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There is a big amorphous topic that is rarely discussed related to horns and repertoire. Over the years it has become more and more clear to me that different music feels better and worse on different horns. This may seem like one of the more oddball topics I’ve ever posted on, but stick with me for a few minutes. Some music is more fun to play on different horns, there is something important here for every horn player to consider.
And note: If you would rather hear me talk about this (with a few more stories and asides!) check out Episode 59 of the Horn Notes Podcast! This summer I will be posting new episodes at least every other week.
“Personality,” and your horn
While thinking about this topic I saw a link to this recent article in the Horn People (Facebook) group:
It is a nice article but this quote really spoke to me.
Second trumpet John Hagstrom puts both of them to shame: He tells the Tribune his grand total was “classified” but concedes he owns more than 100 trumpets which he rates as “performable,” plus hundreds more he’s amassed as historical curios.
“It’s like being a cat person: there’s a point where it becomes a little weird,” Hagstrom jokes. “But like a cat, each instrument has a different personality.”
Modern horns, on the whole, have less personality than older horns, driven somewhat by market forces, but even there you can see differences of personality from brand to brand.
A story about an audition
I have heard a story about a true artist in the finals of a major orchestra horn audition some years ago. The story is that our artist came into the finals with multiple horns, different horns for different rep. One horn was the Mozart horn, one was the Brahms horn, one was the Wagner horn, etc. Unimpressed, the conductor asked them to play Brahms on the Wagner horn. They did not get the job.
(What would the various horns have been? I’d guess something light and small for Mozart – perhaps a single Bb – and for other rep who knows, but horns that felt better for that rep to that player.)
But with years of playing, I can see kind of what the artist was getting at, I can certainly feel it between the various horns I own. And, disclosure, I used a descant and a double horn on the Nashville Third Horn audition that I won. The right tools for the right rep is very important.
Orchestral, or soloist horn?
There is a widespread mindset that there are only two types of horns – good horns, and bad horns. Or maybe professional and student horns. And that you should be able to play any type of music on a good/professional horn. But the reality is that within the category of good/professional horns you can see that horns are made to favor different types of music and playing.
Speaking generally, I’m going to offer that Geyer style horns are better for orchestral music. This past year I had quite a few students taking professional auditions and I found it really was the best to demonstrate and play excerpts on my Patterson Geyer.
But I love to play the big Paxman 25A that I used to play my first two solo recordings. And the funny thing is I think it is easier to do warm-ups that I like to do on the Paxman (or a single F), and for sure the music I recorded on the two CDs is easier to play on the Paxman. It is almost as if I chose the music because it felt good on the horn. If I was using the Patterson when I put together the CDs I likely would have recorded at least somewhat different music.
For the same general reason, as I’ve changed horns over the years, for sure the instrument has influenced what pieces I choose to play on recitals.
Related: Let’s talk Gliere
I’ve played the Gliere a few times over the years. I was very comfortable with it on my Elkhart 8D – won the concerto competition at IU! — and am comfortable playing Gliere on the big Paxman. But any other horn among those I own I’d rather not play the piece.
Of course, it is actually very playable on other horns, but the piece feels just feels the best on certain ones.
Aside: Let’s talk about the low range
The fair comparison are my three main double horns. Of the three, the big Paxman is the best in the low range, but the Patterson a very close second. The post-war Kruspe, as sweet as it is, I’d really rather not play low horn on it.
Which is to say, some players struggle with ranges and part of the issue is choice of horn and mouthpiece. The problem is not always you.
Aside: Let’s talk about Sousa marches
A more extreme example is illustrated in this article from a few years ago,
The Alto Horn — The Ultimate Off Beat Playing Machine
Back in the day that Sousa wrote his marches, players “on the march” would have used what they used to call “peck horns,” upright Eb alto horns. They can powerfully punch out those off beats, much better than a French horn.
Closely related, Eb tenor horns can punch stuff out in a brass band that just can hardly be done on a French horn. Piston valves really help with fast runs!
Descant and triple horns
These both have so much difference in character and personality when compared to a double horn. Certain rep becomes much more playable.
For a tangible example, I have performed the Telemann concerto at least three different times on a descant. It lays so nicely on a descant! It is playable on a double, but why? It is so much more work. A triple could be used, too, but I tend to think it a horn more suited to heavy orchestral playing than light solo works like the Telemann.
Going back to the low horn topic, the descant and the triple both have the full low range, but if you are really trying to sound your very best in the low range a double really is better.
Natural horns and trills (and your horn)
Then we get to a really good topic, why are there so many trills in the Mozart concertos? Reality is that it simply is easier to trill on a natural horn. Try it! If you have a reasonably authentic natural horn and mouthpiece you will find that trills are, relatively speaking, a breeze. No wonder they are everywhere!
Modern horns, on the other hand, tend to be stiff and much more of a challenge to trill on. This is part of why you can’t trill well. Be sure to try different horns and mouthpieces, the problem may not be you.
On vintage horns, “personality” can just be bad notes
When my various natural horns and vintage horns it is very clear that different horns would work better on different music – for a number of different reasons. But what it eventually boils down to is bad notes and the way the slurs work. Each horn tends to be favor different notes. We would not tolerate that on a good horn today, but it is fascinating to see how the personality is different. And it is not all a bad thing, the sound does have more character in a way that is hard to describe in words.
Let’s talk about brass quintet
Early in my career I was primarily an orchestral player. When I left Nashville, I quickly started doing a lot of quintet playing in my next position, at SUNY Potsdam, including recording a full CD of music. This is yet another category of horn playing. It would not seem like the right horn, but I purchased my big Paxman in that timeframe, and I loved it playing in the Potsdam Brass Quintet.
Horn playing can be fun
Finally, it is fun to play a variety of horns. I think for demo of excerpts it is hard to beat my Patterson, but the Kruspe has a sweet sound in the right rep and the Paxman is just fun to play.
If you are not having fun, a change may really help. Your head won’t explode, and you could spend money on a lot of worse things than horns! Try some horns with an open mind, it may impact life much more favorably than you imagine.
