BoyWonder1911 Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Now I know every drum corps fanatic absolutely loves the sound of 20-25 in-tune mellophones all blaring in your face. But being an ardent listener of classical music, I can't help but be let down that although the mellos make a nice sound for drum corps, they just aren't the same as a French Horn. They don't have that special sweet-round tone that a FH does. I almost wish sometimes that they would march with actual French Horns instead of mellophones. There is nothing like 10-12 French Horns in a Mahler symphony. How about 20-25 on a football field? I drool at the thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd Glasgow BB Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 We marched both. One season the French Horns played the opening bars of sounds of silence... kind of apt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHdork Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 <One season the French Horns played the opening bars of sounds of silence... kind of apt. > It's not nice to diss your former corps-mates... I agree with the OP - there was a time when many drum corps featured FH bugles and mellos - and perhaps even flugel-bugles as well. And we all know why it's now only mellos... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd Glasgow BB Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 <One season the French Horns played the opening bars of sounds of silence... kind of apt. > It's not nice to diss your former corps-mates... I agree with the OP - there was a time when many drum corps featured FH bugles and mellos - and perhaps even flugel-bugles as well. And we all know why it's now only mellos... you misunderstood. I was trying to equate the lesser volume levels made by the FH to the piece we played... "sounds of silence". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHdork Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Ah - sorry - though I would take exception to the lesser volume claim... It's been the experience of many that more decibels are put out by a well played FH bugle than sopranos of the time - or any other brass. It is because the FH players were playing between the 6th and 12th partials at nearly all times (higher for Madison and SCV players - and perhaps Phantom...). The penetrating quality (piercing, some might say) of the tone could best all the other horns. They were a very powerful instrument in the right hands - 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Now I know every drum corps fanatic absolutely loves the sound of 20-25 in-tune mellophones all blaring in your face. But being an ardent listener of classical music, I can't help but be let down that although the mellos make a nice sound for drum corps, they just aren't the same as a French Horn. They don't have that special sweet-round tone that a FH does. I almost wish sometimes that they would march with actual French Horns instead of mellophones. There is nothing like 10-12 French Horns in a Mahler symphony. How about 20-25 on a football field? I drool at the thought. French horn bugles used to be used in Drum Corps as late as 1993 or 1994. Yes they sound great but were gotten rid of in favor of all mellophone lines. Maybe there's hope. Flugel horn lines used to be somewhat popular, went out of vogue, and now Crossmen have them again this year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-mac Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Is the original oster referring to MARCHING French Horns or actual concert french horns (which are currently prohibited along with sousaphones and trombones if I'm not mistaken)? I remember a French Horn soloist being very effective in a HS Marcing band production of Maria from WSS so it COULD be effective, but there is still a completely different sound from an actual french horn and a marching french horn (which is basically a marching euphonium played with a french horn mouthpiece). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Is the original oster referring to MARCHING French Horns or actual concert french horns (which are currently prohibited along with sousaphones and trombones if I'm not mistaken)? I remember a French Horn soloist being very effective in a HS Marcing band production of Maria from WSS so it COULD be effective, but there is still a completely different sound from an actual french horn and a marching french horn (which is basically a marching euphonium played with a french horn mouthpiece). LOL...no. The french horn is a french horn with the bell facing forward. I challenge you sometime to walk or play behind a good french horn section sometime to see what it REALLY sounds like without bouncing off a wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-mac Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Oh, I know! As a semi-professional trombonist and a middle school band director, I fully know what french horns are capable of. Once at an All-District Band Clinic, the guest clinician arranged the band in a circle aroun the stage. It just so happened that the FH section was place on the front of the stage with their bells facing the audience. It made for an interesting 2 hours of obsevation (nothing but FH for 2 hours LOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Other Mike Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 LOL...no. The french horn is a french horn with the bell facing forward. I challenge you sometime to walk or play behind a good french horn section sometime to see what it REALLY sounds like without bouncing off a wall. Once in awhile you see one on ebay ( "G" horns) but I believe most of them roam free on grazing land in Colorado since they could not be tamed ( sp ? ). Good lord, what a beautiful sound SOME corps could get while most corps, the fh section could be as shrill and loud as an air raid siren at a funeral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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