Expert: Kenton Scott - 2/23/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have acquired a York Artist series Eb horn. When
purchasing I though this instrument was a compensating
double French horn because of its small size and its
trigger. However I have been told that this is indeed an Eb
horn. The rotary valves operate via metal instead of
string. The condition of the horn is perfect with not a
single scratch or ding. The serial number is in the
200,000's. Do you have any information on the year of
manufacture and possibly a general value of such a horn? I
cannot even find a duplicate instrument. I know you do not
appraise and I understand.

ANSWER: the horn dates to the mid 1950's.  There are several makers that went to the mechanical linkages rather than string.  And, this horn was made after York had been sold to Fischer.  The Eb horns were a pretty common configuration as the French horn wrestled its way back into the wind band - having to supplant alto horns and mellophones which were predominately in Eb.

Often times these horns came with two main tuning slides, so that they could be played in either Eb or F.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Could you provide me with a fingering chart for this York
Artist Eb horn?

Answer
The fingering is the same as for the French horn, it just reads Eb music.  

When they were used in bands, there were Eb horn parts.  In fact, there were Eb parts before there were F parts.  In modern bands, if there aren't Eb horn parts, Eb alto sax parts might substitute.