A careful reader might wonder if Hans might be arguing out of both sides of his keyboard at the same time. So is there minimal or no effect from the screwbell ring, or does it "prevent it from blaring". Why would one bother adding a kranz if THE ENCLOSING METAL CHANNEL has no effect? The point is well taken that the great artist makes the sound. But my position is that a great artist can make a really good horn sound better than a dead horn, otherwise why shouldn't we all just play Chinese horns? They all have screw bells. Some horns have a beautiful natural resonance that makes it easy to penetrate in a richly satisfying way to the last seat in the back of the hall, even at a pianissimo dynamic with the rest of the orchestra playing. I wouldn't change a thing to a horn like that. The thing is, that kind of sound has mostly disappeared, even from the top professional world. I went to a concert of a VERY good orchestra last year and several times as I was looking down I thought, "oh the trombone section sounds good". Ooops. But that's why people aren't bothered if you make their horn dead as a doornail. That's the prevailing aesthetic these days. Yes, changes in sound, response, pitch etc. can be made from the outside of the horn, not even having to tamper with the air column.
- Steve Mumford XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Hans wrote: if there is a difference in the playing characteristics between cut bell & uncut bell, it would be minimal. And all disappears, if YOU are the MASTER of the horn & not a SLAVE of the horn. If the horn is (nearly) perfect in intonation & YOU can make a beautiful sound with it, what should that little mechanical change change ????? Don?t come with the vibration theory, please. The horn is not an instrument creating a sound by the instruments vibrations but by the lips initiating an air column to vibrate - NOT THE ENCLOSING METAL CHANNEL. The enforcing ring works similar to the kranz on a Viennese horn ....... preventing it from blaring .... SO, tell me where the change is ? Does this change just exist in our imagination far from real , perhaps ????? Will we consult the shaman or with doctors for sound & performance issues, perhaps ? We could ask conductors, sorry, aren?t they consulting fortune tellers, witch doctors & shamans also, or even presidents are said doing such ....... _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
