Don’t blame me for being showy. There’s no joy quite like a new
horn.
In particular, there’s no joy like a new horn with moving parts.
This fine elderberry piece called ‘the Wah-wahorn’ is a return to
smaller instruments
after many years pursuant of giant sound chambers
(mostly made of hogweed).
The reason? They work. A small hardwood
chamber has big, punchy high notes
and can still be played in the low
register if you must have moments of buzzing.
Below is the opposite end
of the spectrum, from the series of ‘Triplehorns’ made
from said
hogweed.
The
state of this art is derived from several years experimenting with
wooden
(or relative natural materials) chambered horns.
These days, I’m
only interested in chambers designed of one piece that self-drain
when
upended after playing. Below is an old prototype of a trombone,
complete
with moving slide.
The very beautiful slide horn
The
Travelling Horn (with detachable bell/hat). The hat is felt hardened
with varnish. The main part of the horn body is empress wood.
The
Lanternhorn in an old configuration. She is mostly elderberry with the
bell composed of steam bent cedar ribs overlaid with tracing paper,
glue and varnish.
A giant cow parsnip horn in use on stage at the Railway Club in Vancouver.
There's always plans for the next one.
