There is a reason the horn became so popular for music scores. TV theme songs, and so forth. And that reason is named Vincent DeRosa. He was an L.A. studio musician with a career from 1935 to 2008. (Yes, that long.) He was so good that more and more composers started writing music that involved the horn. You have probably heard more playing by DeRosa than any other musician in history without realizing it. He was the principle horn on not only a vast number of soundtracks and TV theme songs, but also with other musicians accompanying almost every singing artist and group from Frank Sinatra to The Monkees. A good example of his later years was when he was principle horn for the Star Trek II movie with the great score by the late James Horner. And that was DeRosa playing the horn in "The Days of Wine and Roses."
Yes!! Vincent DeRosa was an absolute legend. There will most likely never be another like him in the horn world. Interestingly, several of his personal horns are available for sale through a SoCal brass shop... they are demonstration instruments from when he was a design consultant with Meister Hans Hoyer. The line on them is that they are a better version of the Conn 8D... the horn most commonly associated with the Hollywood sound (and what Mr. Hart is holding at the beginning of the video).
This company gets better the more you discover. Very well deserved success that they are enjoying, the products are meticulous - worthy of the holywood brand.
Notes 1:37 full range playing 2:48 F harmonic series 6:19 high and low horn players 9:58 below low Bb Wagner tuba has more power and is clearer 11:06 tonguing techniques in lower register also easier on the Wagner tuba
Awesome and extremely useful!!! I´m a student of Music for Film at the Bologna Conservatory of Music, Italy. I´m from Venezuela!!! Thanks a lot! I shared with my classmates!
Did I just watch this because I love Dylan Hart and I play horn? Yes, why of course! Did I also just watch this because I compose music and wanted to know the best ways to write for horn? Yes, why of course!
At 15:05 his is talking about this track... czcams.com/video/OYBC-r3Nj0U/video.html Such a great music piece... And I was convinced that it wasn't a French Horn but a Descant Horn. You can tell by its sweet, really sweet tone.
From the beginning of the interview, can i write a horn part in Concert pitch and a French Horn Player will be able to read it? Or should i transpose it?
It depends on the level of the hornplayer. Most professionals transpose without batting an eye, but they also appreciate to get parts in F. If you write for lower levels, amateurs and school bands will be less fluid in transposing, and will generally try to avoid everything that is not in F, unless they have a teacher forcing them or they play much in symphony orchestras. Old horn parts come in all kinds of keys, because they was written for horns tuned like that, so we generally tolerate getting old music in weird pitches, but if you write something new it will be more available in F.
i'm very much an amateur at french horn. I for one fully intend to be able to read/play stuff written in concert pitch. I would do that on any instrument be it wind or brass. I am also a nerd. The reason for me is i want to be able to pick up any music, be it a book of hymns or a book of popular tunes and play it. Its just a matter of pretending that you have this crazy new instrument that is in the key of C but the fingering is different to what you are used to!
***** 101 of talking to composers: Never ever show them extended techniques. You end up playing stop horn on the high F for five pages. Trust me, i've been there...
Michael Patti, ha! Quick reply 😅 This is very helpful to me. I've been playing horn for almost 8 years now and I'm discovering stuff I didn't even know about the horn, so I thank you for this interview 😄
Concert pitch, so C3 in F, that is more or less the edge of decent playing, and the edge of normal stuff to find in music written for horns in F. The weird higher notes is mostly written for horn tuned in something else originally.
its funny how people object to practicing a musical instrument but its perftecly fine to blast out recorded music, cut down some trees with a chainsaw, Strim a patch of weeds. French horn is neither loud nor objectionable.
There is a reason the horn became so popular for music scores. TV theme songs, and so forth. And that reason is named Vincent DeRosa. He was an L.A. studio musician with a career from 1935 to 2008. (Yes, that long.) He was so good that more and more composers started writing music that involved the horn. You have probably heard more playing by DeRosa than any other musician in history without realizing it. He was the principle horn on not only a vast number of soundtracks and TV theme songs, but also with other musicians accompanying almost every singing artist and group from Frank Sinatra to The Monkees. A good example of his later years was when he was principle horn for the Star Trek II movie with the great score by the late James Horner. And that was DeRosa playing the horn in "The Days of Wine and Roses."
Yes!! Vincent DeRosa was an absolute legend. There will most likely never be another like him in the horn world. Interestingly, several of his personal horns are available for sale through a SoCal brass shop... they are demonstration instruments from when he was a design consultant with Meister Hans Hoyer. The line on them is that they are a better version of the Conn 8D... the horn most commonly associated with the Hollywood sound (and what Mr. Hart is holding at the beginning of the video).
very interesting to watch.. he's good at explaining stuff! thank you.. I love my French horn I envy you too have this kind of career !
This company gets better the more you discover. Very well deserved success that they are enjoying, the products are meticulous - worthy of the holywood brand.
It's really a good addition to orchestration book! More friendly too!
Oh how I love the French horn! Thank you Dylan. Thank you Mike!
Dylan’s explanations are incredibly lucid.
Thank you, Dylan and Mike! :)
thanks for the series, very useful
It was amazing ! thanks for the series. Very Very useful !
Cheers to Dylan and Mike !
this is gold right there, thank you so much!
Notes
1:37 full range playing
2:48 F harmonic series
6:19 high and low horn players
9:58 below low Bb Wagner tuba has more power and is clearer
11:06 tonguing techniques in lower register also easier on the Wagner tuba
I absolutely LOVED watching this. What a fun interview. Would be awesome to see a series of these.....hmmm... ;-)
Great job, y'all!
-Scott
This is sooo cool to see and hear!
Wow, this is absolutely amazing. Thanks for this guys!
Loved this interview Michael, keep em coming!
Dylan is excellent!
Amazing, thank you for the interesting work you have done.
Awesome and extremely useful!!! I´m a student of Music for Film at the Bologna Conservatory of Music, Italy. I´m from Venezuela!!! Thanks a lot! I shared with my classmates!
Amazing! Thank you, Mike!
Did I just watch this because I love Dylan Hart and I play horn? Yes, why of course!
Did I also just watch this because I compose music and wanted to know the best ways to write for horn? Yes, why of course!
So Amazing
Amazing explanation. This is gonna be extremely useful since i'm an amateur composer
Very useful! Thanks for video!
Very nicely presented.
Dylan knows his stuff. Good one CS.
3 wonderful series yes i want to do some of these things
Thanks for this amazing lesson. I have one question to Dylan: What are the pedal tones (sounding pitches) in Bb and F divisions on double horn?
Very good, learned so much, i don´t think my concerto could be played on a Horn, because of really low notes i wrote.
wow wow wow wow insane ! so helpful
Interesting. I hear quite a big difference in sound between hand-stopped and metal mutes notes. I would use them in different situations.
At 15:05 his is talking about this track... czcams.com/video/OYBC-r3Nj0U/video.html
Such a great music piece... And I was convinced that it wasn't a French Horn but a Descant Horn. You can tell by its sweet, really sweet tone.
From the beginning of the interview, can i write a horn part in Concert pitch and a French Horn Player will be able to read it? Or should i transpose it?
It depends on the level of the hornplayer. Most professionals transpose without batting an eye, but they also appreciate to get parts in F. If you write for lower levels, amateurs and school bands will be less fluid in transposing, and will generally try to avoid everything that is not in F, unless they have a teacher forcing them or they play much in symphony orchestras.
Old horn parts come in all kinds of keys, because they was written for horns tuned like that, so we generally tolerate getting old music in weird pitches, but if you write something new it will be more available in F.
i'm very much an amateur at french horn. I for one fully intend to be able to read/play stuff written in concert pitch. I would do that on any instrument be it wind or brass. I am also a nerd. The reason for me is i want to be able to pick up any music, be it a book of hymns or a book of popular tunes and play it. Its just a matter of pretending that you have this crazy new instrument that is in the key of C but the fingering is different to what you are used to!
can someone tell me which is the song at 0:11 ?
Too much camera position change
Extended technique people?
***** 101 of talking to composers: Never ever show them extended techniques.
You end up playing stop horn on the high F for five pages. Trust me, i've been there...
He called it a trumpet at 10:15 🙄
Michael Patti, ha! Quick reply 😅
This is very helpful to me. I've been playing horn for almost 8 years now and I'm discovering stuff I didn't even know about the horn, so I thank you for this interview 😄
The interviewer looks bored and distracted but Mr Hart was wonderful.
don't go past the f my butt.
Concert pitch, so C3 in F, that is more or less the edge of decent playing, and the edge of normal stuff to find in music written for horns in F. The weird higher notes is mostly written for horn tuned in something else originally.
What an ungodly horrible instrument. Perfect if you hate your neighbours!
its funny how people object to practicing a musical instrument but its perftecly fine to blast out recorded music, cut down some trees with a chainsaw, Strim a patch of weeds. French horn is neither loud nor objectionable.