More myth busting

On the general topic of speaking in absolutes, his parting comment resonates most strongly and is something to think deeply about.

At the very least, I think it’s helpful for all of us to qualify our statements in such a way that it is obvious whether we’re speculating, offering personal anecdotes, or actually do have evidence to back up our suggestions.

Emphatically discouraging a mouthpiece placement on the vermilion may very well be best for the majority of players, but there are more individuals than most seem to think that not only can play this way, but actually perform best like this.

(More.)

In another excellent article, he further notes that anecdotal evidence (no matter how abundant) is neither statistical nor scientific.

Educational guru embroiled in controversy
Benjamin Zander was a cornerstone for many years as the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic and the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at the New England Conservatory of Music. Recently, he was suddenly terminated by NEC President Tony Woodcock over a charge related to the employment of a videographer who was a registered sex offender.

Projectile musicianship

I think I can say without fear of contradiction that no-one who saw his performance on the french horn at our quatercentenary concert is likely to forget it. If he had only managed to vomit over the sponsors in the front two rows, he would scarcely merit a mention in the school magazine.

But the unique combination of a three-day bender with the hi-pressure directional capabilities of the horn resulted in a jet of such severity that a number of parents were hospitalized and stomach pumped side by side with young Martin himself. I still shudder at the merest hint of gin.

(More.)

Random pictures

• An old, ornate mouthpiece
• Javier Bonet takes pictures for a new recording
• The hubris of musicians
• 3D rendering

Living with embouchure dystonia
Katie Berglof writes about her experiences with focal embouchure dystonia (symptomatic) with peripheral trauma. Buzzing appears to be a big part of her recovery process.

Random videos

A new YouTube channel devoted to the performances of Nagy Miklos includes the Leopold Mozart concerto in a live performance.

* * *

Somewhere in South, Texas, a horn is born. (A video by Leonard Brown.)

* * *

A lively performance of the rarely performed Telemann Concerto for 3 Horns and Orchestra.

* * *

Donato Inglese having some fun backstage with a few friends..

* * *

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2. Random Monday Reflections from the past week. Gunther Schuller From a regional section of the New York Times, I discovered that Gunther...
3. Random Monday Reflections and navel-gazing. The responses to “Copy, Paste and Steal” have been very helpful. A big thanks to those that...
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The benefit of diversification
When I was a conservatory student, my career goals were fairly narrow and specialized (as if they weren’t narrow enough by choosing to play the French horn in the first place). Much later, my goals broadened in order to make a better, more sustainable living.

In this regard, The Saavy Musician Blog asks some tough questions:

What about your own career? Do you just do that one very specific thing (i.e. play classical oboe, choreograph ballet, paint landscape murals)?  Or is your mission open and flexible, ensuring that your work will remain necessary, valuable, and valued no matter how much the world evolves in any direction?

(More.)

Site updates
While sometimes time only allows me to post an article once or twice a week, I am constantly tweaking Horn Matters in the background in order to improve the user experience. Visitors to the site may have noticed that the area under articles – the sharing options, related articles and visitor comments – was a lot to scroll through and it was getting fairly long-in-the-tooth.

No need to worry - all the great stuff is still there. It is just now tucked inside some collapsible panels that help to keep things tidy.

Hoorndag
Bruce Richards shares news of a two-day event in Belgium that will feature master classes, massed horn choirs, the “Belgian Horn Sound,” various instrument displays, workshops, and a hunting horn concert by The Greenfields.

The benefit of diligence

One of the things that has always impressed me about Steve Martin is his diligence. In his memoir, Born Standing Up, he emphasizes this theme — defining diligence not just in terms of persistence, but also in the ability to ignore unrelated pursuits.

Martin was, of course, being facetious when he pepped himself up with the idea that it would only take 40 years to get good at the banjo (he was playing at a high-level in his act within 5 – 10 years of starting his training), but this statement reflects a deeper truth: getting good at something is not to be taken lightly; it’s a pursuit measured in years, not weeks.

(More.)

Unusual valve caps
If you are looking for something a little different, SMK Craftworks is offering pink valve string, and round (or even “square“) valve caps.

A horn player in Afghanistan
A new blog to keep an eye on is Karrhorn in Kabul. 

Andrew Karr (from Tampa, Florida) is chronicling his journey to Kabul, Afghanistan to teach and play in the Winter Festival of the Afghan National Institute of Music.

In typical musician fashion, this trip had to be squeezed between other performing and teaching obligations, so my schedule to travel here has been tight. I left my home in Tampa on the morning of Sunday the 29th, heard entry auditions for USF, where I am the horn instructor, dashed to Opera Tampa’s last performance of Cav and Pag, and then to Clearwater for a concert with The Florida Orchestra.

There, I loaded up my car with a final batch of donations from my colleagues at TFO (more on that later), and drove to Miami. Since I have performances in Miami immediately on my return to the US, it was simplest to depart from there and leave my car there. I had my last horn practice session in the US at the New World Symphony’s spectacular new facility on Miami Beach.

It seemed like an interesting juxtaposition to make use of one of the world’s best facilities for music study before heading to a place which is undoubtedly one of the more challenged!

(More.)

Random videos

I would not want to live in this house.

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Getting back to nature.

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What do 45 tubas, 6 percussions, a choir & soloists of extended vocal techniques, 3 conductors & live electronics all sound like when put together? Kinda scary…

* * *

A new video from Romain Thorel, this time covering a song made famous by Peggy Lee. (Take note of the harmon mute.)

* * *

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Excluding the 1st concerto (which has no slow movement to speak of) what is your favorite?

Take our informal poll at the bottom of this page and view the live results immediately!

* * *

Examples

Horn Concerto No. 2 in E-flat major, K. 417
Hermann Baumann (natural horn); Nikolaus Harnoncourt, CMW [2/3]

* * *

Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat major, K. 447
Alan Civil; Otto Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra
(The slow movement begins at the 7:06 mark.)

* * *

Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat major, K. 495
Barry Tuckwell; Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.
(The slow movement begins at the 7:25 mark.

* * *

Take the Poll!

* * *

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Behind-the-scenes we also heard from Brian Holmes a.k.a. the “Cabbage.”

The initial question:

My question is why a natural horn instrument with a certain crook might have a bad note. What is the explanation, the physic behind it? … For example, on my Courtois horn, the top G on the C-crook is terribly sharp in pitch, and has a very poor tone quality.

My first thought was that it might not be clean inside (after all, it’s more than 200 years old!), or maybe a dent was interfering with the vibrations. But I got both the crook cleaned and the dents removed, and the “wolf” note is still there.

Mr. Holmes has been a member of the Physics Department of San Jose State University for fourteen years. His interests include the physics of music and sports, and physics education. A sought-after speaker, his topics include musical acoustics and sports physics.

Mr. Holmes offered his own opinion on this topic and given his background and expertise, we thought that it would be interesting to pass it on to our readers. It is reproduced here with permission.

In response, Brian Holmes

* * *
I’m not sure I understand what Dave means by “equalizing.” And I do not understand the physics whereby such equalization would produce a shortening of the air column. Let me offer another explanation.

Sound consists of oscillating pressure. Without sound, the pressure in the horn would be one atmosphere. With sound, the pressure in the air oscillates, sometimes above atmospheric pressure, sometimes below. When I play concert A, these oscillations occur 440 times a second (different on a natural horn played at “authentic” pitch.)

I buzz my lips in the mouthpiece. The resulting sound travels down the horn and reaches the bell. At the bell, the pressure wave inverts (that is, high pressures are converted to low pressures, and vice versa) and reflects back up the horn toward the mouthpiece. (Only 1% of the sound actually leaves the bells and goes into the room.)

Notice that I didn’t explain why the pressure inverts. But let me point out that if there were a wall at the end of the horn (you can simulate this by closing the bell with your hand) then the reflected pressure wave would not invert.

(Let me know if you crave a detailed explanation of the inverting/noninverting of the reflected waves.)

Imagine that you are a tiny insect living inside the horn. (There may be plentiful green goo to dine on.) You will be in the presence of an outgoing and a returning sound wave. At certain locations, the high pressure regions of an outgoing wave exactly line up with low pressure regions of the returning wave. In these locations, the two waves cancel, and the insect will hear little sound. These locations are called pressure nodes. In other locations, the high pressure regions of the outgoing and returning waves will line up, as will the low pressure regions. In these regions, the two waves reinforce, making the sound louder; these spots are called anti-nodes.

When you play a note on your horn, there is a standing wave inside. As the insect walks from the mouthpiece to the bell, it will notice a succession of nodes and antinodes.

Now suppose that there is a tiny leak in the side of the horn. This makes it more difficult for pressure to oscillate there: if the pressure rises above one atmosphere, the air rushes out the hole. And if the pressure falls below one atmosphere, the air rushes in from outside the hole.

Here is the result. Suppose you have a standing wave in the horn, and you open a hole in the side. If the standing wave has a pressure node where the hole is, the hole will have no effect on the pitch of the note. If the standing wave has a pressure node near where the hole is, then opening the hole causes the node to move toward the hole, changing the pitch of the note.

(I have a trumpet on which I demonstrate this effect. If I open the spit valve, the note G is unaltered. This means the standing wave for G has a node at the location of the hole. Meanwhile, the note A flat gets flatter, and the note F sharp gets sharper. )

Suppose, instead of a hole, you have a tiny dent. Then the tendency will be for pressure nodes to move away from the dent. And once again, the effect will be different for different notes.

My guess, therefore, is to look for some imperfection in the tubing of the crook that is causing the mischief. Since the other crooks behave acceptably, I suspect either a small obstruction (a dent, blob of solder, or a joint between tubing of different diameters) or a small leak. But it’s easy enough to test a crook for a leak.

* * *

As a final note, I would highly recommend a video lecture/demonstration by Brian Holmes -  ”The Physics of Brass Musical Instruments: or What do the Horn Players do with Their Right Hands Anyway?” (Real Player is required.)

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3. The Physics of Brass Instruments, A Cabbage Lecture Horn geek alert! A fascinating video lecture presented by Brian Holmes at a Fermilab* Colloquium Series explains the physics of...
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Specifically, Flanagan looks at paths orchestras could take to arrive at a stronger operating platform.  He examines historical trends and prospects for growth in  ”performance revenue,” meaning ticket sales, revenue from recordings or touring, and other direct performance revenue (school concerts, etc).

He studies orchestras’ capabilities for growing “non-performance income,” defined as  government grants and subsidy, private contributions, and endowment/investment income. And finally he looks at ways orchestras have reduced or might consider reducing or slowing the growth of performance expenses.

(More.)

One wonders how much impact this book will have given the rather cool response to the now-infamous Flanagan report, upon which I assume this book is based.

Another bell lift to consider
As an alternative to the Watt Lifter, the Bellrest comes in wood without a clamping mechanism. These devices are added onto the bell in order to raise the angle of the instrument and increase playing comfort.

The only caveat is that if you want a Bellrest from its maker Femenella, you will need to use measuring calipers in order to assure the best fit.

Engineered wood
Wood carver and engineer Rob Jones is probably best know to us horn players for his horn sculpture. He continues to gain attention for the many wood carvings he shapes and creates. This video gives another nice overview and in it Mr. Jones gives a few more details behind his marvelous wooden French horn.

Getting into the flow
James Boldin looks at Nancy Sullivan‘s new book Flow Studies for Horn.

Flow Studies for Horn is divided into three main types of patterns; slow, medium, and fast, though there is considerable variety within each section. For example, the “Slow Flow Studies” section contains scale and arpeggio exercises in several different keys, as well as a whole tone study.

The author suggests practicing the studies in a rotation, playing two studies from each section per day.  By following this schedule, a player can cover the entire book in one week – once the patterns have been learned, of course.

(More.)

Getting to know you
Mary Pritchett Boudreault, a member of the Da Capo Brass, gets a nice write-up at the Delos web site.

Odds and ends

• Coffee is good.
• An abstract sketch.
• Wall decor.
• According to Webster.
• A thought on colleagues.

Getting recruited for the band
Derek Hull, 78, shares a memory.

It was this ability to play the French horn a little, and his general musical background, that helped Mr Hull get into the Band of the Royal Marines when he signed up for his National Service in 1952 at the age of 18.

He said: “The man who interviewed me wanted someone who could play on the march. Obviously, I couldn’t play the cello but I played him a few notes on my French horn and was signed up.”

He was posted to the Royal Marine School of Music in Deal, Kent, where he received a great deal of help from one of the sergeants.

(More.)

Random videos

Arkady Shilkloper demonstrates circular breathing.

* * *

Eldon Matlick performs a Mozart rondo.

* * *

Peter Kurau, with a flourish.

* * *

Meanwhile in Lugano, Switzerland…

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3. Exercise: Expansion Flow Study A long tone in disguise. This download is a PDF version of a long tone exercise which expands on a...
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This agenda began with a pocket full of mouthpieces.

Bring more than one mouthpiece

Being a staunch Moosewood customer, I brought three mouthpieces:

• Moosewood D6*
• Moosewood A10*
• Moosewood RB12

The D6 and A10 are heavyweight models* and due to their unique profile (and short external shank) I was not able to use them on a number of the European horns with deeper lead pipes.

For those horns I used the RB12. As the numbering system implies, this mouthpiece is the smallest of the trio and so that factor had some bearing. For the most part, I tried out horns in which the D6 or A10 would fit. Next time I will be better prepared with a European shank mouthpiece.

Hybrid horns

There were a number of modified stock horns to try out and compare. Having owned a few hybrid horns myself, these horns intrigued me the most.

The Conn 28D 400,000 series horn at the Houghton Horns table – priced at $5,250 – got a lot of attention. It is a modified, hybrid horn with a traditional 8D sound and some extra spice.

Of all the Conn brand horns at the conference, this one was my favorite.

With the Houghton custom leadpipe it was capable of a nice range of colors – from muted pianissimos to brassy fortissimos. I had a hard time putting it down and also had fun listening to a number of other people play on it. This horn has a charm, warmth and clarity that is difficult to put into words.

Like mouthpieces, a quality custom leadpipe can add huge and even mysterious properties to a horn. It is not something that I fully understand, but it is suffice to say that I have never been disappointed with a custom leadpipe on a stock instrument.

Hoyers with custom lead pipes

Along these lines two Hoyer horns at the SWHC – both with custom lead pipes – stood out. A stock Hoyer is a fairly good horn to begin with and with a custom lead pipe, it takes a quantum leap forward.

This Kruspe wrap horn from Houghton Horns with a custom leadpipe is a bargain at $6,250.

It had the wide, traditional 8D sound with the added bonus of an excellent medium-low range and a nice colorful, fortissimo sound.

I have nothing but equal high praise for the Hoyer G10 with a Patterson Hornworks leadpipe, priced at $5,045. I had a chance to compare this horn to a stock G10 (with a stock leadpipe) and noticed a significant improvement with the addition of the custom leadpipe.

Diamonds in the rough?

Based on what I saw at the SWHC, the average cost for a premium double horn ranged from about $8,000 to $11,000, while hybrid horns ranged anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000.

In seeking out a quality horn to purchase, one does not necessarily need to invest in a high-grade import or expensive custom horn. There are some pretty good hybrids out there that are at least worth considering.

The Schmid double horn

On the highest range of the pricing scale for double horns, we have Engelbert Schmid double horns. At the SWHC there were several Schmid doubles to try out, as well as a few descants and triples.

Compared to my current double horn, the Schmid double felt like lifting a bag of marshmallows; its weight seems impossibly light.

Of all the horns I played at the conference, the Schmid doubles felt the easiest and most secure to play. Playing on it in fact, almost felt too easy. Its sound glows like sunshine in all ranges, but somehow, I remained suspicious.

A few passersby noted that Schmid double horns sound very good up close, but do not carry well in a large hall. Yet, some people - like James Boldin – really like their Schmid doubles and have nothing but praise for them.

For the time being at least, I remain somewhat undecided.

Delusions of grandeur

I would love to get this Schmid double horn – and well actually, all of these horns –  into a large room with other people listening.

In closing out this two-part article on auditioning horns, that thought is probably the most important tip of all. Before making a final commitment towards purchasing a new or pre-owned instrument, be sure to have someone listen to you.

There are any number of factors that can cloud any musician’s good judgment, and in terms of what an instrument actually sounds like at a distance an impartial listener (or two) can help to sort out what is fact from what is fiction.

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But before getting started, an agenda for consistent testing was needed in order to determine as fairly as possible what horns played the best. Based on my own personal and subjective set of standards, I wanted to come up with a wish list of what I would deem as “top gear” for this conference.

Keep it simple

Basic scales and arpeggios can tell a lot about a horn.

With even the simplest patterns, one can quickly and fairly judge intonation, response and many other determining factors. Myself, I prefer basics over solos or excerpts for one simple reason: to concentrate less on performing and more on critical evaluation.

Sometimes moving a slide or two may be involved. On my first morning of trials at the SWHC for instance, a door was open and the room was relatively cold; moving slides was a necessity on that occasion.

Bad notes

Next on the agenda is to find out if the horn has any weak spots, and in particular, any bad notes. Geyer-wrap horns, for example, can be fairly notorious for a few particular quirks and here is what I go for right away:

• Does the horn have a high B-flat?
• How is the high A and what fingering works best?

Geyer from Pope Instruments

On older horns too, grabbing the stop-arm rotor and giving it a good shake back-and-forth can reveal if there is wiggle-room in the valve. If the valves are tight, there will be little or no movement.

At the SWHC, this original Geyer with rebuilt valves and a new lead pipe by Ron Pinc was on Ken Pope‘s table. I played on it for a good while and enjoyed listening to others play on it too.

The valves seemed very tight and there were no bad notes to speak of. Characteristic of an original Carl Geyer horn in good shape, the tone felt like warm melted butter and it is well worth the price.

This horn is for sale from Pope Instruments, and another horn on the same table that caught my strong attention was the Paxman 25LGD.

I had never tried a dual bore horn before and thoroughly enjoyed the F-side of this instrument, among many other things. The Paxman 25LGD is a large-bore horn and it had a very open and free feel and response.

‘Wow’ factor

For any make or model of horn, I also like to slowly toggle between the different sides of the instrument to see how they do (or do not) line up. Again, moving a slide or two might be necessary. Be sure to give that a try before giving up altogether and putting a tester horn back down.

Patterson Custom Double

One of my favorite tests for Kruspe wraps in particular is to play a few loud forte-pianos and sfortzandos. I do this to see if the instrument can get some color and sizzle with having to work too hard for it.

If the horn just says ‘wow’ instead of WOW! I put it down and walk away.

One horn that had me saying WOW was the Patterson Custom Double. This was easily one of the best horns at the show. The Patterson Custom Double has the open feel of most Conn horns, but it contains plenty of sizzle and power for when it is needed.

Tone quality flows evenly throughout: the high range did not get shrieky and the low range did not feel stuffy or sound tubby.

Be aware of bias, stay open for surprises

Back in the day, the word fink was a pejorative for someone who is a tattle-tale and rats out their friends. You dirty rotten fink! Pinko commie fink!

This bias, I must sheepishly admit, has always been in my mind whenever I see or hear the brand name Finke  - and so to be fair, I had to put that aside and actually sit down and try one out.

Thankfully I put asunder my rather childish hangup and decided to try out the Finke Americus horn at the Osmun Music table. It was a nice surprise and a very fun horn to play on.

Finke Americus from Osmun Music

The Americus model is described as a large-bore Geyer-wrap design and it is made in nickel-silver. The tone quality and intonation felt even and smooth in all ranges.

Unfortunately, my camera lens had a smudge on it, but there is plenty of information at the Osmun Music site on the Finke Americus.

I felt an immediacy to the response of this horn, one that really intrigued me the more I played on it. The tone glows and radiates like an Engelbert Schmid double horn, but with perhaps more depth and weight.

Ultimately, the big lesson for me with the Finke Americus was that preconceived notions about a horn can lead to missed opportunities. I look forward to trying one of these horns out again.

* * *

In Part II: Custom lead pipes, my favorite Conn horn and the dilemma of the Schmid double horn.

Buying or selling something?

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The main thing in particular that I enjoyed with the Southwest Conference was the relaxed pacing of events.

It always seems that at the international events, three or four things might be going on at the same time and one is forced to make impossible decisions between one great program or another. At the Southwest Conference, there was plenty of time to play horns and chat with people that I might otherwise not see face-to-face.

More random photos follow. As before, click on any image for a closer look.

* * *

One of the highlights of the conference was the Saturday evening concert that featured a premiere of a new piece by Eric Chasalow and a jaw-dropping performance of the Schumann Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra.

4 music stands await for the final piece.

The orchestra warming up.

Bruno Schneider demonstrated smooth elegance and superb breath control throughout. A few of us noted his embouchure and discussed its similarity to what is known about Dennis Brain’s embouchure.

Bruno Schneider was holstered and ready for action.

* * *

Horn choir rehearsal.

* * *

A different shot of the Sam Pilafian warm-up session. Note the bright red tuba!

* * *

I bought a new mute from Ion Balu and also tried out his horns with the double-walled lead pipes.

Ion Balu.

* * *

Kevin Stiles and Michael Reipe from Wichita Band Instrument Company.

* * *

Besides trying out lots of horns, I enjoyed listening to others try out horns – especially the models that I specifically liked (or did not like). I also must confess that enjoyed eavesdropping on dealers and customers chatting about equipment and other shop-talk.

Bill Bernatis tries out an Atkinson horn (a nickel-silver Geyer wrap) while Scott Bacon and a rep from Osmun Music chat.

* * *

Here is a picture of one of my favorite instruments from Ken Pope.

Unfortunately my camera lens had a huge smudge on it and so the picture is marred (there are more pictures on the Pope Instrument site). My faulty camera lens aside, this horn played like warm melted butter and in my opinion is well worth the price tag.

A Geyer horn with a Ron Pinc pipe.

* * *

Do you like horn pictures?

Throughout this week I will be posting a series of articles on my favorite instruments from the Southwest Horn Conference, and more specifically, my routine and criteria for trying out horns and determining what I like.

Stay tuned!

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1. Random Pictures from the 2012 SW Horn Conference, Part I Over the weekend, I had pleasure of attending the Southwest Horn Conference. The event was expertly hosted by Rose French...
2. Horn Event Promotion 101: The 2012 Southwest Horn Conference So far as I can tell between now and the IHS International Symposium this year there are three major, regional...
3. Art Masterpieces Graffittied with Horns Over the past few years I have had some fun spoofing Western art masterpieces and putting them online. Looking back...
4. A Holiday Gem for Low Horn It is December and that means holiday pops concerts for many musicians. Along with sugar plum fairies, sleigh rides and...
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Click on any image in this article for a closer look.

The weather in Phoenix was an average from the mid-40′s in the morning, upwards of 70 degrees during lunch.

I missed the first full day of events, and was not able to get there until the Friday evening concert. The parking lot looked more like this when I arrived.

The first thing I noticed was the merchandise table. The conference logo looks great on a variety of materials.

I attended the opening concert in the 250-seat capacity auditorium. The stage actually seems larger than the audience space.

Nancy Joy with marimba.

The following day - a warm-up session lead by Sam Pilafian.

Randall Faust leads a horn choir session.

I then pursued my one-track mission on playing as many horns as I could.

From Scott Bacon's display.

I had a great time playing horns and talking to new and old friends.

Dennis Houghton and Victor Valenzuela

Milton Kicklighter and Ken Pope looking at an 8D.

Bill Bernatis, Gabe Kovach and Jim Patterson talking shop.

Tom Greer of Moosewood tries out a Kuhn.

Ion Balu and host Rose French.

* * *
(More random pictures later today!)

Buying or selling something?

Check out Horn Matters Classified Ads!

Please visit our advertising sponsors:

• Ken Pope Repair
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Related articles:

1. Horn Event Promotion 101: The 2012 Southwest Horn Conference So far as I can tell between now and the IHS International Symposium this year there are three major, regional...
2. Art Masterpieces Graffittied with Horns Over the past few years I have had some fun spoofing Western art masterpieces and putting them online. Looking back...
3. A Holiday Gem for Low Horn It is December and that means holiday pops concerts for many musicians. Along with sugar plum fairies, sleigh rides and...
4. Random Monday: Hello 2012! Recycled horns In the BBC documentary Scrapheap Orchestra, the horns are all made of recycled materials. A couple, who run an...
5. Who Reads Horn Matters? Spring 2011 Update In a few months, Horn Matters will hit upon its 2-year anniversary! That 2-year anniversary date is September 1st. While...
6. Random Monday: Liberace’s Horn, Christie’s Rock Star Status, Atlanta’s Principals, and Moses’ Horn Liberace’s horn player An old post unearthed at the Indiana Public Media site features John Gras, a West Coast horn...
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She asserts that deafness in general is largely misunderstood by the public and she has taught herself to “hear” with parts of her body other than her ears.

In her essay Hearing Essay she talks openly about her condition.

So far we have the hearing of sounds and the feeling of vibrations. There is one other element to the equation, sight. We can also see items move and vibrate. If I see a drum head or cymbal vibrate or even see the leaves of a tree moving in the wind then subconsciously my brain creates a corresponding sound.

A common and ill informed question from interviewers is ‘How can you be a musician when you can’t hear what you are doing?’ The answer is of course that I couldn’t be a musician if I were not able to hear.

Another often asked question is ‘How do you hear what you are playing?’ The logical answer to this is; how does anyone hear?. An electrical signal is generated in the ear and various bits of other information from our other senses all get sent to the brain which then processes the data to create a sound picture.

The various processes involved in hearing a sound are very complex but we all do it subconsciously so we group all these processes together and call it simply listening. The same is true for me. Some of the processes or original information may be different but to hear sound all I do is to listen. I have no more idea of how I hear than you do.

(More.)

Beyond the surface details of her inspiring story, she offers very thoughtful and insightful lessons for us as horn players and musicians to learn from.

In this brilliant lecture from her TED talk from 2003, she illustrates that music transcends the mere auditory, and that it is a whole-body experience.

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K. asks:

I have been working with my horn teacher over the last few months on changing my embouchure. The problem I had in the past was I used too much upper lip pressure. I have been trying to change it, but no matter how hard or long I work at it (hours, days, weeks, etc) I cannot get anything over a second space A without putting extra pressure on my upper lip.

Any tips or ideas on how to avoid that?

To begin I must mention my own personal bias, that I am skeptical about obsessions with excessive mouthpiece pressure. I would assert that many – if not most – of these concerns are unnecessary.

In my own years of experience as a private teacher, I have only had a small handful of students that in my observation appeared to be using too much pressure. That being said – and without the benefit of seeing in-person what the exact issue is with the questioner above – the tips below are given in very broad and general terms.

The variables

Mouthpiece pressure is relative to a number of factors, including:

• facial anatomy
• mouthpiece cup and rim type
• mouthpiece angle
• embouchure ratio
• air stream direction

With so many factors at play there is plenty of wiggle room for variation.

Speaking in absolutes about embouchure  - that there is only one way to form the lips – falls short of reality and it overlooks the vast differences and variations of human anatomy from person-to-person.

Along this line of thought:

…there is nothing cosmically metaphysical or subconscious about learning to play the horn. We are not born with a natural capability to play the horn, one that only needs to be brought to the surface by a caring and attentive guru.

Until animals start buzzing their lips in the jungle, I don’t buy the ‘natural’ approach that some teachers tout as a selling point – along with its abstract, pop-psychology terminology. While it might work for some students with the right mindset and technical accomplishment, this approach to teaching the horn has virtually no established pedagogy to rely on. It is up to the individual teacher in this case to determine the method.

Playing any musical instrument requires technical knowledge, and mental and physical skill. For some that requires breaking things down and analyzing it to see how it works and all fits together. The pursuit of this knowledge isn’t always about solving problems. Sometimes it is the pursuit of an answer – or just raw knowledge.

(More.)

For the purposes of offering guidance on mouthpiece pressure specifically, I will focus briefly on just four details of the embouchure: mouthpiece placement, air stream direction, mouthpiece angle and muscle tension.

High, medium or low placement?

First, it is particularly helpful to understand what your embouchure placement type is and what its tendencies are.

In this pursuit I reference David Wilken’s excellent video on embouchure basics. In this video, Mr. Wilken divides embouchure types into three broad categories based on where the mouthpiece is placed on the lips: high, medium or low.

Many – if not most – horn players fall in between the high and medium placements, with an embouchure ratio ranging roughly between 2/3 upper lip and 1/3 lower, to 3/4 upper lip and 1/4 lower.

Of course there are exceptions, and with the Southwest Horn Conference coming up this weekend, I am particularly interested in checking out Bruno Schneider’s medium-low placement embouchure.

In Mr. Wilken’s video, there is also a close-up example and discussion of a horn player with a low-placement embouchure setting.

Air stream direction

Referencing both Mr. Wilken’s video and Philip Farkas’ A Photo Study of 40 Virtuoso Horn Players’ Embouchures there are two basic types of air stream direction:

• an upwards air stream or,
• a downwards air stream.

According to Mr. Wilken’s video, air stream direction is directly connected to mouthpiece placement. Since most horn players use a high or medium placement, the typical air flow for horn players is downwards. For low placement players, the opposite is true – the stream is typically targeted upwards.

(As an aside, the antiquated notion of “blowing the air down the center of the mouthpiece” is somewhat of a fallacy. While it sounds good to utter this phrase out loud for motivational purposes, the truth is that this turn of phrase is technically a myth – one that needs to be busted.)

Meet the mouthpiece

From “Mouthpiece Pressure and other Tall Tales”

A teacher of mine once said that heavy mouthpiece pressure was nothing to be concerned about as long as one “meets the mouthpiece.”

In illustrating this he would make two fists with his hands, touch them together at the knuckles and then push them against one another. With his hands, he was illustrating the concept that force and counter-force can balance one another.

With enough muscle tension and support, the lips can handle mouthpiece pressure in most cases.

Mouthpiece angle

Related to air stream direction and mouthpiece placement is the angle of the mouthpiece in relation to the lips. Typically – not always – players with a medium or high mouthpiece setting angle their horns either straight onto the lips, or at a slight angle downwards.

The angle of the mouthpiece then, is directly connected to the amount of pressure on the top lip. In short – the higher the mouthpiece angle, the greater the pressure on the top lip (and vice versa).

Answering the question

So to answer the main question that began this article, making a conscious effort to reduce pressure on the top lip involves lowering the angle of the mouthpiece in relation to the lip surface.

For all the reasons given above, this effort – to lessen pressure on the upper lip – can backfire; it can be antithetical towards that specific embouchure type, mouthpiece placement and air stream.

To wrap it up in one, short sentence, I would honestly not worry too much about mouthpiece pressure.

My advice? Focus your energies on other issues.

That being said, there are always exceptions to the rule and this advice should not be construed as something chiseled in stone.

Buying or selling something?

Check out Horn Matters Classified Ads!

Please visit our advertising sponsors:

• Ken Pope Repair
• Houghton Horns

Related articles:

1. Mouthpiece Placement on the Upper Lip Working with a variety of horn students inevitably the embouchure comes up as a topic. An important aspect is placement...
2. Farquharson Cousins on the Embouchure and Mouthpiece Pressure Offering yet another approach to the setup of the embouchure is Farquharson Cousins in On Playing the Horn, which was...
3. Mouthpiece Pressure and other Tall Tales I have argued that when mixing vague religiosity, sports metaphors and loose technical knowledge into a brass teaching method, there...
4. From the Mailbag: Big Horn, Big Mouthpiece? A question came in about mouthpieces, as in should you use a big mouthpiece on a big horn and a...
5. From the Mailbag: Why Do I Sound So Good On a New Mouthpiece For a While, Then Crash? QUESTION: Twice now I’ve switched to a different mouthpiece after using another for a long time. On both occasions my...
6. Embouchure 101: A Video on Brass Embouchures David Wilken has put together a superb 50-minute video on embouchure basics that should be required watching for both teachers...
7. Using Too Much Pressure? Anyone who has read Farkas knows he was quite concerned with pressure and not using too much pressure into the...

While it is not ideal – the plugs do take some getting accustomed to – it is a better alternative than foam plugs or hearing loss.

Meanwhile, in Bavaria:

They had rehearsed the piece only once, but already the musicians at the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra were suffering.

Their ears were ringing. Heads throbbed.

Tests showed that the average noise level in the orchestra during the piece, “State of Siege,” by the composer Dror Feiler, was 97.4 decibels, just below the level of a pneumatic drill and a violation of new European noise-at-work limits. Playing more softly or wearing noise-muffling headphones were rejected as unworkable.

So instead of having its world premiere April 4, the piece was dropped. “I had no choice,” said Trygve Nordwall, the orchestra’s manager. “The decision was not made artistically; it was made for the protection of the players.”

(More.)

Buried by snow
The Milwaukee Symphony musicians donated their services to promote tourism in their state.

When Joshua Phillips signed on this season as a French horn player in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, he had no idea the job description included taking a snowball to the head.

“I was trying to do what I was told,” he explained.

(More.)

Be sure to check out the video. (Too bad that a few frames got reversed and we get backwards French horns).

Random pictures and stuff

• Con fuoco
• A horn tie
• Still life
• Charms
• Treats
• Spring is coming

Review of a groovy new publication
Bruce Richards gives an enthusiastic thumbs up to a new publication from The Golden Horns.

I took a chance and ordered a new book devoted to horn solos, duos, trios and quartets by The Golden Horns from Finland.  It has to be the most innovative, fun, and groovy book for horn ever written.  I am stunned by the concept and the amazing  insight they have brought to horn chamber music and the introduction of rock, “world music” rhythms, jazz, etc… to young horn players.

(More.)

Getting Mahlered
Conductor Gustav Dudamel (aka the “Dude”) will be conducting all the Mahler symphonies within the span of three weeks.

Over slightly more than three weeks, Dudamel will conduct the nine symphonies Mahler completed plus the opening Adagio movement of the unfinished Tenth with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simón Bolivar Orchestra. Each symphony — the short ones can last an hour — is an emotionally charged epic, simultaneously a window onto the world at large and an aperture into a complex and often conflicted composer’s soul. Each symphony is a draining physical and spiritual experience for musicians and audiences alike. Each symphony is, like life, a little (and some more than a little) crazy.

(More.)

Random videos

Here are a few of Steve Park‘s latest videos – first, the second movement of the Gliere concerto. Looks like he is playing on a new horn, a Holton Merkermatic.

Second, a fun video of Lowell Shaw’s Frippery Number 14.

* * *

A nice feature and interview of soloist Radek Baborák. Be sure to hit the Closed Captioning (CC) for translating the dialogue into a language you can understand.

* * *

A short animation titled “Fish and French Horn.”

* * *

“Space Taxi” by The Golden Horns

* * *

A nice tune with a pop, contemporary feel. If the title on this video is to be believed, the horn playing is constructed from digital sampling. Sounds pretty good for a computer horn player, if that is the case.

Buying or selling something?

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• Ken Pope Repair
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This was my first visit to this museum. Back in May 2010, John wrote about his first visit and he has also given a few concerts at the MIM, featuring a panoply of horns.

I was particularly eager to see if the over-the-shoulder horns and other rarities from the Fiske collection had been added to the public displays.

Brass instruments represent the most comprehensive element of the Fiske Collection and the centerpiece is a set of seven over-the-shoulder brasses by Hall & Quinby of Boston (1872), the only known complete set of these types of Civil War-period instruments. The collection also features examples of most valve types invented during the 19th century and several outstanding examples by European and American makers are represented.

Other highlights include 19th-century clock-spring slide trumpets by Ulyate, London (c. 1830); a slide trumpet made for the famous English player John Distin (c. 1833); a keyed trumpet by Antonio Apparuti, Modena (c. 1835), a rarity as the only example in the United States; an expertly designed disc valve cornet by J. A. Kohler, London (c. 1853); and two double-piston valve B-flat trumpets by Graves & Co., Worcester, Massachusetts (c. 1845).

(More.)

Snapshots from an iPhone

The MIM has two floors: the top floor is organized by region, and the bottom floor by special category. The majority of the brass instruments were in the European galleries upstairs.

With my handy iPhone camera I took a few photos of some brass-related instruments that piqued my interest and that I thought might be of interest to Horn Matters readers.

Be sure to click on any picture to get a larger view.

The first snapshot is of an oliphant – an elaborately carved ivory horn. It was displayed in a case with a number of horns from the same region.

Most of the instruments are displayed without glass, so visitors are able to get a really close look at each instrument.

One of the more interesting brass instruments was this tenor horn – made between 1850-1862 by Augustin Heinrich Rott. It was on display in the Czech region of the European gallery. I would have loved to try a few notes out on this one.

* * *

In the main floor gallery titled “Mechanical,” this paper roll trumpet caught my attention.  No air or buzzing is required.

The gallery also has a few paper roll player pianos – which I have seen before – but this was this first time that I had seen the same technology applied to a brass instrument.

* * *

This reed horn requires the user to blow air into the mouthpiece. Each key has a reed that is tuned to different notes. The manufacturer is Couesnon - which happens to be the maker of my hunting horn.

* * *

In the Latin and South American gallery these lightweight, bamboo and leaf-wrapped horns from Bolivia illustrate an interesting example of how indigenous traditions get mixed and morphed into the traditional Catholic liturgy.

In the accompanying audio-visual display two sets of these horns are being performed in a Catholic liturgical setting, assigned to playing the long notes of the cantus firmus.

With a choir, organ and other instruments they added a very unique flavor to the mix. I love how they look like gigantic pan flutes.

* * *

The final picture is from the North American gallery.

This area of the MIM is the least complete at the moment; about one half of the space in this gallery is littered with empty displays under construction.

Fortunately, I was able to take a peek at the complete set of over-the-shoulder horns – soprano, alto, tenor and bass. As mentioned previously, this Hall & Quinby of Boston (1872) collection is the only known complete set of these types of American Civil War-period instruments.

Some of the rarer over-the-shoulder horns can be fairly valuable. In the popular television program Antiques Roadshow a similar soprano saxhorn was appraised at $4,000 – $5,000 USD. One can only imagine what the appraised value might be for a complete set.

The two alto horns in the Hall & Quinby set are pitched in G and E-flat.

* * *

A great side trip from the SW Conference

Overall I was very impressed with the MIM and would highly recommend it to anyone.

For anyone who might be attending the Southwest Horn Conference next week, the MIM is literally around the block from the conference and would make for a nice side trip.

Plan to be there for at least two hours.

Buying or selling something?

Check out Horn Matters Classified Ads!

Please visit our advertising sponsors:

• Ken Pope Repair
• Houghton Horns

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Recycled horns
In the BBC documentary Scrapheap Orchestra, the horns are all made of recycled materials.

A couple, who run an instrument repair shop, are set to feature in a show that challenges the country’s finest instrument makers to create an orchestra out of recycled materials.

Woodhead Horn Repair Ltd, is set to appear on BBC4’s show Scrapheap Orchestra, along with other instrument makers across the UK in helping to put together the orchestra.

(More.)

Getting your instrument on a plane
At Saurian Saint - some survival tips on getting an instrument onto a commercial airline flight. The pictures alone are worth a look.

Random gibberish
I could have used this generator years ago when I was studying composition and needed to write papers. It cranks out scholarly sounding gibberish, much like the music that I was studying.

Boxing day

…at ROC Boxing & Fitness Center, a no-frills gym, about 20 music students are subjects of an experiment by Eastman professor James VanDemark, a double bassist who believes boxing breeds better musicians.

To test that theory, students are spending about an hour a week this semester with longtime trainer Dom Arioli, who has them work the heavy bag, hone their jabs and bang out push-ups.

(More.)

The new ‘industrial age’ of the 21st century?

It’s been called the Gig Economy, Freelance Nation, the Rise of the Creative Class, and the e-conomy, with the “e” standing for electronic, entrepreneurial, or perhaps eclectic.

Everywhere we look, we can see the U.S. workforce undergoing a massive change. No longer do we work at the same company for 25 years, waiting for the gold watch, expecting the benefits and security that come with full-time employment. We’re no longer simply lawyers, or photographers, or writers. Instead, we’re part-time lawyers-cum- amateur photographers who write on the side.

(More.)

Random pictures

• Chair and horn illustration
• Slide detail closeup
• Adjustable valve-cap screws

A fascination with the French horn
Isaiah Adderholdt had to engage in a treasure hunt to find his Christmas present.

His parents secretly bought him a used beginner’s model (single horn) and sent him on a treasure hunt all over the house until he found the horn in the storage room next to the hot water heater. The first words out of his mouth were, “Wow!  Now I can play the Tree next year with Ms. Paula!”

(More.)

Random videos

An excerpt from Joseph Eger‘s Around the Horn. 

* * *

Some fabulous horn playing.

* * *

Ben Greenberg takes the Verne Reynolds challenge in a one-take video.

* * *

A slide show from Óscar Sala, presenting his newest publication. (Can anyone name the tune he is playing in the background?)

Buying or selling something?

Check out Horn Matters Classified Ads!

Please visit our advertising sponsors:

• Ken Pope Repair
• Houghton Horns

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A street decoration from the New Orleans area of the Disneyland theme park in California.

‘Tis the season
At Bennett’s Tenets, we see an example of how busy this season can get for musicians.

Musicians in black
A point I never thought about – audiences at symphony concerts can sometimes be seeing the orchestra at “shoe level.”

But can an orchestra musician still be stylish within the constraints of a strict dress code? Absolutely.

For French horn player Megan Evans, it’s all about the footwear. “I wear the highest heels in the whole orchestra,” she says.

Three inches is the norm. High heels aren’t often practical outside the Winspear, she says, but “at a concert, I walk onstage, it’s, like, 50 feet.” Her current faves are a “killer high” patent leather pair with toe cleavage.

“I’m amazed by how many people in the audience notice our shoes,” Bumanis says. “They sit at shoe level.” But the harpist can’t wear stilettos to manipulate the harp’s seven foot pedals. She wears a pair of crepe-soled shoes with a bit of a heel, comfy and quiet walking on and offstage.

(More.)

Jerome Ashby in concert
I posted this on Facebook a few weeks ago and here it is once again.

This a live New York Philharmonic concert excerpt from 1997. The piece is an aria from a rarely performed opera by Mozart - Mitradate. Sylvia McNair sings and Jerome Ashby is playing horn.

Jerome Ashby in concert
/audio/Ashby-Mitradate-Mozart.mp3

Southwest Horn Conference next month
I had a gig with conference coordinator Rose French over the weekend and was happy to hear more details of the upcoming Southwest Conference.

Among the many things to get excited about I was especially happy to hear that a number of exhibitors are bringing horns for sale – to try out and play on. It sounds like that there will be a full house and lots of new people to meet!

Awkward Dot Com
Awkward Classical Music Photos is a funny site that likes to poke good-natured fun at classical musicians and in particular, their publicity stills. There is even a tag for horn, where a number of familiar faces show up.

Awesome Mahler
Meanwhile at Mahler Owes Me Ten Bucks, a glowing review of a Mahler 5th concert in Houston extols the virtues of live performance.

Trouble at the NLRB?
Some disturbing news for musicians and musician unions – the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is short of a quoram.

Why is this so important?

The NLRB is the enforcement body for labor countracts and all collective bargaining in the United States. Without a quoram the labor shark has no teeth, so to speak.

Unless something changes in Washington, American workers will, on New Year’s Day, effectively lose their right to be represented by a union.

Two of the five seats on the National Labor Relations Board, which protects collective bargaining, are vacant, and on Dec. 31, the term of Craig Becker, a labor lawyer whom President Obama named to the board last year through a recess appointment, will expire. Without a quorum, the Supreme Court ruled last year, the board cannot decide cases.

(More.)

Chi-town “Best Of”
The most recent release from the Chicago Symphony Brass ranked highest in WFMT’s Best Classical Recordings of 2011 list.

Great advice
Speaking of lists, the “30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself” offers a number of thought-provoking tips that can easily be applied to music study and performance.

Recently retired
William Lane – recently retired from the L.A. Philharmonic – makes a guest appearance at the Marshall Philharmic Orchestra’s Christmas concert.

Odd Quartet for the holidays
At the Odd Quartet site, a number of holiday/musician related comics hit the funny bone. Two recent comics that I enjoyed were:

• Messing up the whip in Sleigh Ride.
• The magic of sleigh bells.

What’s Popular

On this day – the top articles at Horn Matters.

• Thoughts on ‘Quality’ and an Overview of Trusted Brands in French Horns
• Named Your Horn Yet?
• Opinion and Parody: The ‘New and Improved’ Louisville Orchestra
• Ask Dave: What Can I Do About a Horn that Plays Flat?
• Tactics to Develop Sight-Reading
• Review: Houser Stainless Steel Horn Mouthpiece Rims from Houghton Horns
• The Placebo Effect and Horn Playing
• A Look at Óscar Sala’s Warm Up and Ricardo Matosinhos’ Pocket Guide
• Make Your Own Custom Horn
• On the NRIAG Report: 3 Aspects of Getting Fame and a Look at the Park Effect
• Trusted Brand Names of French Horns: Composite and Age Group Results
• Turning Points
• Then: Double Horn and Descant at the Audition. Now?
• How to Test a Different Leadpipe on your Horn
• Hornmasters on Rapid Tonguing, Part I: Quotes and a Video
• Random Monday: Strike Aftermath, Horn Quality and Tokyo Police
• Ask Dave: How Can I Improve My Grip?

Random videos

(This video may not be available in regions outside of the U.S.)

What would happen if you were to combine a concert with Beethoven conducting and a 1970′s lounge disco act? For starters, you would end up with a great quote like this.

A French horn is like a woman: it’s beautiful, it’s curvaceous, and it’s filled with tubes that I don’t understand.

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Here is Radek Baborák in a tasty live performance of Bozza’s “En fôret.”

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An odd duo makes holiday music and has fun with a theme-and-variations arrangement.

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Another funny dog – this one likes mutes?

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