I would add to this that in the case of Mozart and Haydn, unless it says Bb basso it is Bb-alto. (In the 19th century the reverse is true.) I also think that Horn C-alto becomes more common as you move earlier in the 18th century. So London Haydn Horn in C is basso but Esterhazy Haydn Horn in C is (or at least may be) C alto. If it isn't clearly marked, an analysis of the voicing of the horns with the other instruments is probably necessary.
On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 2:59 PM, Kenneth Moore <k...@mooremusic.org.uk> wrote: > On 28/01/2015 11:04:25 , Martin Banner wrote: > > I am currently preparing a modern performing edition of an 18th Century > > Italian sacred work for chorus, strings, oboes and two horns. > > All you horn specialists (and I know there are some of you out there who > > have been of great help to me in the past), please weigh in on this > and help > > me figure this out. > > There is a good article at > http://www.compositiontoday.com/articles/natural_horn.asp, from which I > quote: > > * Horn in C alto—reads concert pitch (like a C trumpet)—very bright sound > * Horn in B—not used > * Horn in B-flat alto—concert pitch sounds down a whole step from the > notated pitch > * Horn in A—sounds down a minor third—bright but more centered > * Horn in A-flat—rare > * Horn in G-sounds down a perfect fourth > * Horn in F-sharp—rare > * Horn in F—notated just like the modern horn > * Horn in E—sounds down a minor sixth > * Horn in E-flat—sounds down a major sixth—full, rich tone color > * Horn in D—sounds down a minor seventh > * Horn in D-flat—rare > * Horn in C basso—sounds down an octave from notated pitch—dark tone > * Horn in B—rare > * Horn in B-flat basso—sounds down a major ninth-- very dark, almost > muffled sound > * Horn in A basso-- rare > > I have never met Horn in C alto and would always assume that "Horn in C" > meant basso unless there was some evidence to the contrary. Horns in Bb > basso occur in Mozart, Brahms, and R Strauss. I have only ever met A > and Ab basso in Italian music (Verdi Requiem). Again I would interpret > "Horn in A" or "Horn in Ab" as alto in music of any other nationality. > > Ken Moore > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > Finale@shsu.edu > https://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale > > To unsubscribe from finale send a message to: > finale-unsubscr...@shsu.edu > _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu https://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale To unsubscribe from finale send a message to: finale-unsubscr...@shsu.edu
