What should I use? Double, Descant, or Triple Horn?

When French horn players prepare to audition for high horn positions, pieces by Baroque and Classical composers such as J.S. Bach often show up on the list. Due to the high tessitura of these pieces they strike terror in the hearts of many players. Some investigate the use of "high" horns with F or Eb alto sides like descant or triple horns for this music. But is this wise? Join Dr. Derek J. Wright for today's livestream for an exciting disscusion!

[@jerryfolsom886]

Hello Dr, Wright, I discovered this video 2 years after you had this up ,unfortunately. After a career on principal horn in a major orchestra, I've found my double horn is fine for most everything. However, the only descent horn I ever used was a single F Alexander . Not because my double wasn't easy enough to play in the high register but because the sound and tone quality of the descant matched my idea of baroque horn sound. Triple horns never sounded good to me in all registers and double descants were even more limiting in quality of sound in the lower register. My Alexander high F Horn made a beautiful sound in the high range with a light and facile effect. The fast notes in the Brandenburg don't require as much effort as any of the other descents. All that said, I've observed players tend to sound better when they don't switch horns around very much and the instrument they're more used to works best for almost everybody. I would have liked a custom high F,high E flat or B flat high B flat for works consistently above the concert high F. Tuckwell used such a horn made by Paxman on his Zelenka recordings. I believe David Paytt has that horn today(2024). Probably, one of a kind. As you know, trumpet and horn players were the same players in the Baroque Era so it's not unreasonable to assume the sound of descants matches the instruments of the time better than modern double and triple horns.
I hope you see this since it's been so long after your post. Very good demo and comments in your video.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Triple French Horn has the advantage of keeping the weight down by combining 3 types of horns all in one.

[@imbad207]

Getting a paxman 44x soon. It's got a f extension to play in normal F. I'm interested to see if I can replace my double for most of my works.

[@fuffoon]

Wow, its getting complex. The answer needs more questions. What do you play? Do you march or stand for extended periods? Is your staple between G below and G above? And look at the choices available. Oh mon dieu.

[@gregmonks9708]

Isn't the use of doubles and triples for playing Baroque music a tad anachronistic?

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Triple French Horn can play in any register plus it has more notes you can play

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@fardpig4269 Ah but they've cleverly solved that problem by re-tapering the bore size.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@fardpig4269 Ah but that's no longer the case w/ Ergo Brass

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@fardpig4269 What if it used a special Harness so you could wear it like an Accordion?

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@fardpig4269 What if it was made entirely out of Plastic to keep the weight down? That might help even better

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

​@@fardpig4269 Actually the red plastic looks shiny but cutting the price down was achieved by playing don't stop believing in a 3/4 time. Actually the Harness no longer restricts movement, it keeps the instrument in a Comfortable playing position kinda like an Accordion. The Triple Horn's weight is like that of an Accordion.