The Ifor James recording is very nice. The liner notes state the Neruda was recorded on a high Bb horn. It could be played on any horn that one could get the desired tone color from. Using a shorter horn doesn't make it easier to hit a note, it just shifts the partials further apart. The piece can be played on an f alto horn and it could be played on a normal Bb single (5.5 feet long more or less). Long story short is that if you don't have the chops to play that high with a good sound then a shorter horn isn't going to help.
Ifor James was a monster of a player and musician. For many years he played a single Bb horn of one type or another. He stated that he played the horn because he could not sing and that if he could sing he would never have played the horn. The Neruda was recorded 10 February 1987 and no doubt on 1/2" tape. The Jack Attack! _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org