Hornmasters: Schuller, Yancich, Robinson, and Fox on Holding the Horn and Left Hand Position

Today we have a four-pack of quotes from classic horn texts on holding the horn and left hand position, with two keys for fast finger technique the end of the post.

Gunther Schuller in Horn Technique addresses further the topic of the left hand.

While on the topic of playing position, I would like to add that, regarding the left arm and hand, the player should once find the most relaxed (but not collapsed) position. He should also learn from the very beginning of his studies to curve the fingers slightly over the keys (much as pianists are supposed to do), and by all means keep the fingertips in contact with the keys at all times. Good left hand habits will pay untold dividends later on in fast technical passages.

Depending on your horn and hand size, you may need to add “dimes” to the valve paddles to arrive at an ideal, curved finger position.

In reference to holding the horn Milan Yancich in A Practical Guide to French Horn Playing notes that for adult players

First of all it is important that one’s posture be correct: feet flat on the floor, body erect, head straight. Having the student stand up while playing can eliminate many bad habits of posture resulting when sitting down….

Holding the horn on the leg or thigh or playing with the bell against the body all give different varieties of tonal color. Holding the horn away from the body gives a tonal sound greatly contrasting with that obtained when the bell is held against the body.

William C. Robinson in An Illustrated Advanced Method for French Horn Playing offered extended advice on the playing position of the left hand.

The position of the left hand is of the utmost importance in the development of fluent, controlled technique. Not only the actual position of the fingers, but their action as well, should be carefully considered.

Fingers should be gently curved, avoiding any position of flatness. Tips of fingers should constantly remain in contact with valve levers.

Movement of fingers should always be quick and precise…. Slow, lazy movement of fingers can create a smearing sound between tones; clean technique cannot be developed without good finger action. Fingers should move very quickly in all tempi—in slow passages as well as in fast ones.

The left hand must be in a position in which no tension will be created as a result of finger or thumb movement….

The little finger should maintain and control the balance of the instrument but, in so doing, it must exert minimum pressure and squeezing against the finger hook.

Fred Fox in Essentials of Brass Playing has a different concern, which relates to the relationship of body position sitting and standing.

When standing or sitting while playing, the body position should be identical from the hips up. The temptation is to slouch back when sitting.

While every one of these quotes is good, for my money the two key quotes of this group are from Schuller and Robinson and relate to finger speed. Horn teachers see this fairly often; at slow tempos the fingers tend to move slowly and the fingers may fly around in an inefficient manner, possibly driven in part by a horn that does not quite fit the hand. The reminders thus would be:

1. … curve the fingers slightly over the keys (much as pianists are supposed to do), and by all means keep the fingertips in contact with the keys at all times. Good left hand habits will pay untold dividends later on in fast technical passages.

2. Movement of fingers should always be quick and precise…. Slow, lazy movement of fingers can create a smearing sound between tones; clean technique cannot be developed without good finger action. Fingers should move very quickly in all tempi—in slow passages as well as in fast ones.