French Horn

The french horn is an aerophone of the metal family, used in symphonic orchestras, philharmonic band and small groups as in Brass quintets.
The french horn is a unique instrument among the members of the orchestra because the cylinders are operated with the left hand and because it is played with the bell to the back of the orchestra. Considered the most expressive of blow-metal section instruments, the horn is perhaps the most difficult to play. Its appearance is that of a metal tube of conical section rolled on itself. Narrow in the part of the mouthpiece, the tube widens until reaching a bell, very open.
Inside the metallic circumference there are several turns of tube, as well as the valve system that allows to modify the length of the same and, therefore, to change the resulting sound.
Constructed of copper or chromed brass, the horn has a tube whose length exceeds three meters.
The machinery that accompanies the rotating cylinders or valves includes a series of levers that are the one that the performer operate with his left hand to change the sound of the instrument. In addition to the cylinders to change the tonality, in the case of the double french horn there is a fourth additional lever that allows to choose between the two basic tones of the horn: F or B flat.
The function of this part, in addition to propagating the sound to the outside, is to stabilize it so that the high-pitched treble clears, while at the same time favoring the bass.
The timbre of the french horn is very variable, in slow passages it is sweet and deep, but it can also obtain an energetic and brilliant sonority.