French Horns -Am I the only one??

**anadmai** · 01-18-2023, 11:36 AM

I do not like French Horns. In fact, I loathe them. Growing up in The Salvation Army, I never considered French Horns brass instruments and probably never will. I also do not call Basses Tubas... they are Basses. But I digress.

I'm a traditionalist. Do I have a reason to be? Probably not, but I am.

This weekend, one of the groups I am playing with is doing a Leidzen arrangement of Bartok's Bear Dance. No one in this group knows who Erik Leidzen was, so I volunteered to intro the piece.

As I was digging for Bio material, I came across a book from Ron Holz about the life and works of Erik Leidzen. What ticks me off is I used to own this book when it first came out. Today, I have no clue where it went. Doing a google search I found this review by Ron Holz of the River City Brass Band. The abomination/band using French Horns instead of Eb Alto Horns.

The review? I LOVED IT! Even Ron doesn't like the fact RCBB takes a major dump on tradition. They want the acclaim of a British Brass Band but in name only.

https://nabba.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/040.pdf

"Bemat seems ambivalent about the British brass band"
"

I think I found something I am even more passionate than my dislike of Marching Bands and Drum Corps. French Horns and Brass Bands which use them.

Dont' think this is something /anything which will change my mind. It's deeply embedded in my musical culture. Just like being a 2nd Baritone player.

MABBF should be interesting. *evil grin*

**RickF** · 01-18-2023, 12:12 PM

I really like French horns myself. They have a rich tone when played correctly. It is said to be the hardest brass instrument to play due to its long tubing (nearly as long as a tuba), playing in the upper register with that long tubing, and using a 'thimble-sized' mpc.

I understand the brass bands prefer to use the tenor horn since it's easier to play when personnel have to move around within the band on different instruments. They're played with the right hand and all (except bass T-bone) reading transposed treble clef.

**aroberts781** · 01-18-2023, 12:54 PM

I will also cast my vote in favor of French horns. I think they sound beautiful. The group I played with when I lived in Nashville was another example of a brass band committing the blasphemy of using French horns instead of alto horns. For that group, which was certainly not an elite group by any definition except possibly how much we enjoyed playing together, the use of French horns helped make the group accessible for people in our community, many of which did not own alto horns but did have French horns from their previous musical lives. I thought it sounded nice

We were also guilty of having not a single British baritone, a couple American baritones, a rotary valve Miraphone (!), CC tubas, etc... At least we managed to have fairly "normal" sections for cornets, trombones, and a flugelhorn! I can understand your preference for traditional instrumentation in the brass band musical tradition. And although I personally don't see what's not to like about French horn, to each their own!

**anadmai** · 01-18-2023, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by RickF

I really like French horns myself. They have a rich tone when played correctly. It is said to be the hardest brass instrument to play due to its long tubing (nearly as long as a tuba), playing in the upper register with that long tubing, and using a 'thimble-sized' mpc.

I understand the brass bands prefer to use the tenor horn since it's easier to play when personnel have to move around within the band on different instruments. They're played with the right hand and all (except bass T-bone) reading transposed treble clef.

I have no issues with the level of musicality. That's fine. French Horns can have the concert band and orchestra. Leave the Brass Bands alone. LOL. Life is too sacred.

**iMav** · 01-18-2023, 02:37 PM

I, also, really like the French horn. A great horn player is a real treat to hear IMHO.
(also, my wife played French horn, so I am a bit biased.)

**davewerden** · 01-18-2023, 02:55 PM

I like the French horn when it is playing in orchestra and wind band. And there are some wonderful moments in various movie soundtracks where the horns come sailing in to great effect.

The tenor horn makes the most sense in a brass band, though. When there are lines passed from cornets down to tenor horns, or from euphonium up to tenor horns, the tenor has the better blend of tone, AND the piston valves and upright bell give it the same kind of clarity as the tuba and euphonium sections. The French horn in this context can be a bit too diffuse in sound and technique.

**TheJH** · 01-18-2023, 03:13 PM

Fun fact, back in ye olden days, in the fanfare orchestras in the Netherlands and Belgium, the horn parts were played on French Horns... in E flat... with the valves played by the right hand!

These days the horn parts are 'normal' F-horn parts, but in one of the bands I play in we used alto horns for the Eb horn parts, also because they blend very well with the baritone parts when played on actual British baritones (which you should... but barely anyone does anymore these days).

But yeah, I like French horns, they are beautiful instruments. Although I might be slightly biased because my brother plays one :P

**CousinJack** · 01-18-2023, 03:33 PM

If I could choose and instrument to wake up tomorrow and be professional standard at it it would probably be french horn! I love them, and perhaps had I not started playing at age 17 I would have started there! I probably wouldn't be a brass bander, but I just love how they're used in the orchestral rep. I played in the Royal Greenwich Brass Band when I studied, and that was formed out of the old Trinity College brass band before the conservatoire decided it wasn't interested in having one. They use french horns there and to be honest it does suite some bits of rep!

**John Morgan** · 01-18-2023, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by davewerden

I like the French horn when it is playing in orchestra and wind band. And there are some wonderful moments in various movie soundtracks where the horns come sailing in to great effect.

The tenor horn makes the most sense in a brass band, though. When there are lines passed from cornets down to tenor horns, or from euphonium up to tenor horns, the tenor has the better blend of tone, AND the piston valves and upright bell give it the same kind of clarity as the tuba and euphonium sections. The French horn in this context can be a bit too diffuse in sound and technique.

I fall in line with Dave's thinking. The French horn is a glorious instrument. I do think the tenor horn is the appropriate horn for the brass band. But French horns played well are really something special. Listen to this example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6DjQ1-T3z8

I can't think of any better performance of the horn call from Wagner's Siegfried opera than this one here.

And what would American Overture be without French horns. They are really special instruments in the hands of good players. And in bands, orchestras, brass quintets and other mixed ensembles.