What Horn Players Think About Trumpet Players

This week I led a brass sectional with the ASU Symphony Orchestra brass section. At the end of the sectional I was asked I believe jokingly by a trumpet player a question something like “what do horn players think about trumpet players.” At first I gave the general honest answer, we like them, we are brass players too, but then I thought a moment and gave a longer answer.

In orchestra horn players tend to play with the woodwinds a great deal and we have to focus in on the woodwinds for pitch. The place where tension comes in is when the trumpet players are not focusing in on the woodwinds as well and are off in their own universe. I have worked with trumpet players who claim they are tuning to the timpani. AAARGH! There is no hope of playing in tune with a woodwind section and with trumpets that are off in their own little world tuning with the timpani, and it can make you feel a bit tense as a hornist. Because really what they are saying with that ridiculous statement is that they think you and the woodwinds are out of tune.

I also mentioned to never tune to the strings! They need to be tuning to all of us in the middle of the orchestra.

In short horn players like trumpet players! We really do. Just at times it gets a little hard in orchestra as we horns are a bridge between the woodwinds and brass and if the two groups are in conflict as to pitch level it can be a bit tough.