Re: no fail topic!

Leonard & Peggy Brown wrote:
>
>>Ok, what model of horn

I started in 1951 on a narrow bore single with piston valves, of unknown
(probably British) make.  In 1956 I acquired a Cazzani compensator, of
unusual design: it had seven four-way valves, of which four were
controlled by the thumb lever.  Of these, three were in the finger valve
tubing and varied its length.  This instrument had a robust, not
particularly refined sound.

Around 1961 I bought an old Alexander 103.  It has hollow valve rotors
and was almost certainly made before 1939.  In 1972 I went to Mainz,
bought a full double Bb and F alto and got the bell replaced on the 103.
I still have both these instruments, and a Hoyer full double that I
bought from a friend who had played it professionally for 17 years.  I
still have all three of these.  The Bb/F alto is a bit of a pig, and I
am not surprised that its design was soon replaced in Alexander's
catalogue.  However, it is a way to get the right notes above the stave.
I have had to rest from horn playing for the last 18 months, because I
lost a front tooth, and my gums started complaining about the extra load
on the remainder.  I recently got out the Hoyer, to prepare it to be
lent out, and tried it.  It gave me so much difficulty that I also tried
the 103, for comparison, and came to the conclusion that the latter is
an amazing instrument, best of the three by a large margin: it has a far
better sound, in all registers, than the others (after my long layoff, I
can't get decent low notes on either of the others) and is more
predictable in all registers except the very top, where the Bb/F alto
wins (its valves are 30 years younger).  Congratulations to the
designers at Alexander in 1930!

-- 
Ken Moore
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
pg composition student, University of Reading