One of several words for the Renaissance and Baroque period tenor cornett or cornetto, also known as the lizard, lyzard, lizarden, or lyzarden due to its s-curved shape, it has a distinctive horn-like foggy sound and is frequently played in ensemble alongside trombones. It is particularly known for blending well with the higher countertenor male voice, and was favoured by prolific composers including Italy’s Giovanni Gabrieli, Germany’s Heinrich Schütz and the Franco-Flemish polyphonic-style of Orlando di Lasso. Created with fingering in the key of C, many models were pitched at 466 Hz – around a semi-tone higher than modern concert pitch, which is a' = 440 Hz. were made below many pieces form the
But to see and hear where the lysarden, or lizard and its related cousin fits into into the larger musical family, let’s see introductory tour by Richard Thomas of Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment:
The instrument, especially when combined with others, can express a certain grandeur. Here’s Coperario’s Fantasia A6 played by The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble, with Nicholas Perry on the tenor cornetto
And here is Padouana (Pavane) XXII a 4 from Banchetto Musicale (1617) by Johann Hermann Schein, featuring the lysarden,, tenor and bass sackbutts, and organ, all in this clever little video played by the same musician – Barry Bocaner.
And here’s a related video featuring the lysarden’s larger cousin, the serpent, with a rendition of Since Robin Hood by Thomas Weelkes:
Finally, more grandeur in the form of period specialist Roland Wilson and his group Musica Fiata here playing Giovanni Gabrieli’s Canzon V à 7, with a true taste of Rennaissance Venice in 1608:
So then, any more s-shaped lysarden, lizard or cornett action? Feel free to suggest examples from any form of music, or even film, art, or other contexts in comments below.
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