French Horn

The horn (also known as the corno and French horn) is a brass instrument made of about 12–13 feet (3.7–4.0 m) of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. Descended from the natural horn, the instrument is not French in origin, but German. Therefore, the International Horn Society has recommended since 1971 that the instrument be simply called the horn; however, French horn is still the most commonly used name for the instrument in the United States. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player (or less frequently, a hornist).

The horn is most often used as an orchestral instrument, with its singular tone being employed by composers to achieve specific effects. Due to the heroic quality of the horn's sound, it is often used in film music. There is an abundance of chamber music repertoire for horn. It is a standard member of the wind quintet and brass quintet, and often appears in other configurations, such as Brahms' "Horn Trio" for violin, horn and piano. Also, the horn can be used by itself in a horn ensemble or "horn choir." The horn has also been rarely used in jazz music.