The Trumpets of H.M. Heralds

All of the Trumpets used by the Trumpeters of Her Majesty’s Heralds require great skill as they do not have any valves to allow for an easy change between notes.  The instruments are all “natural”.  Specific lengths of tubing, a bell and mouthpiece controlled only by the embouchure and breathe control.

Modern “Fanfare" or "Herald” Bugle

The Getzen, King, and Reynolds companies between 1940 and the 1960 manufactured the primary Trumpets used by H.M.Heralds.  These trumpets have are approximately 75” of tubing with an overall folded length of 46” with the two very tight folds.  In the picture to the left you can see the lower crook at the midway point of the instrument, while the red cording hides the second crook. Even though these trumpets are actually elongated bugles in the key of F, they are ‘natural’ instruments. That is to say, they play a limited set of notes in the overtone harmonics, the same as a Renaissance Trumpet.

Some of these instruments are now over 60 years old and are no longer produced.  While not strictly period in design, their appearance in Renaissance activities adds the look and sound we associate with the Renaissance with their festive appearance when the royal banners are attached and hang from the extended bell.
One can only surmise why these companies came up with this unique design.  The original advertising brochure produced by King identified their model #1076 as a “Coach Horn”.  In historical reality, a Coach Horn is a straight bugle (i.e. conical in design) only about 38” in length and did not have banners attached. The instrument made by Getzen is the “SD Herald Bugle” model.  If one takes a close look at the Great Westminster Scroll of 1511, a strict interpretation of the trumpeters depicted would lend one to believe that the King, Reynolds, and Getzen arrangement of tubing was the norm for the period.

Upon close inspection of the scroll it would appear to the untrained eye that the trumpets used in 1511 were very long with two very tight folds, where the trumpet was held, and had an elongated bell for the hanging of the royal banner.  Actually, this is an example of artistic license that was taken to emphasize the pageantry of the occasion and ensure that the royal banner is prominently displayed in the scroll.  In reality, the trumpets used in this period were true natural trumpets (as shown below) with one crook attached to the end of the bell and the other crook closer to the mouth pipe. The arrangement of tubing and the larger crooks allowed for the overall length of the trumpet to only be 28 inches.  At this length, they are much easier to carry and play while on horseback. 

Reproduction Renaissance Trumpets

H.M.H. also performs with authentic reproductions of Renaissance Trumpets.  These trumpets are based on the trumpets produced in Nuremburg by Hans Hainlein in 1632.  Of all of the instruments used by the trumpeters of H.M.H., these are by far the most difficult to play.  Because of their overall length that is greater than the modern elongated bugles mentioned above (about 84”) they are capable of producing more notes in the upper register than the shorter “conical” elongated bugles mentioned above.  These true to form Renaissance Trumpets require a lot of practice to ensure that the correct note is not ‘missed’ and the wrong note played.  These trumpets are played only when the occasion requires a strict adherence to period authenticity.

Andrew Naumann and Scott McDonald make H.M.H renaissance trumpets.  Scott produced an authentic reproduction of a Hans Hainlein trumpet while attending the Robert Barclay Trumpet Workshop in the summer of 2004.