after Raoux, c. 1850

Original: Private Collection Ulrich Hübner

The invention horn after Raoux is one of the so-called “Cors sauterelles”, a mixture between natural horn and valve horn, in which a valve section can be attached to the natural horn. This form of horn was mainly used in France in the second half of the 19th century. It has a large, warm and multifaceted classical-romantic horn sound as well as a precise response and excellent intonation. The sound between stopped and open tones is very balanced and has an exceptionally good mixing behavior in the section and the orchestra.

Our model is an authentic copy of the original. It is produced in French tradition using historical handcrafting techniques (e.g. hand-hammered bell with garland) and historical material (hammered sheet metal with wall thickness 0.35mm) to copy the original sound, character and responsiveness as precisely as possible. All pipes are consistently made of brass sheets soldered with seam.

The legendary Dennis Brain used a horn of this type with F crook and valves until the 1950s at all concerts and recordings. His father Aubrey and his uncle Alfred did the same, which is why one can speak in a way of the “Dennis Brain Horn”.

• Available keys: C-Alto, Bb-Alto, A-Alto, Ab-Alto, G, Gb/F#, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C-Basso, Cb-Basso, Bb-Basso (both 440 Hz, 430 Hz and 415 Hz)
• Instrument in brass