Tenor Horn players here??

[cornet74]

I ask this question from time to time. It has always been my suspicion that Brit cornet players at all levels play the tenor horn from time to time to relax their chops and take a break from the rigors of the cornet.

I've always thought that the tenor horn is to the Brit cornet player what the flugelhorn is to the American trumpet player, although I realize the flug is an important brass band instrument in its own right.

I have a Yamaha 203 which I preferred over the pro model, probably because it's easier to play. As for mouthpieces, I always seem to come back to my standard silver plate Wick 5, but I also like the VB 12 as well as the Yamaha 37C4.

I also have a Wick wooden straight mute that produces a beautiful sound, when I'm in shape. And unlike the valve trombone which can play havoc with my trumpet chops, these three tenor horn mpcs don't hurt me; in fact after playing hard over a long period of time on trumpet or cornet I find playing on the tenor horn to be a great way to loosen some things up.

Just saw an interesting masterclass by Owen Farr as well has hearing his version of Carnival of Venice, which is superb. I've always preferred him to Sheona White. Something about her vibrato that doesn't click with me although she is a wonderful player of the instrument.

I'd be interested in other people's experiences with the tenor horn.

Thank you.
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Now:
Yamaha 203 Tenor Horn
Bach, Wick, Yamaha Mouthpieces
Wick Wooden Tenor Horn Straight Mute

[B_Starry]

I have/play a Yamaha YAH202 alto horn, mostly to cover middle voices in church when a trombone or (French) horn is unavailable. Very easy to play, in comparison to trumpet and cornet, with a pleasant tone quality. It has its own intonation quirks, but no more so than any trumpet, IMO. It is also an easy switch for treble clef guys to read and play bass clef charts.
I use a Bach 6 mp, btw. As you've noted, the Eb horn does help relax the chops after a hard day of playing Bb.

I wonder why Yamaha chose the YAH model nomenclature rather than YTH?
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do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God

[harleyt26]

I have two Conn 2F Bb Tenor Horns, a 1918 and a 1927. I just play around on them at home, but as you said they are a fun change from cornet or trumpet. I have a Wick 5 and a original to the 1918 2F marked Alto Deep mouthpiece. I find the Wick more comfortable but the Alto Deep has a distinctive sound I like.
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Thank you,
Tom Hodges

[TKSop]

I tend to use flugel as a break from sop (though not often, once or at most twice a month if I've really overcooked it).
I have a tenor horn lying around somewhere (think its an Imperial? been quite some time since it saw light of day), as you've brought up the question, I think I'll give it a go

[Rapier232]

I used to play Tenor Horn as my main instrument. Sovereign and then bought the very first Neo sold in Europe. Have had lessons with Owen Farr, really nice guy. I gave up Brass Bands and moved to orchestral trumpet instead. Swapped the Neo for an Eclipse flugel.
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"Nearly as good as I need to be. Not nearly as good as I want to be".

Smith-Watkins Bb
Will Spencer Bb
Eclipse Flugel
Smith Watkins K2 Cornet
JP152 C Trumpet
Besson Bugle

[cornet74]

[cheiden]

It's only second hand experience but a good friend who has had endurance issues on trumpet has discovered that she has unexpected range and endurance on the tenor horn.

And as a curious aside, I've recently returned to dabbling on the French horn. And while I wouldn't call the French Horn easy (pesky close harmonics), I also find I have unexpected range and endurance on it. Even way more so than on the flugel.

There's just no sugar-coating it, trumpet/cornet is a cruel instrument.
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"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[chuck in ny]

[p76]

Oh say it ain't so!! Surely a rest in the second-row cornets would be enough, but moving to the dark side??



Tenor Horn is a retirement home for cornet players....I'm not ready to go there yet.

Having said that I recently had a blow on our band's new Neo Tenor Horn, and it truly is a beautiful instrument.

Cheers,
Roger
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Bb - Selmer Radial, Yamaha YTR634, Kanstul 1001, Kanstul 700.
C - Yamaha 641.
Cornet - Olds Ambassador A6T, Besson 723, Olds Ambassador Long.
Flugel - Kanstul 1525
Mpc. - ACB 3CS, ACB 3ES, Curry 3BBC, Kanstul FB Flugel

[cheiden]

[p76]

[mm55]

There are enough brass players at my day job that we sometimes get together to read some quintets. Often, there's a surfeit of trumpet players and no horn player, so I bring my Eb alto horn (as they are called in the USA), and try to sight-read the F Horn part. For me, it's a lot easier than trying to play it on a French horn, since the partials are farther apart on the alto horn, and I don't have to work the valves with my left hand.

The horn is a King "Altonium" (spell check wants me to spell it "Plutonium"), which takes a French horn mouthpiece, and sounds more like a French horn than most other alto (or tenor) horns do. Some day I may track down the optional slide(s) to make it play in F, which will make for fewer transposition errors.

It's also a nice horn for blues jams, and when they hear the sound, the guitar players always want me to play "You Can't Always Get What You Want", Al Kooper's most famous (only?) horn solo.

[Pablopiccasso]

I have my Chinese made "Parrot"Eb tenor horn from my school days in the loft. It cost UK£61 in about 1974. I haven't played it for a long time but the valves still work, and blows ok in all ranges. Use a Dennis wick mouthpiece which was bought later and cost more than the horn

[pocketmaster]

My vintage Conn Eb alto horn is my main axe now. I play around with a pocket cornet and pocket trumpet. Never played a trumpet or standard cornet either. I like the tone of the alto horn. I'm using a wick heritage 1 mpc and a Jupiter mpc. I can't find any alto/tenor horn groups at all.
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Kanstul kmb290 marching baritone.
Benge pocket trumpet
Kanstul 905 pocket trumpet
Pocket Máx
K&H pocket cornet
Conn altohorn

[Louise Finch]

[pocketmaster]

I like Tom Black a lot. He might be affiliated with Auckland city brass band. I believe he primarily plays a besson sovereign tenorhorn and mellophone.
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Kanstul kmb290 marching baritone.
Benge pocket trumpet
Kanstul 905 pocket trumpet
Pocket Máx
K&H pocket cornet
Conn altohorn

[Bach37]

I've played principal cornet and principal tenor horn with the local brass band for 8 years each. Switched to tenor horn because I was having some pain and swelling. Used a Besson 927 cornet with a Warburton 4BC/BC9 mouthpiece. For tenor horn I used a Willson with a Wick 1.

I took some time off, but now I'm playing in a concert band. Using my 1973 Bach 37 with a standard weight bell and a lightweight body. Bach 1C mouthpiece.

Recently played James Curnow's "Concertpiece" in November and December.

[Iriani]

Not much call for Tenor horn around here. While I usually play cornet, I started doubling on an alto horn in F to play French Horns solos in our little New Horizons band, that as yet has no French Horn players. I like it! Intonation is a beast on mine, an Olds Ambassador. But it is getting better as I strengthen my embouchure to play the Bach 3 mouthpiece. I prefer larger trumpet mouthpieces, so the transition isn't too tough. I can practice my cornet until I am tired, then renew and continue on the Alto Horn. And in that same vein, a desire to learn bass clef and play in Tuba Christmas resulted in the gift of a euphonium from my husband. So now I line all three instruments up and have a wonderful day in practice, because I can continue to play on the next lower instrument, going from Solo cornet, to French Horn to Euph music as I get tired. Had a rough year playing last year due to 5 dental surgeries to replace broken implants, each time taking 4-5 weeks off from playing per dentists orders. So I found the Euph and the Alto horn easier on my tender mouth, and more forgiving if I was wearing a retainer, than cornet, but they quickly got me back to playing cornet, by keeping up my breathing and reading speed, with little or no pressure on the bone graft areas near front teeth. I enjoy listening to tenor horn pieces. Our American alto horn is similar, but I imagine the tenor horn is a joy to play.
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Bach Strad 37
Olds Ambassador Fullerton Trumpet (junker for hazardous)
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Cornet
Curry DC cornet mpc
Olds Ambassador Los Angeles Cornet
Curry 3DC O cornet mpc
Olds Ambassador Alto Horn Eb and F slides

[Andy Del]

My experience with tenor horn was in the 7th grade. The school art department made an installation, using al manner of metal scrap, including a few bits of brass instruments. There was the corpse of a tenor horn in there.

When it was taken down, it was being tossed out, so a few of us played a prank on our band director, taking the tenor horn and 'unwinding' it. We then left it on the shelf where the tenor horns usually sat. It looked a treat! (did I mention we had a brass band at our school?)

HE was not amused. The bruises healed pretty fast, and the emotional scars eventually...
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so many horns, so few good notes...

[cornet74]