Hello, Horn Lists.
I know that this has been explained months ago,
but I can't find those notes right now. (I'm also
months behind in reading, storing and answering
Daily Digests from many Instrument Lists and
personal E-Mails.)
I'm considering writing a work that includes
6 Horns in the orchestra, but I'm not sure what
ranges to assign a 6-horn ensemble. Obviously
I have some experience in writing for the Horn,
having already written a number of orchestral
works, as well as my:
"Sonata for Four Horns"
(Dec. 1996, 3 mvts., 13 min.)
"Sonata for Unaccompanied Horn"
(Sept. 1997, 3 mvts., 12 min.)
"Horn Concerto"
(Dec. 1999, 3 mvts., 16' 35")
"Sonata No. 1 for Horn and Piano"
(March 2001, 4 mvts., 28 min.)
"In Memoriam for the Fallen Victims of the
9-11 Attack", (July 2002, 7' 22"; It is a
reverent, patriotic Double Fugue for Horn
accompanied either by piano, or String
Orchestra as a Konzertstück.)
I know that in 4-Horn Scoring, the Ranges are:
Horn 1 highest
Horn 2 medium
Horn 3 2nd highest
Horn 4 lowest
But what ranges do I assign a 5th and 6th horn?
Horn 5 ? medium to low ?
Horn 6 ? medium to lowest ? Should the
6th Horn be lower or higher than the 4th?
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As for myself, last year I completed 2 new
concerti, one for Clarinet and Orchestra, while the
other was my "Josquin Fantasy". It is really a Set
of highly contrapuntal Variations for Viola and
Orchestra, based on a Theme used by Josquin
Des Prez.
I was also expected to die last Fall, due to my
Diabetic Black-Outs having gotten much worse. I
was having frequent "crashes" of Blood Sugar
Levels as low as 32 in the American System
(which equals 1.62 in the European Measuring
System). Fortunately in October 2005, my doctor
had me try a New, still-experimental, injected
medicine called "Exenatide" or "Byetta", which is
the one that is a greatly diluted, synthetic version
of the poison in Gila Monster Saliva.
Somehow it slows down the functions of the
pancreas and liver, and stopped my Diabetic
"Crashes" and therefore also my Black-Outs.
Before, I was lucky if I went for 11 days without
a Diabetic Black-Out, usually having them once
to three times each week, for the last few years.
Now on the Byetta, I haven't gone unconscious
from Diabetic Shock in OVER FOUR MONTHS!
I'm still a Diabetic and have to tolerate the problems
that go with it, but at least I'm not at risk of dying
once to three times each week!
Byetta is a miracle cure for me, but as with all
medications, some people will be allergic to it, or
at least get Bad Reactions from it. (I get bad
reactions to many Diabetic Medications, so I
guess it's only fair that this one worked for me.)
Byetta will probably be famous and in common
usage within 2 years, so I mention it here because
it might save someone else's life. Here is more
information, if anyone's interested:
Gila Monster & Byetta websites:
http://www.desertusa.com/sep97/du_gilamonster.html
http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/news/74182.php
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/04/30/Worldandnation/Diabetes_drug_stems_f.shtml
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Meanwhile I really do need advice on how to
write the Ranges of a 6-Horn Ensemble inside an
orchestra. (Actually, I'm still in dire need of the
long-overdue Lobotomy, so I can develop a
personality. If anyone finds an extra one laying
around, PLEASE E-Mail it to ME!)
Bear Woodson
Composer in Tucson, Arizona, USA
. . . . with a Gila Monster on my back!
Home: 520 - 881 - 2558
"Bear Woodson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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