TAFL Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 Arrangers - write for French Horns and Flugels, too! Once we get flugels and frenchies, I'll be writing for them. It is something we've discussed and it is just a matter of time. So there! :lolhit: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kansan Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 Working on getting a Flugal for the show. Those things are rare as most corps that did use them commonly fileded only 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jomusichn Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 I would write for them, if we had the hons and players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDCorno Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 I would write for them, if we had the hons and players. At the risk of plagiarism, "build it, and they will come".... :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
727driver Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 When BD marched flugels in the early 90's, they were bought to replace the old two valve Meehaphones. We marched 12 Flugels and 4 mellos if my memory serves me right. As for the french horns, not a real fan. The range they played in was supplanted with the lead bari voice, and to me those two voices are almost indistinguishable. I'm actually a big fan of a single voice alto line. The volume of the alto voice shot through the roof when we got rid of the flugels and went to a pure mello line in 96. Good stuff. Wayne always wrote some killer splits within the line, and it gave the voicing a lot more cut when they were on the same horns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDCorno Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 <<As for the french horns, not a real fan. The range they played in was supplanted with the lead bari voice, and to me those two voices are almost indistinguishable.>> I'll take issue with you on this. There is a very distinct and characteristic sound to a french horn as compared to a baritone. I believe the assumption you make is that the french horn was scored in a fairly low part of its range in Wayne's arrangements. This couldn't be further from the truth (well, at least in MY era). During the late 70s - early 80s, the french horn parts were split, and at times the lead french horns doubled up the mellophone line (well, not always by design -heh, heh, heh).... The real issue are the partials that are present in the sound. The baritone is pitched an octave lower than the french horn, so the harmonic series in the sound is populated with a whole different set of notes, if they're in unison with a french horn. The french horn is also a conical instrument - the standing wave of a conical instrument will include less high partials and impart a mellower sound. Unless the lead baritones (cylindrical) are playing on a euphonium (conical), the character of the sound will be different as well - not to mention the partials are still different. Hey, if you don't find the sound to be different enough to you, that's OK. Everyone has their own taste. I'm not a fan of altos - that voice is indistinguishable from...well, the imagery is not something I'd like to discuss publicly. <G> Seriously, I just find the alto horns to be somewhat vanilla in character. Present, yes; but not anything that lends character, depth and color to a horn line. Even mellophones have a characteristic sound that piques interest and offers a different quality to the sound. It's the old "different strokes" principle. If you prefer that kind of sound as an arranger, that's fine. I'd venture to say that most arrangers prefer more, than less tools in their "tool belt" when creating music. The french horn is the ONLY instrument that can really offer a true tenor voice to a horn choir. Of all the excuses for the near-complete disappearance of the french horn from drum corps, I've never heard it stated that one "wouldn't" like to use the voice - it always revolves around "lack of quality players", "cost", and a host of other not-good-enough reasons. Here's hoping that the french horn makes a comeback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comeonfhqwhgads Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 how about solo alto horns.. >_> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-horns Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 I'll take issue with you on this. There is a very distinct and characteristic sound to a french horn as compared to a baritone. ...... I agree with you in principle, but question some of your logic. Suffice to say that frenchies, in G or a multi-key line, add a voice that isn't otherwise available. Mellophones just don't fill the void adequately and baritones lack the timbre of a frenchie. The trouble with marching french horns is that most players have to practice twice as hard to achieve half as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDCorno Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 The trouble with marching french horns is that most players have to practice twice as hard to achieve half as much. I agree with you in principle, but disagree with your logic on this. If a french hornist has to practice twice as hard to achieve half as much, then they're probably doing something wrong. I'm not trying to be "flip" here, and am curious how you would have arrived at such a conclusion. Brass playing is brass playing, and this isn't even a concert french horn we're speaking of. No need to worry about transpositions, stopping, hand position, covering up the strings, etc. - so why would (or should) it be so difficult? All I can think of that might possibly be hard to achieve would be a greater degree of volume, but that's why you have the technique program for your line. I'm sure some of the marching models available might be limiting, but I loved our 2-valve G King horns from back in the late 70s. I think it was a well-made and designed instrument that could serve horn lines well even today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-horns Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 I agree with you in principle, but disagree with your logic on this. If a french hornist has to practice twice as hard to achieve half as much, then they're probably doing something wrong. I'm not trying to be "flip" here, and am curious how you would have arrived at such a conclusion. Brass playing is brass playing, and this isn't even a concert french horn we're speaking of. No need to worry about transpositions, stopping, hand position, covering up the strings, etc. - so why would (or should) it be so difficult? All I can think of that might possibly be hard to achieve would be a greater degree of volume, but that's why you have the technique program for your line. I'm sure some of the marching models available might be limiting, but I loved our 2-valve G King horns from back in the late 70s. I think it was a well-made and designed instrument that could serve horn lines well even today. Touche! b**bs My comments are based on the premise that not everyone in the brass section practices daily. Some folks can get away with doing that sort of thing - especially in "all-age" and alumni drum corps where life's other responsibilities have higher priority. Not so with a frenchie. If you don't put in the time, your ensemble life will be full of cracks and intonation issues. When you played on that King, you were probably on the best performing frenchie of the post G-D era. It sure is nice when you don't have to fight the plumbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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