Sandy, Utah
John R. McCann

Wood, leather, pigment
ca. 1990’s
Tube Length: 24.25 in
Wind Instruments – Brasswinds – Cornetto

Stamped below thumbhole: JMC (monogram)

This curved cornetto is made by John R. McCann of Sandy, Utah.  It represents one of the typical Italian styles of the mid-16^th and the late 17^th century.  In Italy they are referred to as the ‘cornetto family,’ and in Germany they are referred to as the ‘zink family.’ Like most early wind instruments, the cornetto existed in different sizes that were capable of different pitches. They are played by buzzing the lips into the top mouthpiece, making it a lip vibrated aerophone, and using the finger tone holes below for changing pitch, much like the recorder.

The one-piece octagonal body is carved to the right and made from two wooden halves, glued, bound together, and wrapped with leather. Above the finger tone holes it is decorated with a carved diamond pattern. There are six finger-holes on the front and a thumb hole on the back of the instrument. The mouthpiece on historical instruments were made of horn, ivory, or bone and was usually detachable.  Most likely the cornetto family instruments were played in churches to accompany choirs and in town bands at dances in the court for entertainment.

Resource: https://emuseum.nmmusd.org/people/1556/john-r-mccann;jsessionid=09CE9267063BE970B3EB9466572A0086