This brass French Horn measures 4 inches long and hangs from a gold cord. The Horn comes in a black leather gift case that measures 4½ inches long, 3 inches deep and 2¼ inches high. The Horn rests inside the case, on a bed of dark red velour. This is the perfect gift for anyone who plays the French Horn. Select this link to view our Miscellaneous Ornaments.
The French Horn
Early horns were much simpler than modern horns. These early horns were brass tubes with a flared opening or bell, wound around a few times. These early hunting horns were originally played on a hunt, often while mounted. Change of pitch was effected entirely by the lips, the horn not being equipped with valves until the 19th century. The horn was used to call hounds on a hunt and created a sound most like the human voice, but carried much farther. Select this link to view our Gold and Red Ornaments.
In orchestral settings, the horn or more often pairs of horns often invoked the idea of the hunt, or beginning in the later baroque determined the character of the key being played or represented nobility, royalty or divinity. Select this link to view our Gold and Cream Ornaments.
Early horns were commonly pitched in B flat alto, A, A flat, G, F, E, E flat, D, C and B flat basso. Since the only notes available were those on the harmonic series of one of those pitches, they had no ability to play in different keys. The remedy for this was the use of crooks or sections of tubing of differing length that when inserted altered the length of the instrument and thus its pitch. Select this link to view our People and Profession Ornaments.