Re: orchestral template, please comment (horn transposition)

[David Santamauro]

Hi Tim,

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 11:09:37 -0700
Tim Reeves <address@hidden> wrote:

> > 
> > There is also a discrepancy between the transposition direction
> > (down 5th or up 4th). Some scores actually place an ambitus-sort-of
> > note at the beginning of the horn staff to indicate the
> > transposition direction.
> > 
> > David
> 
> David,
> 
> I am open to the possibility that I'm wrong in some cases, but in 
> thirty-plus years of playing the horn, I've never seen any ambiguity
> in horn transposition like you describe.
> Horn in F is *always* sounding a fifth lower than notated.
> The only place I know of ambiguity is in parts with bass clef, where
> "old notation" means that the pitch as played is a fourth higher than
> what is notated, but this is limited to a certain period in history
> (i.e. classical period) and is generally discernible by context (e.g.
> if the note lower than it is possible to play for a good player, then
> it must be old notation).

Yes, you are correct. "In all new scores and new editions of old
scores, the horn in F always transposes a perfect fifth down" [1]

I was just trying to make a point that there are still sources that
transpose a fourth up -- it isn't a big deal for this template, just
making a small point.

> In such cases, I've never seen the ambitus-like notation that you 
> describe, but I can see how it would be helpful for those unsure of
> the notation.

I can't remember the exact piece(s) but IIRC, Mahler had done this.

David


[1] Adler: "The Study of Orchestration" p. 261