Cornet a Pistons in B-flat 1845 - 1850

Editor: So this is a Cornet a Pistons in B-flat, made between 1845 and 1850 by Auguste Raoux. It's made of brass and other metals. The piece seems almost like a sculpture laid out; it's quite visually arresting. What do you see in this work? Curator: The cornet, beyond its aesthetic appeal, is deeply intertwined with social history. The rise of brass instruments like this one paralleled the growth of industrial cities. Consider the burgeoning factories of the mid-19th century: music was used to uplift spirits but also regulate labor. Editor: Interesting. So you're saying that music, and therefore the instruments themselves, were a kind of… tool? Curator: Precisely. Music, even instruments themselves, reflected class dynamics and cultural shifts. Brass bands were a vital part of working-class life, a form of both entertainment and collective identity. This instrument, beautifully crafted as it is, speaks to a larger narrative of societal transformation, and its display disassembled is quite provocative. What does that choice suggest to you? Editor: I never thought of it like that, viewing its construction as symbolic! Thank you. Curator: Indeed! Understanding these instruments as more than mere objects opens a dialogue about power, labor, and social change through its existence. It's a poignant lens for understanding history. Editor: I’m going to look at other instruments in the museum differently now! Curator: That’s the beauty of engaging with art; new layers reveal themselves and invite deeper examination.