Chromatic trumpet parts in 1831 should be no surprise. The Stoelzel
valve was documented in 1814. Early brasswinds used two, but the claim
was that the instrument was fully chromatic over the entire range, but
I have found no details of how it was accomplished. Keyed brasswinds
were also popular in the early 1800s. My oldest horn is a contrabass
Saxhorn from the 1850s by EG Wright. This horn is very rare, having
been factory built with a modern configuration 4th valve that takes it
to BBb. Although it would be considered small to medium these days, for
tone, range, and intonation, no modern horn comes close.
-----Original Message-----
From: Klaus Bjerre <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: The Horn List <horn@music.memphis.edu>
Sent: Sat, 1 Jul 2006 18:12:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Web Resources (was Norma - 2)
I am eternally grateful towards people making resources available on
the web,
and I am no less
grateful towards those helping me finding these resources.
I have read the overture and the second act, because the score tells
me a whole
lot about period
scoring practises in Italy. I did not find the odd notation mentioned
by Hans.
It still may be
there in the score, but I rather suspect an error by the guy, who
engraved the
parts.
Bellini has been said to score lightly. Bizet has been said to try to
re-orchestrate Norma for a
fatter version, but he gave up upon that project. So I was somewhat
surprised,
when I found an ff
opening chord with 3 trombones and a cimbasso.
The Italians must have had instruments with 3 valves in 1831, as the
1st trumpet
in D has a
prominent written Ab in the overture.
What I have seen from the horn parts could be done with advanced hand
horn
techniques, but the
transpositions are all over the place with fast changes, so I, like
Hans, assume
valve horns.
Everything could be done on a single F with 3 valves.
Hans also is right about the light playing. From my other brass areas
I know,
that the Italians
used very small bore instruments. In the 2nd act Bellini comes up with
a quartet
of the clarinets
and the 1st pair of horns. "Norma"-lly one would expect the clarinets
taking the
2 top parts, but
Bellini juxtaposes the instruments in a way, which will kill the
important 2nd
clarinet harmony
notes, if the first horn does not play with the outmost discretion. If
I were
asked to play any of
the horn parts of this opera (which will not happen, even if they are
not really
difficult from a
technical point of view), then I rather would bring my 5 valve small
bell single
Bb Hoyer rather
than my Conn 28D double.
I could go on ranting about instrumentation issues of this score, but
I would go
beyond horn
relevancy.
Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre
--- William Melton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Is there any edition of the "Norma"-score available on the
> > web? I have problems reading off paper, but I have some well
> > lit large computer screens.
>
> Klaus, try http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/bah4585/
> large/index.html
>
> For those who don't know this resource, the friendly library sprites
> at Indiana U. have given us quite a few opera and symphonic full
> scores, all scrollable online. Highlights include Strauss'
"Ariadne,"
> Wagner's "Lohengrin," "Tristan" and "Parsifal," " Weber's
> "Freischuetz," seven Bruckner symphonies, Beethoven, Brahms and
quite
> a bit more that's horn oriented (as well as plenty of other good
music).
>
> Afterwards I recommend a stop at UC Santa Barbara's http://
> cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/
> Bill Melton
> Hauset (B) / Sinfonie Orchester Aachen (D
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