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The Horn



Generally, a horn is an instrument made of a tube, usually metal but often curved in various ways, with one narrow end into which a musician blows, and a wider end from which sound is emitted.

Since antiquity there have been references to "alpine horns" but the earliest written description of the wooden instrument now called an "alphorn" dates from the 16th century. One authority reports it was a straight instrument 11 feet long at the time, and this form prevailed in Austria until the nineteenth century. The modern form, with the bell upturned, was developed in Switzerland in the eighteenth century.

Originally, people used to blow on the actual horns of animals before they started to emulate them in metal or other materials. This is preserved in the use of the shofar, a ram's horn, which is used in Jewish religious rituals. This animal-horn instrument genus is called keren in Hebrew, qarnu in Akkadian, and keras in Greek.

Musicians who play the horn, an art closely related to singing, breath control, vibrato, the resonance of place, and conviviality, bring together the techniques and skills used to play the instrument. The pitch, accuracy, and quality of notes produced are influenced by the musician’s breath and the technique depends on the players’ body control.

There is a specific timbre to the instrument that is clear and piercing, especially in high notes, and a sound range based on natural resonance with rich harmonics. The range is twelve notes, and this enables the composition of songs accompanied by a second voice and harmonized with a bass score.

As a fundamental part of playing horns, singing enables players to develop a sense of cohesion and convivial solidarity. In traditional horn music, playing is a performative art open to creativity. Horn music retains a rich, vibrant musical repertoire that has constantly been enriched, providing a strong sense of belonging and continuity, facilitating a greater international and intercultural dialogue.

In 1826, the practice of making different sized instruments to be played together in part music was started. And since this education is typically oral and imitative, the players rarely learn alone, but they often attend horn schools. Today horn players from all backgrounds come together to share their fascination with the instrument. Hopefully, this social mix will remain as one of the hallmarks of modern horn practice in the future.


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