The earliest horns were constructed from blowing into an animal’s horn, prompting the name cor (Fr.) or corno (It.). These were used primarily in religious settings, particularly the Shofar, made of a ram’s horn and used in Jewish rituals, and for signaling across long distances. In the mid-1600s, circular-shaped horns made of metal were used in France for communicating while on a hunt. These instruments could easily be carried and played while riding horses, and featured a backward-facing bell to stay out of the way. Count Antonin von Spörk, an Austrian nobleman, heard these hunting horns while visiting France. He was entranced by their ability to evoke nature and royalty, and subsequently brought them back to Bohemia. His use of the instrument in orchestral performances influenced the prominent Baroque composers Telemann, Handel and Bach. These horns could only play pitches in the harmonic series, and in order to play stepwise melodies needed to remain in a high tessitura.
During the 18th century, the French-style hunting horn evolved into the waldhorn or “natural horn” in Vienna. This instrument had a darker, more rounded sound than the bright, edgy timbre of the horns from France, and it blended more easily with the other instruments of the orchestra. Crooks were invented, allowing the horn to play in a greater variety of keys, still only using pitches in the harmonic series. In the mid-part of the century, hand horn techniques were created. Players could alter pitches by inserting the hand into the horn’s bell. This style, which allowed greater facility in the low-mid range of the instrument and dampened the upper overtones, became the primary style of horn playing by the end of the 18th century.
Valves were introduced in the early 19th century, but were not universally-adopted for several decades. Many people preferred the unique sound quality achieved by the natural horn. The most notable among those was the Romantic Classicist Johannes Brahms, who wrote his deeply personal Horn Trio expressly for the waldhorn, recalling his solitary walks in the Black Forest.
As valve systems evolved and music became more technically challenging, the modern valve horn became the accepted instrument. Single F or B-flat horns were initially the most prevalent. Early in 20th century, the double horn was introduced. This instrument combined tubing for horns in two keys and therefore allowed for even greater dexterity, allowing modern musicians total command of the complete range of the horn.
In general, the horn is used more extensively than other brass instruments in chamber orchestras, owing to its versatility and unique sound. Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra audience members often hear two horns in the repertoire selected for each concert season.
By Shari Gleason-Mayrhofer, principal horn
