The Brass Section
French Horns
These instruments are by various makers, including Raoux of Paris from the late 19th century. This famous maker’s instruments were copied by others, including Boosey & Co., Hawkes & Son and Besson, all London makers. The French Horn, with its narrow bore and piston valves, was developed in Paris in the middle years of the 19th century, being superseded a hundred years later by the German horn, with a larger bore, rotary valves and the extra loudness demanded by the modern orchestra.
Aubrey Brain,
father of Dennis, playing a piston valve French horn in the 1930s
The BBC Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Section in the 1930s . Many players from the original NQHO, which was disbanded in 1927, joined the BBCSO on its formation in 1930.
Trumpets
Narrow bore trumpets have a more centred sound than their modern equivalents and were used throughout British orchestras until being replaced, in the 1950s, by the larger American instruments which had been developed for dance bands. Instruments by various London makers are to be found in the NQHO, including those by Boosey and Co, Hawkes & Son and Besson.
The Trumpets of the NQHO
Trombones
All made in the early 20th century and by a number of makers, including Boosey & Co, Hawkes & Son and Besson, these instruments were used throughout British orchestras until being replaced by much louder American trombones a dozen or so years after the Second World War. They produce a finely blended and noble sound, which balances well with the other sections of the Orchestra.
The photograph to the right shows the narrow bore trombone used in the NQHO compared to the modern trombone.
Tuba
Made by Boosey & Co, London, 1908. The NQHO’s tuba is much smaller and far narrower in its tubing than the big belled Tubas of the modern orchestra, and makes a more focussed and musical sound.
The photograph to the right shows the typical size of the tuba used in the NQHO. This is Frank Glyn in the 1930s.
