French Horn School
The French horn or modern horn or horn with keys has a long conical tube in the form of a spiral, which meanders and ends in a large “bell”! It also belongs to the Copper Winds and plays an important role in the composition of the Band. In our Philharmonic there is a school of Horn (French Horn), with 10 students currently studying.
Basic elements of French horn
The French horn consists of the mouthpiece, which is important for the production of sound through the pressure of the lips by the performer, as well as the creation of sound colors. The next element is the sound tube, where depending on its length the tonal pitch and the sound color are formed. It also has pistons / valves, which help to vary the length of the sound tube. Finally we have the bell which determines the sound of the horn, while depending on its size the sound also changes. The larger and narrower bell has a brighter sound, while the smaller wide bell has a softer sound .
Structure
The French horn pipe is made of brass. It starts with a diameter of 1/4 of an inch and ends at the bell which is 11-12 inches in diameter. This tube is more than 11 feet long. At the top it is thin, has the shape of a cylinder and extends to adjust the valve mechanism. The mouthpiece is in the shape of an elongated and narrow funnel. A thin and cylindrical tube continues behind the mouthpiece, and after the bell it becomes more and more conical.
In order to be able to produce sounds, either low or high, the player must operate the 3 valves. For this reason he uses the 2nd, 3rd and 4th finger of his left hand, while his right hand is inside the bell throughout the execution, for this reason the bell is tilted downwards. The right hand also helps in the sound produced by the French horn. Lifting or taking the wrist of the performer regulates the toning of the instrument. More specifically, when the performer places his hand deeper in the bell, he changes the tone color, which becomes thinner, penetrating and metallic. If he puts his hand even deeper in the bell and at the same time blows loudly, this results in a hoarse tone, which is known as cuivre which means bronze.
History
The horn depictions date back to the 14th century in the form of a circular “winding” of the tube, which were probably only suitable for transmitting audio messages. In the middle of the 17th century the hunting horn (horn, cor de chasse) appeared in France with a short diameter, extension of the bell and extension of the pipe up to 4.5 meters.
The French horn was originally used in operas and other works in hunting scenes, and could be used for various military activities. From 1680, however, it began to be imported from France to Bohemia with the help of the F.A. Sporck and so the Bohemian Cornist School was founded.
In 1700 the horns evolved from the form of the hunting horn whose structure was simpler, ie it was a simple winding, into a multi-winding horn, something that helped significantly in the evolution of its sound. In 1710 the term “horn” is introduced for the first time for its participation in the musical composition, while at the same time soloists of this instrument begin to appear. From the middle of the 18th century, the horn became a permanent member of the orchestra and was used by the composers of the time.
In 1815 the French horn acquired valves for the first time, which was a pioneer for the time as it was the first in which valves were installed. Of course, apart from the valves, its tonality and sound color can change based on the position of the right hand, which is placed inside the bell.
