Serpent

(It. serpen’te.) A nearly obs. wood-wind instr., still used in some French churches, but seldom met with in the orchestra; inv. by Canon Guillaume of Auxerre in 1590. It belongs to the Zinke (Cornette) family; the modern forms have a recurvate bell, and a cupped mouthpiece set in a bra crook forming a right angle with the first bend of the serpentine tube. The tube is of wood, covered with leather, about 8 feet long, and provided with 6 fagerfr holes and a varying; number of additional keys. Compa : the serpent being a transposing instr., in Bp, the notes are written a degree higher. The tone is variously described by French authorities as ‘‘harsh and savage”, and as a ‘‘cold, horrid how! ing”. It is replaced, in the modern orchestra, by the ba tuba (or ophicleide).—"The Serpentcleide resembles the ophicleide, but retains the wooden tube.—The Contra-serpent produces 16foot Zp.—Some old organs have reed stops named serpent.