Who can deny the wonderful melodic tone of the trumpet? This great instrument is now used in many genres of music, from Christian Jazz to Classical. However, it wasn't always used this way. In its earliest form, the trumpet wasn't even used to move and inspire people with the sound of melody. Through history, the trumpet has come a long way.
The modern bugle is more reminiscent of the historical trumpet than your modern brass wonders with slides and rotary valves. Like the modern bugle, the first trumpets were used for military and religious purposes. Their boisterous and piercing sound was used to call the attention of troops or other large groups. The trumpet was used for this signaling purpose everywhere from Egypt to China to ancient Greece.
Trumpeters in medieval times were elite members of selective guilds. Because the task of organizing troops was so vital to the survival of an army on the field, trumpeters were heavily guarded and well trained.
It wasn't until the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance that the trumpet became more popular as a purely musical instrument. These early musical trumpets consisted of a single coil without any valves. Without valves, the tone could only be changed with a change of the 'crook.'
The monotonous sound of the trumpet was improved with the construction of the 'tromba da tirarsi,' which was fitted with a single slide. This allowed the trumpeter to play a chromatic scale.
By the 17th and 18th century, Trumpets were fitted with valves so that they could more smoothly play the chromatic scale. These more advanced designs rocketed the trumpet to the forefront of classical compositions. Always evolving, the trumpet became an orchestral instrument in the 19th century. Its size was increased for additional loudness.
The 20th century saw the trumpet's usefulness expanded to other genres. In the 1920s, Jazz music emerged in New Orleans and Chicago. The unique sound a playability of the trumpet allowed for improvisation and many various styles.
A trumpetist can now be found in many unique and emerging forms of music such as Acid Jazz, Christian Jazz, Avante-Garde and even in film scores. The trumpet has come a long way and is now a firm member of the family of contemporary instruments
