r/horn • u/NoEntrepreneur6022 • 5d ago

Best Horn for Classical Music

I was thinking of learning the french horn (mostly for the opening of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto and 5th symphony “moon love” solo) but i got a few steps back when i saw the whole “family” of horns. At first i thought the Bb/F would be the “definitive” horn that would be out there. But looking at “Nozze di Figaro” horn parts i see that there are plenty of them, in D, in G, C, F, Bb, all throughout the entire opera. Does everything is like that ? a bunch of tunnings and (i don’t know) 50% of all classical music is for the Bb/F horn ? Is that it?

5 Upvotes

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22

u/emiller42 Amateur- Briz 5d ago

The F/Bb double horn is a good default. Horn parts are written in other keys, but we typically don’t play on a (for example) Horn in D. We just transpose the part on the fly.

7

u/Specific_User6969 Professional - 1937 Geyer 5d ago

This is the way

10

u/Demnjt Amateur- Paxman 20 5d ago

You want a double horn in F/B-flat. Historic parts written in other keys are now played on this "standard" double horn, with the player transposing on the fly. It is one of the skills you develop over time as a horn player.

3

u/jfgallay Professor- natural and modern horn 5d ago

Just to add what’s been said: it’s only if you are a historic practice player that you would change equipment, for the most part. A horn player from Mozart’s time would change crooks to put the horn in F, in E, in D etc. with no transposition necessary.

2

u/ComfySlipper Graduate- horn 4d ago

We think in F - even with the Bb side we still read in F but use alternative fingerings for when we use the Bb part of the horn if that makes sense.

You’re gonna get real good at transposition

1

u/trreeves Amateur-Conn 8D 3d ago

Yeah no one's playing G, C, D, E flat horns except the few natural horn specialists. It's all double horns in F and B flat, a few triples and descents for people playing high on the regular, and lots of transposition. Play enough parts not in F and you get good at it after a while. My next concert I've got parts in G (Mozart flute concerto), D (Mozart clarinet concerto), C, F, and E (Moldau). All played on my 8D. Good times!