# English Horn



## Nox

We were talking about the English Horn last night, and how it might be nice to try it...see what it sounds like...probably not good for band, but may be of value in an orchestra setting (down the road)...

...I just looked them up...LOL...no wonder there are so few about...expensive! Even for a 'cheap' plastic beginner model...


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## Daniel

oh yes i can remember that they are expensive. Plastic...hm, how will the sound like?

Talking about material, glass clarinets are looking :wub:


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## baroque flute

What I heard is that oboists can play the English horn without further training, just like flute/piccolo and clarinet/sax. Yes, they are expensive!!! I happened to be looking into them earlier because I love their sound. What I saw runs like the oboe or more, starting at like $900. But I really like the English horn.


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## Nox

Where did you find one for $900? The prices I found for new plastic ones were $3000+...

...a glass clarinet???...


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## baroque flute

THat was on ebay last Christmas. (It was new.) I just looked though and there are no english horns there right now.


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## Daniel

Yes there are glass woods, but they are REALLY expensive: 100,000+$

Only for instrument lovers .... or millionaires.

But they look beautiful, though a bit strange.


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## Nox

...I'll to look for one...and keep my eyes out for cheap English horns!...


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## Daniel

Fortunetly i haven't seen a glass english horn, or you would have to buy it..... :lol:


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## oistrach13

from what I've read, those clarinets weren't really glass, they were transparent plastic :mellow:

selmer has made a couple, and so has buffet-crampon. I think they were limited edition though.

glass would be horrible to work with, although it could have been done, but as daniel suggested, it would be EXPENSIVE :blink:


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## Daniel

You might be right that they only looked like glas but were trasparent plastic. But I think it was glas, would be plastic that expensive? In all cases the mouth piece you can buy as standard plastic, metal or even glas.


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## Bassoonist Student

> _Originally posted by Daniel_@Aug 29 2004, 10:00 AM
> *You might be right that they only looked like glas but were trasparent plastic. But I think it was glas, would be plastic that expensive? In all cases the mouth piece you can buy as standard plastic, metal or even glas.
> [snapback]1659[/snapback]​*


Hallo, liebe Daniel  ,

Wie gehts?

Daniel, ich dachte an englisches Horn ebenso. Das war Interesse-Nachricht, ich habe ein gefundenes-Studentenenglisch-Horn in der amerikanischen Website, und es wird über vielleicht anderen Musiker gekostet war richtig ist zu Ende 3,000 £. Aber ich liebe englischen Hornton so nett so viel als Waldhorn auch. Ich werde akzeptieren, um einen davon zu kaufen, diejenigen sind Fuchs-Englisch-Horn 500 Modell von Amerika, das ich denke. Jeder Gedanke  :huh: ?


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## Daniel

Hallo Martin!

Thanks for asking, I am fine, what about you? 

About the English Horn. I really love its tone. I just used it in two new composition, only as orchestral instrument, but anyway!!

Cheers,
Daniel


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## Nox

Yup...I love it too...we're on a hunt for a decent one very very cheap (if such exists) for my daughter.


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## Bassoonist Student

yeah, Nox I hope so too I like that very much. I would like that if my lottery had won I would buy straight away  .

Martin



Nox said:


> Yup...I love it too...we're on a hunt for a decent one very very cheap (if such exists) for my daughter.


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## godzillaviolist

What is scary about expensive english horns and oboes is that, unlike other instruments, they don't last. I've read that a good oboe will last at most ten years, and a good english horn will last fifteen. Rather sad, like operatic heroines, they make a beautifull sound but don't live long    
Though great english horns aren't as expensive as really classy oboes. I once read an article by an oboist who said that he had to settle for an ok oboe at 10,000$, because he couldn't afford the great kind  Where as in another article I read by an English hornist, he said the very best english horns range from 2000$ to 4000$
I know all this because I was going to take up english horn last spring, but decided against it because of costs and timing.


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## Bassoonist Student

Godzilla,

You probably right about English Horn are expensive, that's true. I know English Hornist can do buy himself/herself get English Horn like Boehms or Leblanc that is quite expensive to buy it., Godzilla. I would like listen English Horn and play as well but Sadly, I can't afford as you read on Classical music instrument what I say. But the English Horn quite good and good engineering to make those like Oboe. 

That it.

Cheers

Martin


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## saxoboe

English horns are a pain. Yes they sound nice, but are they really worth the trouble? I'm a woodwind freak, and I used to play in two youth orchestras. I was the second oboe in one of them, so therefore it would be useful to have an english horn on hand. I asked my band director at school if he had one, but he said they let another school borrow it, and they lost it. It was disappointing. But then my friend found an english horn in the storage room, so I took it home with me and got a reed for it (had to drive 45-60 minutes). After three days of having it, I found it was already cracked. Basically, most of the english horns lying around haven't been used in about ten-ish years. The wood smells terrible, and some of them are cracked. I find it not worth the expense to purchase and maintain an english horn. If I become a professional oboist, then it might be a consideration. Right now, I'm cool with what I have already.


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## OboeAby

godzillaviolist said:


> What is scary about expensive english horns and oboes is that, unlike other instruments, they don't last. I've read that a good oboe will last at most ten years, and a good english horn will last fifteen.


I would like to know where you read this godzillaviolist. I've had my oboe for 10 years and it is in great condition. As long as you maintain your instrument it should last for your lifetime or more. I know some people who have had their oboes for more than thirty years and still use them.

I know that english horns are hard to come by and expensive, but there if you live near a university, you could contact the oboe professor and see if they know anyone selling one. Also, call local oboe teachers and music stores to see if they have or know of a used one for sale. If you buy a used one, just make sure you have it checked out by a repair person and if possiby try playing it before you buy it.


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## Saturnus

Good and solid English horn costs min. 9.000 $, I have heard, from people that have gone to oboe conventions and factories in europe, that Buffet are making the best oboes and e. horns right now, they are new on an old market where it is hard to get in so it doesn't surprise me. On the other hand have I heard that Lorée among other brands sell unfinished instruments...

It is true that oboes and english horns do not last, the oldest instruments in use are maybe 30-40 but they generally last about 12 to 20 years *and* they are most vulnerable to crack.


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