English Horn Help

Hi, Having trouble placing and composing a part for the English horn. It's timbre strikes me as odd. Should I double the flute or clarinet with it? It always seems to stick out like a sore thumb. I would appreciate any help. Thank you.

If you can't blend it in, why don't you just leave it out? :whistling:

Listen and watch how other composers composed for it in the same setting as you are.

Copy what they do at first, and then you can use it in your own manner.

It sounds like it is sticking out in your notation program...but it won't in real life. Trust me. I play English Horn.

Assuming orchestra, you have to remember that the CA is essentially a solo instrument. Like the oboe, it's lowest notes (E & F) are difficult to keep quiet. Above the high F (top line treble staff) (actual pitch) the notes become weak and thin. Like the oboe it's difficult to blend anyway and one of those skills one learns as an orchestrator. In tuttis, I'd personally keep it in its lowest 1 1/2 octave if using it at all. In a computer performance, try to be sensitive to the dynamics and expression of the instrument.

Agree totally with oboehazzard - the player will judge the balance in real life.

:)

If you're using the English Horn for a "non-solo" try to make it fit within a double reed choir. It should serve as an alto voice.

I find English Horn doubles some of the lower brass and bassoons well, and possibly also bass clarinet. I love it for a solo instrument, it's so unique and colorful. If you have it doubling higher instruments in a thin texture, you'll find it sticks out a bit more - unless you have special reason, don't let it double flute in a thin texture except when there's a widespread unison going on.

Listen to Pines of Rome by Resphigi. And not the little disney fantasia version. I mean the real one. English horn basically plays through all of that. See if you can pick it out. Tchaikovsky almost always doubled English horn with Clarinet or Bassoon. In the Arabian Dance in the Nutcracker the english horn plays with two clarinets in the begining then has a beautiful solo later on. The English horn really doesn't stick out. It blends quite nicely. I think it is harder to blend clarinet than english horn. I don't know why, but clarinet seems to stick out way more. I really don't understand how any of you have come to this conclusions that English Horn sticks out!

I've found English Horn doubles well with bassoon or clarinet.