Horns and spaces

[starkadder]

I had a new experience today, where my perception of different horns was changed by the acoustics of the space in which I played them. I welcome your remarks to help me understand it.

I'm preparing the Saint Saens Romance Opus 36 as prelude at church and debated whether to play it on a cornet or flugel. It was written for the French horn.

I have a nice Olds L-12 flugelhorn that I picked up years ago at a pawn shop for $190. I never have done much with it. And I have a Yamaha Xeno cornet that I love. In the practice room I prefer the sound of the cornet.

I took them both to rehearse in the church with the pianist. I was wowed by the flugelhorn in that space, and was unprepared for how different they sounded. Others who were there, assembling before choir practice, remarked that they like the "big trumpet" better -- it made them feel nice.

I guess I need to find more places to play the different horns I have.

[zaferis]

Yes, yes, yes... what they sound like in the show room, practice room, or your studio is not where you/we should judge our equipment.
It's really at the vemue(s), churches, recital room, bars and concert halls where instruments shine or flop, and where they should be tested.

And IMO where the true distinction between beginner/step up vs. professional, and to a more sublte degree between pro horns, shows up. There are a ton of instruments, some I've owned and used for a time, that play great in the show room/practice room, but don't cut it at the gig. Either in lack of versatility, or in the quality of carry in the room, or what that sound blossoms into.

I had a similar experience this passed Christmas between my Bach CL and Bach Bb (I love both). I was playing most of the service on Picc and C... at the end of the very long service, one selection was written for Bb and had the look of a good fit for Bb; as I started playing the tonal change felt huge. I quickly put the Bb down and finished the service on the C - just a better fit in that setting on that day.
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