Horn: Difference between revisions

A ''natural horn'' has no valves, and can only play a series of overtones, which are near the [[harmonic series]]. The player can adjust the pitch of the note by placing their hand in the bell. In [[historical temperaments|19th century]] technique, notes near the 7th and 11th [[harmonic]]s were often written and could be finagled with different hand placements. Even a [[diatonic scale|C major scale]] in the lower octave could be negotiated. There was no avoiding an certain unevenness of tone, however.

To satiate the modulatory desires of classical composers, horns were soon made with a system of interchangeable ''crooks'' which, when inserted, would give a variety of keys. But this only encouraged the composers, and soon they were writing parts for two pairs of horns in different keys. Instrument builders tried in many ways to combine multiple keys into a single horn, settling finally on the rotary valve system prevalent in horns today.

On a valved horn, there are three valves which the fingers of the left hand operates. The first valve causes the effective tube length to lengthen enough to lower the [[fundamental]] by a whole step (~200{{c}}). The second valve does the same, only by a half step (~100{{c}}), and the third, a minor third (~300{{c}}). In combinations these valves can lower the fundamental by up to a [[tritone]].

A ''double horn'', on the other hand, has a thumb valve which switches between two keys, usually B♭ and F. It does this by adding/subtracting an initial length of tubing and also (usually) with different lengths of tubes for the valves.

Horns are naturally microtonal since they play overtones. Harmonics relatively low in the harmonic series (such as 7, 11 and 13) can thus be played quite easily. Usually, players make hand adjustments to get their harmonic-series notes closer to the equal temperament.

So-called double horns (F horns with a B♭ valve), go extremely sharp in the higher non-B♭-valve partials; the valve is used to get the upper register in tune. This means that these kinds of horns actually have a huge variety of intonation in the upper register through various combinations of valves. More than other brass instruments which are typically designed to have in-tune partials, and thus do not need that extra valve for tuning their high ranges.

[[John Eaton]] has this useful tip from [https://web.archive.org/web/20110604130232/http://www.newmusicbox.org/page.nmbx?id=17fp02 an interview in NewMusicBox]: tune the F side a quartertone lower than the B♭ side!

[[George Secor]] especially has done some thinking about valve systems extended to alternate edos. See the bottom of [http://tonalsoft.com/monzo/trumpet/trumpet-intonation.aspx ''Intonation of the valve trumpet''] There are no cases of actual horns built yet.

== Microtonal repertoire ==

* Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings (Op. 31, 1943) - The prologue and epilogue movements are for solo horn and employ harmonics 6-12, in one of the earliest usages of just intonation in classical concert literature

* [[György Ligeti]]'s ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008UVCE/103-4149462-7074248?v=glance&n=5174 Hamburg Concerto]'' "for horn & chamber orchestra with 4 obbligato natural horns"

* ''[https://artifactrecordings.bandcamp.com/track/horn Horn]'' by Larry Polansky, [https://eamusic.dartmouth.edu/~larry/scores/horn.pdf score] featured in Xenharmonikon 14