Flugelhorn
 A standard 3-valved B♭flugelhorn | |
| Brass instrument | |
|---|---|
| Classification | |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 423.232 (valvedaerophonesounded by lip vibration) |
| Developed | Early 19th century |
| Playing range | |
Written range: | |
| Related instruments | |
| Part of a series on |
| Musical instruments |
|---|
Theflugelhorn(/ˈfluːɡəlhɔːrn/), also spelledfluegelhorn,flugel horn,orflügelhorn,is abrass instrumentthat resembles thetrumpetandcornetbut has a wider, moreconical bore.[1]Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B♭,though some are in C.[2]It is a type of valvedbugle,developed inGermanyin the early 19th century from a traditional English valveless bugle. The first version of a valved bugle was sold byHeinrich StölzelinBerlinin 1828.[3]The valved bugle providedAdolphe Sax(creator of thesaxophone) with the inspiration for his B♭soprano (contralto)saxhorns,on which the modern-day flugelhorn is modelled.[4][5]
Etymology
[edit]The German wordFlügelmeanswingorflankin English. In early 18th century Germany, a ducal hunt leader known as aFlügelmeisterblew theFlügelhorn,a large semicircularbrassorsilvervalveless horn, to direct the wings of the hunt. Military use dates from theSeven Years' War,where this instrument was employed as a predecessor of the bugle.[4]
Structure and variants
[edit]
The flugelhorn is generally pitched in B♭,like most trumpets andcornets.It usually has threepiston valvesand employs the same fingering system as other brass instruments, although four-valve versions and rotary-valve versions also exist. It can therefore be played by trumpet and cornet players, although it has different playing characteristics. The flugelhorn'smouthpieceis more deeply conical than either trumpet or cornet mouthpieces, but not as conical as aFrench hornmouthpiece.
Some modern flugelhorns feature a fourth valve that lowers the pitch by aperfect fourth(similar to the fourth valve on someeuphoniums,tubas,andpiccolo trumpets,or thetriggerontrombones). This adds a useful low range that, coupled with the flugelhorn's dark sound, extends the instrument's abilities. Players can also use the fourth valve in place of the first and third valve combination (which is somewhat sharp).
A compact version of the rotary valve flugelhorn is the oval shapedkuhlohornin B♭.It was developed for the German Protestant trombone choirs.
A pair of bass flugelhorns in C, calledfiscorns,are played in theCatalancoblabands which provide music forsardanadancers.
Timbre
[edit]The tone is fatter and usually regarded as more mellow and dark than the trumpet or cornet. The sound of the flugelhorn has been described as halfway between a trumpet and aFrench horn,whereas the cornet's sound is halfway between a trumpet and a flugelhorn.[6]The flugelhorn is as agile as the cornet but more difficult to control in the high register (from approximately written G5), where in general it locks onto notes less easily.
Use and performances
[edit]The flugelhorn is a standard member of theBritish-style brass band,and it is also used frequently injazz.It also appears occasionally inorchestralandconcert bandmusic. Famous orchestral works with flugelhorn includeIgor Stravinsky'sThreni,[7]Ralph Vaughan Williams'sNinth Symphony,[8]andMichael Tippett's third symphony.[9]The flugelhorn is sometimes substituted for thepost horninMahler'sThird Symphony,[10]and for the soprano RomanbuccineinOttorino Respighi'sPines of Rome.InHK Gruber's trumpet concertoBusking(2007) the soloist is directed to play a flugelhorn in the slow middle movement.[11]The flugelhorn figured prominently in many ofBurt Bacharach's 1960spopsong arrangements. It is featured in a solo role inBert Kaempfert's 1962 recording of "That Happy Feeling". Flugelhorns have occasionally been used as the alto or low soprano voice in adrum and bugle corps.
Another use of the flugelhorn is found in the Dutch and Belgian "Fanfareorkesten"orfanfare orchestras.In these orchestras the flugelhorns, often between 10 and 20 in number, have a significant role, forming the base of the orchestra. They are pitched in B♭,with sporadically an E♭soloist. Due to poor intonation, these E♭flugelhorns are mostly replaced by the E♭trumpet or cornet.
The 1996 filmBrassed Offfeatures a flugelhorn performance ofRodrigo'sConcierto de Aranjuez,Adagio, as a key moment.[12]The solo is played by Paul Hughes.[13]
Notable players
[edit] |
Joe Bishop,as a member of theWoody Hermanband in 1936, was one of the earliest jazz musicians to use the flugelhorn.Shorty RogersandKenny Bakerbegan playing it in the early fifties, andClark Terryused it inDuke Ellington's orchestra in the mid-1950s.Chet Bakerrecorded several albums on the instrument in the 1950s and 1960s.Miles Davisfurther popularized the instrument in jazz on the albumsMiles AheadandSketches of Spain,(both arranged byGil Evans) though he did not use it much on later projects. Other prominent flugelhorn players includeDonald Byrd,Freddy Buzon,Freddie Hubbard,Tom Browne,Lee Morgan,Bill Dixon,Wilbur Harden,Art Farmer,Roy Hargrove,Randy Brecker,Hugh Masekela,Feya Faku,Tony Guerrero,Gary Lord,Jimmy Owens,Maynard Ferguson,Terumasa Hino,Woody Shaw,Bobby Shew,Guido Basso,Kenny Wheeler,Tom Harrell,Bill Coleman,Thad Jones,Arturo Sandoval,Lee Loughnaneof the rock bandChicago,Roddy LorimerofThe Kick Horns,Mike Metheny,Harry Beckett,Till BrönnerandAck van Rooyen.Most jazz flugelhorn players use the instrument as an auxiliary to the trumpet, but in the 1970sChuck Mangionegave up playing the trumpet and concentrated on the flugelhorn alone, notably on hisjazz-pophit song "Feels So Good".Mangione, in an interview onABCduring the1980 Winter Olympics,for which he wrote the theme "Give It All You Got",referred to the flugelhorn as" the right baseball glove ".[citation needed]
Pop flugelhorn players include Probyn Gregory (Brian WilsonBand), Ronnie Wilson of theGap Band,Rick Braun,Mic Gillette,Jeff Oster,Zach Condon of the bandBeirut,Scott Spillaneof the bandNeutral Milk Hotel,Terry Kirkmanof the bandThe Association,Annie Chappell andRashawn Rossof theDave Matthews Band.Marvin Stammplayed the flugelhorn solo on "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"byPaulandLinda McCartney.[14]
Classical flugelhorn players includeSergei NakariakovandKirill Soldatov.[15]
Footnotes
[edit]- ^Yurochko, Bob (2001).A Short History of Jazz.Rowman & Littlefield. p. 182.ISBN9780830415953.
- ^"Flügelhorn".Encyclopaedia Britannica.Retrieved2 September2018.
- ^Baines, Anthony (January 1993).Brass Instruments: Their History and Development.Courier Corporation. p. 230.ISBN9780486275741.
- ^abBaines, Anthony C.; Herbert, Trevor."Flugelhorn".Grove Music Online.Oxford Music Online.Retrieved17 March2017.(subscription required)
- ^"Flugelhorn (Contralto Saxhorn) - Adolphe Edouard Sax (1859-1945)".Artsandculture.google.Retrieved19 April2021.
- ^Forsyth, Cecil (1922).Orchestration.p. 165.
- ^"Stravinsky: Threni | News | The Harvard Crimson".thecrimson.Retrieved25 October2019.
- ^Stumpf II, Robert."Classical Net Review - Maestrino - Stokowski Conducts New Music".Classical Net.Retrieved25 October2019.
- ^Clements, Andrew (28 February 2019)."Tippett: Symphonies Nos 3 & 4; Symphony in B flat review | Andrew Clements's classical CD of the week".The Guardian.Retrieved25 October2019.
- ^"Symphony No.3 (Mahler, Gustav) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download".imslp.org.Retrieved25 October2019.
- ^"BIS Records - HK Gruber - Busking".bis.se.Archived fromthe originalon 27 January 2021.Retrieved25 October2019.
- ^Watkins, Jack (24 April 2017)."How we made Brassed Off".The Guardian.Retrieved25 October2019.
- ^"Brassed Off (1996) - IMDb".IMDb.Retrieved25 October2019.
- ^"Uncle Albert - Admiral Halsey by Paul McCartney".Songfacts.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^"A. Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto g-moll (arr. for 2 flugelhorns)".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-11.
References
[edit]- Dudgeon, Ralph T.; Streitwieser, Franz X. (2004).The Fluegelhorn(in English and German) (Bochinsky ed.). Bergkirchen.ISBN3-932275-83-7.
- Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John, eds. (2001). "Flugelhorn".The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians(2nd ed.). London.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Kernfeld, Barry, ed. (2002). "Flugelhorn".The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz(2nd ed.). London.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External links
[edit]
- An overview and brief history of the flugelhorn,including a short sound clip
- How to play a flugelhornat TheTrumpetBlog
