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The very first French horns were hardly horns at all. They were simply hollowed-out animal horns which allowed the player to play only two notes when the player buzzed the lips against a hole at one end. But probably the first French horn descended from the French trompe de chasse, which basically translates into French horn. This hunting horn, which was used in France during the seventeenth century, was a slender tube that was coiled into a hoop that could easily be slung over a huntsman’s shoulder. French horns were first used as musical instruments during 16th century operas. The eighteenth century French horn was slightly modified from its predecessor. This horn was twice as long and was coiled into a double loop and had no valves. The only problem with this was that you would need a different horn every time there was a key change. The two men credited for solving this problem were Heinrich Stoelzel and Friedrich Bluhmel. The invention of valves revolutionized the horn, allowing the player to alter the length of the tubing by the motion of a finger. The modern horn in F has three valves, circular coils of narrow tubing flaring at one end to a wide bell, and a funnel-shaped mouth piece that accounts for the horn's soft, mellow tone. Most modern orchestras include four horns. Some famous French horn performers are Barry Tuckwell, Thomas Bacon, Julius Watkins, John Clark. http://cnx.rice.edu/content/m11617/latest/
This is the right way to play while standing.
This is the wrong way to play while sitting.
This is the right way to play while sitting.
This is the wrong way to play while standing.
To learn more about the French horn, check out these sites: |
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