French Horn

Brass INSTRUMENT

INSTRUMENT INFORMATION

The French horn is part of the brass family of orchestral instruments, a family which also includes the trombone, trumpet, and the tuba. French horn is often just called “horn.”

The body of the French horn is made of metal, typically brass, tubing, which is curved and bent into a coil with an open bell at the end. Modern French horns typically have three metal valves that the player presses down in various combinations to create different pitches on the instrument. The trumpet also has a mouthpiece, onto which the player buzzes their lips to start the flow of air through the instrument to create a sound; the speed of the air flow can also change the pitch of the horn. The player can also vary the pitch of the sound by varying the shape or tension of their lips when buzzing on the mouthpiece. The sound comes out of the instrument at the end of the tubing, where the metal flares out, a part that is called the bell.

MEET THE INSTRUMENT

In the following video (3:44), Rob Jost presents the french horn, and details how this instrument makes sound. This video can be enjoyed along with your children in class:

 
 

After watching this video, you can engage the children in discussion about what they remembered or noticed about the french horn. Children may share ideas about other instruments that it reminds them of, or other music or sounds that they have heard before. Some questions that may initiate a discussion:

  • Do you remember some of the names of the parts of the french horn?

  • What did Rob do to make sound on the instrument?

  • What is the french horn made of?

  • Does this remind you of any other instruments that you have seen before?

MUSIC

In the following videos, Rob performs three different pieces on the french horn. You may choose to play these videos together in the same class session, or play them over several days to create multiple music experiences for the children.

With each experience, you can watch and listen along with the children. While listening, you may notice that the children move their bodies along with the music, and naturally show what they hear through bouncing, clapping, dancing, patting their legs, or almost any other movement that you can imagine! This is part of their music learning, and you can encourage them to move while they listen.

After you watch and listen to each video, depending on the age of the children, you may initiate a discussion about what they heard and saw. Children often feel more comfortable contributing if the questions are specific; abstract questions (such as “how did it make you feel?”) may be difficult for the young child to answer. Some questions that you may consider are:

  • Was the music fast or slow? Loud or soft? Smooth or choppy? (etc.)

  • Did this music remind you of other music or sounds that you’ve heard before?

  • What kinds of movements did you make when you were listening?

And, after you have listened to all of the pieces, the children may be able to make comparisons:

  • What was the same about these pieces of music? What was different?

Listening Experience #1 (1:08)

Abide with Me is a hymn written by Henry Francis Lyte, who was from Scotland, in 1847.

Listening Experience #2 (1:30)

Rob shares an excerpt from English composer Gustav Holst’s Second Suite for Military Band in F Major, Op. 28/2, which he composed in 1911; this portion is sometimes called a jig. Holst lived from 1874-1934, and composed music for opera, ballet, film, orchestra, wind band, piano, solo voice and chorus, chamber groups, and solo instruments.

Listening Experience #3 (1:26)

Rob shares a version of Take this Hammer on his horn, an American song that was first published in 1915. The origins of the song date to the 1870s; this was a work song, most likely from the African American “hammer song” tradition, which includes other songs such as the Ballad of John Henry and Nine Pound Hammer.

ABOUT THE MUSICIAN

Rob Jost is a versatile bassist/french horn player living in Brooklyn. He has played in countless ensembles including: The Kevin Hays New Day Trio, Tony Scherr Trio, Joe Fiedler Quintet, Elysian Fields, and has recorded/performed with Bjork, Imogen Heap, Father John Misty and the Saturday Night Live house band. For the past 12 years he has played on all new episodes of Sesame Street in that show’s recording band and is currently the bassist for Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen.