Horn

As Printed on a Score

Horn (plural Hörner; older Waldhorn) labels the horn staff in German and English scores, abbreviated Hr., Hrn. or Hn., with its key: Horn in F, in Es, in E, F-Hörner. Mahler heads the staff with the number of players (Sechs Hörner in F.). In F the notes sound a fifth lower than written; older scores write bass-clef notes an octave lower still, so they sound a fourth above written.

Abbreviations: Hn., Hr., Hrn., Hn, Hr

Also spelled: Hörner, Hoerner, Waldhorn, Waldhörner, F-Hörner, F Horn, Horn in F, Horns

How Composers Use It

Beethoven, Brahms and Wagner set the German horn tradition: four horns as a choir, paired 1–2 and 3–4 with high and low specialists, for sustained harmony, noble melodies and calls. Mahler expands to six or more and asks for effects such as Schalltrichter auf (bells up) and stopped notes. Write in F, give the horns rests, since high, loud playing tires them fast, and remember a single horn at mf blends where a trumpet would cut.

Example

Mahler, Symphony No. 5, third movement (Scherzo), horn staff (“Vier Hörner in F.”), m. 190: “F-Hörner.”, printed beside “F-Corno obl.”, the movement’s solo obbligato horn.

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