Woodwind precursor of the orchestral brass cornet, of narrow conical bore and with a cup mouthpiece. Its clear trumpetlike tone made it a favored instrument of Renaissance broken consorts and Baroque orchestras, and although superseded by brass instruments in the 18th century, the group remained popular with military and church bands until well into the 19th century.
Members of the cornett family include the straight soprano mute cornett, a curved alto cornetto, S-shaped tenor lysarden, and double S-shaped serpent.