzen Signature 1220 Eb alto cornet.
I don’t think that I can really do any better than quoting Tiffany Johns – here goes:
“It wasn’t marketed as an alto cornet (“marching alto/French horn” was how DEG sold it), but it looks, feels, and sounds like one. I guess the closest thing to it would be the “solo altos” Conn used to sell, but those were always in Eb like the British tenor horn. Whether it’s an alto cornet or a solo alto in F, it’s something I’ve never seen from another manufacturer and doesn’t sound quite like anything else. And man, it plays great!”