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UHLMANN early Viennese valve horn
Maker: LEOPOLD UHLMANN
A VINTAGE VIENNA HORN with an unusual design
feature: the crook sits on the 'front' rather than on the 'back'
of the instrument.
Perhaps it dates from that period in the mid-1800s when the key
of the default valve horn crook was as yet undecided by makers and
players? The Eb crook was praised for its tone's resemblance to
the human voice, whereas the F crook was deemed to have a
harsher sound.
The inscription 'Leopold Uhlmann K.K. Priv' on the bell flare's broad
nickel silver garland/kranz reflects the fact that Uhlmann took out a
patent for his invention, the Vienna valve, in 1830. See photo #5.
Photo #2, a sketch presumably dating from the 2nd half of the 19th
century, by the artist Ludwig Lesker (1840-1890), could be interpreted
as showing that some 19thc horns were made with the crook 'on top';
alternatively, perhaps the depicted crook was intended to lie 'under'
the instrument, but the player
chose to hold the horn on his left!
A strong probability is that the horn was *intended for military
use. The crook supplied with this horn is F, but the dimensions of the
shaped, inset compartment in the case's 'floor' seems designed for an E
flat rather than an F crook. *The implication that Eb was the default
crook is the main reason why several Vienna horn historians have
deduced this horn's probable military origin.
The three valve slides are slightly longer than usual, with more 'draw',
to allow for the fact that there is no main tuning slide, and for
correction of the intonation when used with an Eb crook.
The crook's mouthpiece receiver takes a conventional mouthpiece
rather than one with a later Viennese typical thick shank.
The leather-covered hard case, lacking a handle, is quite a work of art in
itself; one can speculate that it was made by a military saddler.
The valve linkages are slightly cumbersome, but all the valves
work well, as do the tuning slides.
The horn plays beautifully, with no 'bad notes'.
PRICE: TO BE ADVISED.
The photos can be viewed in greater detail
by opening and saving them.
Halstead Music Ltd acts as an agent only,
accepting no responsibility as a principal.
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd.