|
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
||
|
|
|
|
The Alp Horn is composed of three parts: the mouthpiece, the horn, and the bell. All together, they typically measure some twelve feet in length. A horn may be tuned at the time of its manufacture to either F-Natural or F-sharp, which is in large part dependent on its length. This cannot be changed!
Traditionally
carved in a young red spruce chosen for its natural curve, the
bell of the horn is carved by hand. Numerous horn makers prefer
to work on a solid piece of wood. Hollowing out the entire horn
with a gouge takes over 50 hours of work, to which another 100
hours must be added for the shaping, tuning, and finishing of
the instrument. Its thickness, which varies in regular fashion
from 4 to 7 millimeters along the length of the horn, gives the
instrument a well-balanced tone. The two hollowed halves of the
tube ( the "horn" proper ) must be planed, sanded, polished,
and then joined. Additional tuning may be required. Horns are
traditionally circled with rings to give them additional strength
and durability. These rings may be made of wicker, wood, brass,
or even iron.
Used to call the cattle home for the evening milking, the famed Ranz des Vaches has its origins in the distant past. The very word ranz is celtic in origin and not found in the French language outside of this specific title.
Alp Horn Music
It is hard to find an instrument more closely linked to the Alpine hinterland, though it can now be found also in the Rocky Mountains of North America. Its very limited melodic range, typical of valveless horns, requires special compositions . . .
In the realm of symphonic music, the Alp Horn is found for the first time in Leopold Mozart's "Sinfonia Pastorella" (1755). References to the famed ranz des vaches can be found in the symphonies of Haydn, Beethoven, Berlioz and Brahms. The latter even composed, in 1868, a melody for Alp Horn, and reused this very melody nine years later in the triumphant horn solo of his First Symphony.
| Veillà
d'hivé - Nicolas Perrillat with Cor Alpes Collection Musiques Tracées de Savoie C&C MTS 03 - collecie@wanadoo.fr |
|
Thanks to the new MP3 technology, we can offer you a few samples of La Kinkerne's music. Click on the MP3 symbol to the right of the title in the boxes below to download the music files. After you have downloaded the files, you must rename them, changing the extension from zip to mp3. You will also need an MP3 player, several of which are freeware available on the net. You can download the most popular of these players by clicking here on WinAmp .
These 3 files are excerpts from the CD
Veilla d'hivé
by Nicolas Perrillat, with Cor AlpesCor à cor - (1,067K) - Alphorn trio.
This is a 1 minute, 7 second excerpt of the melody.Descente des Alpages - (795K) - sounds of cow bells and herders. This is a 50-second excerpt of the track.
Neige à Hirmentaz - (907KB) - Alphorn trio, and ambient sounds of snowstorm; 57-second excerpt.
These MP3 files have been posted
with the express permission of the artists.
in order to allow you to learn about their music.
We encourage you to purchase their upcoming CD!
A few links:
Rocky Mountain Alphorns
Le Ranz des VachesThe Swiss Academy of Alphorn Music
The world's first Virtual Alpine Meadow!
Download a photo of Cor'Alpes
suitable for inclusion in a concert poster
Page and
images © 1999, 2010 by
Robert F. Jeantet
music:
"Cor
à cor" by Nicolas Perrillat and Cor Alpes
Page and
images © 1999, 2010 by
Robert F. Jeantet
music:
"Cor
à cor" by Nicolas Perrillat and Cor Alpes