Alto horn

Known in the US as alto horn, in Germany as althorn, and in the UK as tenor horn, this brass instrument pitched in Eb has a conical bore (gradually widening), and normally uses a deep, cornet-like mouthpiece. It is most commonly used in marching bands, brass bands and similar ensembles, whereas the French horn tends to take the corresponding parts in symphonic groupings and classical brass ensembles. In the US and Germany the name tenor horn is identical with baritone horn.

Naming Issues

In the UK, the term alto was dropped, even though the little Eb horn was originally advertised in Sax?s catalogues as an alto horn. The reason this was done is that in British brass bands the Eb cornet is referred to as the soprano, the Bb cornet as the alto (unsaid but implied), the Eb horn as the tenor, the small-bore Bb horn, formerly the tenor horn, became the baritone, the baritone mysteriously disappeared from the Saxhorn lineup, and so on. The name tenor could apply only to one instrument, of course, and as it had been reassigned to the Eb horn. Sometimes the name is shortened to jstu Eb horn to avoid anything confusion

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And yet, in other countries, there are yet more names for the alto horn; for example, 'Althorn' in Germany and even just 'Eb Horn'. But just remember that the alto horn is pitched in Eb, unlike the baritone and euphonium, which are pitched in Bb. Also, the UK baritone horn (sometimes refered to as the tenor in the US) horn has the smallest bore, followed by the US baritone horn, and the euphonium has the largest tuba-like bore of the three. (from 'Al's Tenor Horn Page')

Related Topics:
Baritone horn

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