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 Post subject: Why not descant horns?
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:50 am 
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Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:47 am
Posts: 73
It seems that many European players, particularly in Germany, play almost everything on the B flat side. For high horn players that do this it would seem that a descant might be a better choice than a full double. What prevents this from being the norm? Is it the greater weight of the double gives a more desirable sound? Tradition? Some other reason? I can't imagine it is the handful of notes that don't sound well on the B flat side.


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 Post subject: Re: Why not descant horns?
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 2:21 pm 
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Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:38 pm
Posts: 255
Location: London
fredfred852 wrote:
It seems that many European players, particularly in Germany, play almost everything on the B flat side.

You are right about them playing nearly everything on the Bb side. Why don't they just use an Alex Bb & A (with an F extension if necessary). They surely aren't playing an Alex double for its full and luscious tone.


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 Post subject: Re: Why not descant horns?
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:00 pm 
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Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2009 2:23 pm
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In some cases it might be a contractual requirement to use a full double - I recall seeing an advert some years ago for the principal horn job in the Suisse Romande Orchestra (probably on Greg Cass's impending retirement) and it specified "full double".

As for "lusciousness" of tone, isn't it more down to the player and the choice of mouthpiece than make of instrument?


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