Any french horn doublers out there?

[LeoInFL]

One of the best aspects of playing with my current performing arts organization (Central Florida Community Arts) has been the freedom to switch parts whenever the mood strikes. I've been on 1st book, bass and everything in between. Since we've been meeting for rehearsals again I've noticed that, while the trombone section is well-represented, the # of french horns is pretty sparse.

Does anyone out there double on french horn? My preference would be 4th/low horn because it seems no one wants to play that part and I'm a big fan of Sarah Willis (Berlin Phil 4th horn, "Sarah's Horn Hangouts"). I have a trumpet and a soprano trombone so mouthpiece size isn't an issue for me.

Is there a decent (vintage and affordable) double french horn out there that would be recommended? Should I start out on the biggest diameter french horn mouthpiece available and work from there?

[Elow]

I use an eastman double horn, idk the model but it works well enough for the few times i need to play horn and was fairly cheap. I’ve also got a reynolds contempora but prefer the eastman, and i’m not the biggest fan of eastmans.

[BGuttman]

I've been toying (that's the best way to describe it, I think) with a single F Yamaha. I figured that if I could get my playing to an acceptable level I could move to a "real" horn. The single F will cover most of the stuff you'd need to play in an amateur orchestra, especially if you want to play low horn.

There are two approaches to "double horn". One is a true double and the other has a 4th valve that works much like an F-attachment. Some of the latter even have compensating systems. Most serious horn players play a full double. If you really want to be masochistic, there's even a triple in F/Bb/F alto (talk about HEAVY!).

I got a very large mouthpiece from a French Horn playing friend and found it really didn't help as much as I thought. I have a Bach 11 that seems to work almost as well. I think if I were to add a wide rim to it (I was thinking of trying some hot melt glue) I might have better chance. I found that the low range of the horn is not easy to find in that small mouthpiece. I marvel at Sarah's abilities there.

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Have you considered (will be you be permitted) playing the horn parts on trombone? Prior to the pandemic, I was hired to play horn books for shows on my trombone at least twice a year. Once you get comfortable with the transposition, it is quite fun!

[BGuttman]

I have to say, some of the most interesting experiences I have had were playing horn parts on trombone:

1. I had just gotten my alto trombone (Conn 36H) and brought it to rehearsal. We were practicing the Siegfried Idyll. Our 1st Horn was absent and they handed me the part to read. I managed to do the famous horn call, and worked fine through Horn in F, C,and G. But I lost it when it moved to Horn in E. E on an Eb instrument made my head explode.

2. An orchestra I was playing with decided to do the Hamilton-Hardy version of Handel's Water Music. Since the horn player (they only had one) could not handle the range of the part they asked me to cover it (on trombone). I was able to do a credible job and the conductor pegged me for more odd "doubles" in the future. As a side note, we did one movement of this in my regular orchestra for a Pops concert using 2 horns on the higher parts and two trombones on the lower parts (I covered 4th).

[JohnL]

Not a horn player, but married to one...

If you're thinking about doing the low horn part, I'd stick with a full double. Messing around down there with a 4 or 5 valve single or even a compensating double would not be something I'd want to mess with. It's kinda like playing bass trombone parts on a straight tenor.

Check out the ads over on the IHS website.
https://www.hornsociety.org/free-classi ... ull-double

also Ken Pope's site:
https://poperepair.com/french-horns/use ... ble-horns/

I'd look closely at this one:
https://poperepair.com/reynolds-contempora-215899/
not pretty, but the valves are tight (very important in a used horn). If Ken says it plays, it plays. He has a really good reputation in the horn world.

[Finetales]

Does anyone out there double on french horn?

I do, it's one of my primary non-low brass doubles.

My preference would be 4th/low horn because it seems no one wants to play that part and I'm a big fan of Sarah Willis (Berlin Phil 4th horn, "Sarah's Horn Hangouts"). I have a trumpet and a soprano trombone so mouthpiece size isn't an issue for me.

Beware though, playing low on horn is veryyyyyyyyy different than on any other brass instrument (even if you're used to small mouthpieces). Personally, I'm firmly in the high horn camp and 3rd is my sweet spot. Every horn player wants to be Sarah Willis!

Is there a decent (vintage and affordable) double french horn out there that would be recommended?

Short answer: Conn 6D.

Long answer: Depends on what you mean by "affordable". If you mean affordable in the trombone sense (less than $1k, let's say), an old Conn 6D is the only thing I would recommend that regularly shows up for that price range. "Real" horn players will scoff at it because it has been marketed as a student horn for some time now, but was built to the highest professional standards for a long time and was their top of the line horn before the 8D came along. It has a small bell throat so it's not going to get the big Teutonic sound of a Kruspe, but a good one sounds lovely and is easy to play. The small throat and bright, compact sound is actually ideal for certain situations like chamber playing and horn parts on old soul ballads. (I dearly miss my '38 6D...I so wish I would have been able to afford hanging on to it long enough to get it restored.)

Other than that? Pretty much every double horn you see online for less than $1k is probably a dog. The Getzen Caravelle/Anborg/etc. Italian compensating doubles are everywhere but universally garbage, there are some 6D copies (Olds for example) that show up from time to time that are probably ok but a gamble compared to an actual 6D, and so on. Don't bother with single horns, even they're swanky Sansone 5-valve Bbs. The prices and fingering familiarity may be enticing, but those are specialist horns...not something to play as your main horn.

Otherwise you pretty much just have to watch eBay/Craigslist like a hawk and get lucky. I got my 1971 Holton H178 for $800 on Craigslist, and it's a real player.

As a first horn to test the waters, I wouldn't bother with any of that and just get a used 6D. You could also consider a new Wessex or Mack Brass Kruspe double. They are pretty good horns and the Mack is less than a grand.

All that said, if you can stretch your budget to over a grand, I would snap up that Reynolds Contempora JohnL posted on the Pope Repair site right away. The Contemporas are great horns, just overlooked (same with the King Eroica double). As JohnL said, if Ken says it's good, it's good. And it'll be at home in more playing situations than the 6D (especially orchestrally).

Should I start out on the biggest diameter french horn mouthpiece available and work from there?

You could, but I would recommend starting on a Holton Farkas MDC and expanding from there. If you find that mouthpiece works for your face, great! You can look for a better mouthpiece in the same size. If you feel it's so small it's restricting you (especially in the low range), you can go bigger. (I use a Josef Klier 01CK which is very large on the horn spectrum.) But I think starting with an established mouthpiece that works reasonably well for most anyone like the MDC is a good first choice. Plus, they're stupid cheap ($15-25) on eBay.

[deanmccarty]

I got a great deal on a new Conn 6D... works well for the limited use I give it. It’s a solid instrument and was used professionally for many years by top studio guys. I use a Schilke 31C2 mouthpiece.

[LeoInFL]

Update!
I picked up a vintage Holton '77' double french horn today from Music Go Round for $500. It was built around 1958 and it's the very 1st Farkas-designed Holton horn (the famous H179 came right after this one). Looking forward to learning a new type of instrument. From what I've found online, these horns typically run $1,300-1,700 so I think I made out pretty good as long as it plays well.

We have our orchestra concert next Thu/Fri and then we have a 6-week break before we start rehearsals for our Fall concert (all Disney! - the joys of living in Orlando). Hopefully that'll be enough time to get halfway decent on horn.

Here are a few photos from the listing:

[Matt K]

Dang! That's a great deal. I got a 6D all-in for around $900 if you consider the chem clean I had to do and a little work to get it in good shape. I haven't had much time to play it though. Maybe this summer!

[Finetales]

Great deal! The 77 is a solid horn, plays very much like the other Farkas horns. One Farkas MDC mouthpiece and you'll be set.

[LeoInFL]

Great deal! The 77 is a solid horn, plays very much like the other Farkas horns. One Farkas MDC mouthpiece and you'll be set.

There's a mouthpiece included with the horn according to the photos. Was the MDC 'standard issue' with the Holton horns of that era?

[Finetales]

I believe so. It's basically the horn equivalent of our 6 1/2 AL, very ubiquitous.