Kölner Model Horns

The term Kölner (Cologne) model horn was coined by Friedrich Adolf Schmidt sometime after 1850. The Kölner design has six sections in the following order: (1) conical leadpipe, (2) valves, (3) cylindrical intermediate piece, (4) tuning slide, (5) conical first branch, (6) bell tail and bell. The cylindrical portion is about one quarter to one third of the total horn length with the valves are located at one third or slightly less of the total length. This allows for a much longer slow-tapered leadpipe. It is a modification of the model developed by C.A. Mueller in Mainz sometime after 1827. In Cologne F.A. Schmidt built a modified high quality version of Mueller's design from about 1850. By the end of the 19th century and into the first decades of the twentieth century it was known as the Kölner model. It was often copied by other makers and adapted to local traditions (see other examples, listed below). Until 1890 it was fitted with Altkölner valves or Pointventil (point valves) in which the rotor is supported top and bottom by pointed adjustable screws. Later Schmidt and most others employed the Neukölner valve which is essentially the modern single rotary valve.

According to Walter Lawson: “The first tapered tube of a brass instrument partially controls the ease of register – A short taper provides an easy high register, but the low register lacks power and concentration of sound. A long taper gives strong low notes but is difficult in the high register in that it requires precise lip control and intense mental concentration.” Long leadpipes from the mouthpiece to the valve section were common on valved horns in the second half of the nineteenth century. By the twentieth century, however, most makers of single horns had shortened the mouthpipe to about half the length found on this horn and moved the tuning slide before the valve set instead of after it.

. (click on photos for larger view)
	Horn by F.A. Schmidt, ca 1850 Photos courtesy of Musikinstrumenten-Museum, Leipzig
The term Kölner (Cologne) model horn was coined by Friedrich Adolf Schmidt sometime after 1850. The Kölner design has six sections in the following order: (1) conical leadpipe, (2) valves, (3) cylindrical intermediate piece, (4) tuning slide, (5) conical first branch, (6) bell tail and bell. The cylindrical portion is about one quarter to one third of the total horn length with the valves are located at one third or slightly less of the total length. This allows for a much longer slow-tapered leadpipe. It is a modification of the model developed by C.A. Mueller in Mainz sometime after 1827. In Cologne F.A. Schmidt built a modified high quality version of Mueller's design from about 1850. By the end of the 19th century and into the first decades of the twentieth century it was known as the Kölner model. It was often copied by other makers and adapted to local traditions (see other examples, listed below). Until 1890 it was fitted with Altkölner valves or Pointventil (point valves) in which the rotor is supported top and bottom by pointed adjustable screws. Later Schmidt and most others employed the Neukölner valve which is essentially the modern single rotary valve. According to Walter Lawson: “The first tapered tube of a brass instrument partially controls the ease of register – A short taper provides an easy high register, but the low register lacks power and concentration of sound. A long taper gives strong low notes but is difficult in the high register in that it requires precise lip control and intense mental concentration.” Long leadpipes from the mouthpiece to the valve section were common on valved horns in the second half of the nineteenth century. By the twentieth century, however, most makers of single horns had shortened the mouthpipe to about half the length found on this horn and moved the tuning slide before the valve set instead of after it.