The word “trumpet” denotes both the modern brass orchestral instrument and also a more general type: a wind instrument that amplifies sound produced by rapid vibration of tightly pursed lips. Trumpets, in the wider sense, are among the oldest objects known to humanity; early examples were often made of wood or an animal’s horn, and trumpets still serve ceremonial or heraldic functions in cultures around the world.

The modern trumpet–a narrow brass tube that is partly coiled but mostly straight–took on its characteristic form around 1825 when it acquired three valves on top. The purpose of these valves (a valve is a device that stops a tube, effectively changing its length) was to permit the playing of the entire chromatic scale, a goal earlier attempted with the so-called keyed trumpet, an instrument with hole-covering keys for which Haydn’s trumpet concerto was composed. The trumpet was a primary component of the marching band and then the jazz band; in jazz it remains a solo instrument of major importance.

The trumpet has a long and rich history. It is believed that the trumpet was used as a signaling device in Ancient Egypt, Greece and the Near East. During the Romantic period, the trumpet was evident in various forms of art such as literature and music. But during this time, the trumpet was merely recognized as an instrument used to signal, announce, proclaim and for other relevant purposes. It was later when the trumpet began to be considered as a musical instrument.

Other Accounts of the Trumpet’s Existence:

• In Ancient times, people used materials such as animal horns or shells like a trumpet.
• Pictures of the trumpet in King Tut’s tomb.
• The trumpet was used for religious purposes by the Israelites, Tibetans and Romans.
• Used for magical purposes such as warding off evil spirits.
• Trumpeters of earlier eras were classified into two: principale, played the lower register and the clarino, played the upper register.