Klarinet Archive - Posting 000581.txt from 2001/08

From: "David McClune" <dmcclune@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] Re: James Sclater on horn pitches
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 14:34:58 -0400

Horns in the other keys... =20

My wife is a horn player so this info is first hand! Before the =
invention of the valve/rotor the Horn (and trumpet) could only play the =
overtone series. So as the composer changed keys within a movement the =
player would pickup a horn in the appropriate key to play the notes. =
Originally they would be surrounded by the number of different keyed horns =
required for the piece. In the later 1700's removable crooks (tuning =
slides) were used. The player would have huge case with a bell section, =
basic tubing and a lot of crooks.. Different length crooks would be used =
to change the key of the instrument. =20

The invention of the rotor valve in the 1830's ( or so) allowed one =
instrument (length of pipe with a bell flare) to play a full chromatic =
scale evenly--thus could play in any key. The Bb and F horns were =
considered the best compromise of range and tone. At first the player =
might play a rotored Bb or a rotored F. The players found that the (if I =
remember this correctly) the Bb had a better high and low range but the F =
horn had a better middle register. So..... the double horn was =
invented!=20

Brahms composed for 2 natural horns and 2 valved horns in the same =
section. The natural horns are the solo parts! =20

The modern player must transpose all those other keyed parts of classical =
and romantic literature to play on the F/Bb horn. My wife always looks =
wide eyed after concerts of multiple transposed parts. Then there is the =
old versus notation of bass clef parts...ALSO in different keys. No =
wonder horn players are a little crazy.

Dave

Dr. David McClune
Professor of Woodwinds
Director of Bands
Union University
Jackson, TN 38305

office-901-661-5294

>>> timr@-----.com 08/31/01 12:37PM >>>
James Sclater wrote:
>
>I'm wondering if Mr. Leeson considers this matter equally serious in the
>case of horn players who do not use horns pitched in G or A, or E, or =
D,=20
>etc., but transpose everything on the F/Bb instrument.

I, for one, would very much like Mr. Sclater to expand on this a bit. =
My=20
knowledge of brass instruments falls woefully short, and I would appreciate=
the=20
benefit of his experience.

By "horn", do you actually mean the instrument commonly known as "french =
horn",=20
or are you including the entire brass family? Is there, in fact, a body =
of=20
classic literature that actually calls for horns pitched in something =
other=20
than F or Bb? I know there are tubas in Eb and trumpets in C, but =
beyond=20
those, can you actually buy french horns in keys other than F?

--
- Tim Roberts, timr@-----.com=20
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

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