A buccina ( lat, buccina) or bucina ( lat, būcina, link=no), anglicized buccin or bucine, is a brass instrument that was used in the ancient

Roman army The Roman army (Latin: ) was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of Ancient Rome, from the Roman Kingdom (c. 500 BC) to the Roman Republic (500–31 BC) and the Roman Empire (31 BC–395 AD), and its medieval contin ...

, similar to the cornu. An ''

aeneator An ''aeneator'' ( lat, aēneātor or ) was a specialized player of wind instruments who was attached to a Roman military unit. The word comes from Latin ''aēneus'' or ''ahēneus'', "brazen", from ''aes'', "copper alloy". While the size of individ ...

'' who blew a buccina was called a "buccinator" or "bucinator" ( lat, buccinātor, būcinātor, link=no).

Design

It was originally designed as a tube made of either bronze or shells. However, as time went on more materials started to be used. It measured in length, of narrow cylindrical bore, and played by means of a cup-shaped mouthpiece. The tube is bent round upon itself from the mouthpiece to the

bell A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inte ...

in the shape of a broad C and is strengthened by means of a bar across the curve, which the performer grasps while playing to steady the instrument; the bell curves over his head or shoulder.

Usage

The buccina was used for the announcement of night watches, to summon soldiers by means of the special signal known as ''classicum'', and to give orders. Frontinus relates that a Roman general, who had been surrounded by the enemy, escaped during the night by means of the stratagem of leaving behind him a ''buccinator'' (trumpeter), who sounded the watches throughout the night. In the final section of his orchestral work '' Pini di Roma'' (''Pines of Rome''), Respighi calls for six instruments of different ranges notated as "Buccine" (Italian plural), although he expected them to be played on modern

saxhorn The saxhorn is a family of valved brass instruments that have conical bores and deep cup-shaped mouthpieces. The saxhorn family was developed by Adolphe Sax, who is also known for creating the saxophone family. The sound of the saxhorn has a ...

s or flugelhorns. He also calls for three in the opening movement of his '' Feste romane'' (''Roman Festivals''), but again notes that they may be replaced by trumpets.

History

The instrument is the ancestor of both the

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

and the

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

; the German word for "trombone", ''Posaune'', is linguistically derived from ''Buccina''. The buccina was revived during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...

, along with the "tuba curva." Both instruments were first used in the music that

François Joseph Gossec François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, King o ...

composed for the translation of the remains of

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—es ...

to the Pantheon on 11 July 1791.Constant Pierre, Les Hymnes et Chansons de la Révolution française, aperçu général et catalogue, avec notices historiques, analytiques et bibliographiques
1904, pages 210–213.

References

External links

in ''Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities''.

Brass instruments Ancient Roman legionary equipment Ancient Roman musical instruments Early musical instruments Natural horns and trumpets {{AncientRome-mil-stub