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On semantics and political correctness.
The French Horn (or “Horn”) is an instrument used in Western classical music settings, and these days is also featured prominently in many film and television productions – especially in the action/sci-fi genre. Film composers like Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams are known for their elaborate orchestral film scores where the French horn often plays a prominent role.
Some musicians get upset with me when I call it the French horn (its not really French in its origins).
Yet, most people simply don’t understand what instrument I am talking about if I just say ‘Horn.’ In popular American culture the term ‘Horn’ can mean a lot of things – trumpet, saxophone, or trombone (i.e. “yeah man, play that Horn”) – so I always call it the French Horn to save time and energy.
Of course I understand that calling it “the Horn,” is technically correct, but in my view this term reinforces the popular notion that classical music is stuffy and even elitist. While politically correct among those “in the know,” this term alienates everyone else – especially if one feels obligated to correct people.
No, sorry … it is not the French horn, it is called the Horn, thank you very much.
Barf. This attitude elicits nothing but eye rolls from an average Joe. It sounds pretentious and is a bit anal-retentive to boot. Besides, as Shakespeare wrote in “Romeo and Juliet”:
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet…”
So as a musician living in the United States, please – French my horn.
