Alphorn

What it means

The alphorn is a long, straight natural-tone horn of wood with a bell turned up at the end. It has neither holes nor keys nor valves; it is played entirely with the lips at a plain mouthpiece, usually likewise of wood. From this it follows that only the notes of the harmonic series above the fundamental of the instrument are available. The length usually lies between three and four metres; the longer the tube, the lower the fundamental and the more closely the usable natural notes lie together.

Musical use

The instrument belongs to the herding and signal tradition of the Alpine region and there served for communication across distances before it became a concert instrument. Its stock of notes shapes its melody: characteristic is the eleventh partial, which lies between the perfect fourth and the augmented fourth and agrees with no key of the piano. This peculiarity is not a tuning fault but part of the harmonic series and belongs to the sound. Since the twentieth century composers have also written concert pieces for alphorn, some with orchestra, taking up the tie to the natural notes as a musical theme.

Performance practice

Because all pitches arise from the embouchure alone, accuracy of hitting is the core task: practise slurs across neighbouring natural notes and long, calm notes, so as to hear the series inwardly. The airstream must be even and deeply supported, since the long air column speaks sluggishly. Watch for a relaxed posture; the instrument is propped on the ground, not carried. In an ensemble with other alphorns play only in the same fundamental tuning, and with mixed forces clarify beforehand how the eleventh partial is to be handled. Store the wood dry, but not near heating, and protect it from sudden changes of temperature.

Remember that the speaking in the low range is sluggish and the tone needs a moment before it stands; set in earlier, therefore, than it appears in the notation. In an ensemble of several alphorns the sound arises from the agreement of the natural notes — deviations stand out at once as beats and can be evened out only through the embouchure. In outdoor performances the sound carries far, but feedback is lacking; stand closer together, therefore, than the length of the instruments suggests, and arrange entries visibly.