hornplayer.net Information archive

I am forwarding information on Dennis Brain's horn and mouthpiece received from Dr. Arnold Myers at Edinburgh University. One of Mr. Brain's horns was rebuilt in 1948 and 1950 by Paxmans. Also according to Stephen Pettit's biography, Brain made a copy of his mouthpiece for Philip Farkas.

Ben Palmer

Dear Ben Palmer

I have a few questions about your collection. (1) Do you have any of the French horns played by Dennis Brain? (2) What were the measurements of his mouthpiece [he used an unusual embouchere]?

We have an ex- Dennis Brain french horn. I don't know how much he used it, however, merely that he owned it. I append details of the instrument and associated mouthpiece.

(4) Where in the eastern U.S. could I have scientific acoustical measurements done?

I don't know about suitably equipped and staffed laboratories, except that Conn used to have one - maybe still do. I believe the following to be active in musical acoustics, but have no idea if measuring your horn would fit their oiwn objectives:

Physics Department, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, U.S.A.
Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, U.S.A.
Graduate Program in Acoustics, Pennsylvania State University, U.S.A.
Department of Speech and Hearing Science, The Ohio State University, U.S.A.

Do you have a checklist for your taxonomy measurements?

Full taxonomic measurement (as I have been doing it) requires:

25-40 bell flare measurements (the bore in the bell flare) as below
15-25 mouthpiece bore measurments
The overall sounding length
The minimum and the mid-length bore
The bore at a point beyond the mid-length

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Dr Arnold Myers,  Director,
 Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments,
 Reid Concert Hall,  Bristo Square,  EDINBURGH  EH8 9AG,  U.K.
 E-mail:  Collection_Historic_Musical_Ins@ed.ac.uk
 Web URL:  http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN: (206)
EN: Orchestral horn.
Nominal pitch:
TS: Three valves.

Maker: J.C Labbaye.
PL: Paris.
DM: 1857-1871.

Overall size: Corpus diameter 320; bell diameter 278.
Sounding length: mouthpipe length 465; segment lengths, from distal end of ferrule after valves to bell segment 560; bell segment 926.
Bore: mouthpipe 12.1; m.t.s. 10.8 - 11.5; v.t.s. (1,2,3) 11.5.

Bell flare:-

 Internal diameter
         Axial distance from bell end
                 Spread in axial distance
                         Tolerance in diameter
 275     0       0.1     1
 244.7   10      2       0.1
 221.4   19      2       0.1
 200.3   27      2       0.1
 181.3   34.5    2       0.1
 164.0   43.5    1.5     0.1
 148.4   51      2       0.1
 134.3   59      2       0.1
 121.5   68      2.5     0.1
 110.0   77      3       0.1
 99.48   86      3       0.1
 90.17   96      3       0.1
 81.45   106     3       0.1
 73.70   117     4       0.1
 66.69   130     4       0.1
 60.43   142.5   3.5     0.1
 54.60   157     4.5     0.1
 49.40   171.5   4       0.1
 44.70   185     4.5     0.1
 40.45   204.5   6       0.1
 36.60   225     7       0.1
 33.12   251     13      0.1
 29.96   286     15      0.1

Diameter of mouthpiece receiver: m.r.t. of crook 8.1 at end.

Technical description: Orchestral horn with three Perinet valves mounted on distal arm of tuning-slide, which has been lengthened to bring instrument to low pitch. Shield-shaped bell stay plate is of late pattern. Metal construction: yellow brass; seamed bell segment with single gusset; bell garland, width 30; seamed intermediate segment, seamless mouthpipe, presumably a replacement. With French pattern F crook.

Valve type: Perinet valves by Hawkes and Son, London, with long stems because valves are mounted on tuning-slide.

IN: Inscribed on bell garland "RAOUX RUE SERPENTE A PARIS / FOURNISSEUR DE S.M. L'EMPEREUR ET DE S.A. LE VICE-ROI-D'EGYPTE", on bell with poincon "MAR"; inscribed on 2nd valve housing "HAWKES & SON / LONDON" / star / "9", and on valve stems, housings, and bottom caps "19", "20", "21". Tuning-slides are graduated Eflat, F, G Aflat, A.

RH: Stays probably replacement and coeval with valves. Bell patched.

General usage of type: Orchestral use, mid 19th century to 1930s.

Usable pitch: Playable at A4 = 440 Hz.
Performance characteristics: Playable up to 12th natural note with ease, but with characteristic stuffy F4.

AW: Purchased by lender with and possibly formerly used with mouthpiece (837).

Specific literature references: G.S. (1986) 294.
Illustration references: G.S. (1986) Plate XVI (3).
Specific usage history: Owned and used by Dennis Brain; ex- Nettlefold Collection.

Current ownership: Lent by G. Melville-Mason.

AN: (837)
EN: Mouthpiece for French horn.

DM: Probably mid 20th century.

Overall size: length 68.9; external diameter 23.6.
Sounding length: cup depth c 30.
Bore: cup diameter 16.2; minimum diameter 3.7.
Depth of taper: shank depth shank tapers smoothly to join rim of cup.
Diameter of taper: minimum 7.2.

Technical description: Silver-plated brass; wide fitting; round rim contour; maximum bite radius of curvature 2.0; conical cup shape; smoothly-blended throat.

IN: No inscriptions.

AW: Purchased by lender with and possibly formerly used with orchestral horn (206).
Specific literature references: G.S. (1968) No. 294.

Current ownership: Lent by G. Melville-Mason.

Dennis Brain's horn and mouthpiece

All the views expressed in these articles are those of the author of the article. Hornplayer.net is in no way responsible for opinions expressed. Hornplayer.net is not responsible for any actions taken as a result of information contained within this website.

Back to the archive index

The information published herein is believed to be correct, however, the author assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Hornplayer.net does not support, condone, endorse or agree with any statement shown on the site, other than those that are explicitly stated as being the official position of hornplayer.net. This contents of this website includes data added by anonymous third parties, and is dynamically included in the pages with no verification by the owner of hornplayer.net. While effort is made to ensure that all third-party data is appropriate and within the bounds of the law, hornplayer.net accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any statements or claims made.