I have two requests with respect to parts with key signatures, and I think they fairly apply to *any* instrumental part--not just horn parts. The first is, if a key signature is specified, the piece should be in that key. Prokofiev was an example of a composer who often used key signatures but wrote only marginally in the key. As a player it makes me crazy, even if the composer in me understands his motivation. Where the part deviates from the key signature, make liberal use of cautionaries. For example, if the key signature is G major but the part is momentarily in c minor, provide cautionaries on the b-naturals and a-naturals, and on f-sharps if the tune has a raised fifth, etc.
The second is (and this is crucial): repeat the current key signature at the beginning of every line. I don't care if this is not customary for the genre (e.g., a jazz chart). If you are writing for a horn player or any other player whose experience is mostly symphonic, put the key signature on every line no matter the genre.
The whole reason for taking such care is to reduce errors. Sometimes we get only one or two read-thrus with little time to pencil in helpful cautionaries. Another thing that causes error is to misspell notes. A couple of weeks ago we played an Elvis chart (it is the *Memphis* Symphony after all) that kept the horns very loudly busy. Not only did the hastily hand-copied part have key sigs, the key sigs were not repeated on each line, and notes were frequently misspelled. (Example: b-natural that should have been c-flat.) It is a miracle we only had one or two (loudly) missed accidentals for the performance.
The only reasons to specifically omit key signatures on horn parts are 1) if the piece is not in a key or 2) the piece is in an antique style and/or the part is putatively for a natural horn. For the latter case the parts should be transposed to the key of the piece (or the key of the putative natural horn), just as the composers did at the time. If you want to provide an F-transposed part as an alternative, it is immaterial whether you use key sigs for it. Most pros won't be looking at it.
Harold Owen wrote:
Dear folks,
Knowing that many will disagree with me, but IMHO I think it's time for horn players to get used to reading key signatures in their parts. Younger players are more likely to find signatures often enough to be comfortable with them. The "old pros" should get with it and learn to play from parts with signatures. If that's difficult for them, let them mark the accidentals in their parts. Why should they be treated differently from the other members of the brass family? Much of my own music does not use signatures for any parts because they tend to get in the way when the tonal focus is weak or changes often. However, some of my pieces have a strong enough tonal focus that signatures are helpful -- actually mean something. In those pieces that involve horn parts, I will give them signatures.
What say you?
Hal
-- Robert Patterson
http://RobertGPatterson.com
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