Sorry, Michael, there is NO piece in H-alto (German) or B-nat.-alto, not in baroque period, nor in the Classic or in the Romantic, but there are a few pieces requiring B-nat. (H) (basso). I have explained recently, that the term "basso" is confusing anyway, as all transposition is relative to concert pitch (C), so consequently our "horn Bb-basso" should be named "Bb-grave" correctly, - or:
Horn in Bb indicates a horn just a full step below concert pitch, while Horn in Bb-basso indicates a horn a full step plus an octave lower than concert pitch. The confusion came from the F-horn, as F#, G, Ab, A & Bb are to be read up from F-horn sight, while E, Eb, D, Db, C-basso, H (B-nat.), Bb-basso, A-basso & Ab-basso are to be read down. And to the conductor: he seems to be one of these lousy anti musical tyrants, missing all international used music education. ========================================================== -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michiel van der Linden Sent: Monday, December 29, 2003 8:09 PM To: The Horn List Subject: Re: [Hornlist] horn in C# John Putnam wrote: >first I am sorry for starting WW3. second this is what I did. > >I ask the conductor him being the all knowing god and me just a smple college horn >player. > >he said; " either it is itilian meanig "si" as in solfegio (i.e rasied 5 scale Degree), >or it is spainish and Si is C, So if it is C# alto read it like c alto then Raise every >thing, but if it is, rasied 5 scale Degree, or G# then it is "in g# # alto" or a alto >(which is the same as A horn right). > >I am unsure which is correct, or if either is correct does any one know ? > >John > > My 2 ¢: Your conductor poses some extremely weird and complicated, but flawed, theories. Yes, in the States they sometimes use Do-Re-Mi as a relative system, i.e. 1st, 2nd etc degree, but in the countries* which use the Do-Re-Mi system to name notes _and_ transpositions it is absolute. (*France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and a lot more) It would be confusing if it weren't. (Sympony nr.3 in Re majeur. Does this mean it starts on the second degree of the scale? And which scale? ;) So Do=C, Re=D, Mi=E, Fa=F, Sol=G, La=A and Si=......B!! So Si# does mean B sharp, but that key is not really a serious option. Thirteen sharps, or five double and seven normal ones, is not a comfortable key signature for anyone. My theory is that B natural is meant, but the natural sign got confused with a sharp somewhere along the line. They do look alike somewhat. Also, although I havent heard it in connection with B, early 19th century hornists used E# (Mi dièse) to name the E natural crook. To find the transposition out for sure look at the score. If the strings have around five sharps, B natural is indeed the right transposition. If they do not have any sharps, (or thirteen), transpose in B sharp. ;) Michiel van der Linden, Bruges, Belgium _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/hans.pizka%40t-online.de _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
