Timeline
Lur horns are the oldest instrument related to the French horn, they date from 1500-500 BC. They are described as war instruments because they were used to signal troops and frighten the enemy. The metal lur horn is made entirely out of bronze, and it's length can range between one to two and a quarter meters (top left image). Wooden lur horns were usually one meter in length (bottom left image).
|
|
The blowing horn (also known as a cow horn) is one of the oldest instruments in history. It is dated to 800 BC. During that time, the noise made through them were used as signaling devices. Making a buzzing sound though the mouthpiece of a blowing horn (like you would on the mouthpiece of any brass instrument) will give you a sound, and the pitch of the sound depends on the size of the horn.
|
|
The hunting horn was constructed in the 17th century in Paris. Jean Baptiste Lully adapted the hunting horn to join the orchestra, and it continued to be used in orchestras in the 18th century. The hunting horns structure was changed many times throughout the 17th century, into different amounts of coils to have different pitches. |
|
The hunting horn is the beginning of the evolution of the natural horn. In the late 18th century the horn was designed with more tubing. Joseph Hampel was responsible for the discovery of hand stopping for chromaticization, and for the construction of sliding crooks (left image) to play different notes.
|
|
In the 19th century Heinrich Stölzel from Berlin invented the valved French horn which was part of the development of the French horn and how it is today. Constructing valves onto the French horn also added more tubing. Valves are like buttons, and when you press them down, they open in the pipes to create different pitches and play notes.
|