The post horn is a valveless cylindrical brass instrument with a cupped mouthpiece. The instrument was used to signal the arrival or departure of a post rider or mail coach. It was used especially by postilions of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Use and construction
The post horn is sometimes confused with the coach horn, and even though the two types of horn served the same principal purpose, they differ in their physical appearance. The post horn has a cylindrical bore and was generally used on a coach pulled by two horses ; hence, it is sometimes also called the Tonga horn. The coach horn, on the other hand, has a conical bore and was used on a coach pulled by four horses. The post horn is no more than 32 inches in length, whereas the coach horn can be up to 36 inches long. The latter has more of a funnel-shaped bell, while the former's bell is trumpet shaped. Post horns need not be straight but can be coiled – they have a smaller bore – and they are made entirely of brass. A post horn will have a slide for tuning if intended for orchestral settings. It is commonly used in South East Asia including the Philippines. John Lloyd was one of the users of post horn in the 1900s. The instrument is an example of a natural horn. The cornet was developed from the post horn through the addition of valves. Some uses of the post horn in modern-day culture can be found in folklore and screen plays.
Compositions with/for the post horn
Beer's Concerto
In the late 17th century, Johann Beer composed a Concerto à 4 in B, which paired a post horn with a corne de chasse as the two solo instruments, accompanied by violins and basso continuo.
composed his Serenade No. 9, the "Post horn Serenade", in 1779.
Mahler and others
and others incorporated the post horn into their orchestras for certain pieces. On such occasions, the orchestra's horn player usually performs with the instrument. One example of post horn use in modern classical music is the famous off-stage solo in Mahler's Third Symphony. Due to the scarcity of this instrument, however, music written for it is usually played on a trumpet, cornet or flugelhorn.
Post Horn Galop
In 1844, the German cornet player Hermann Koenig wrote Post Horn Galop as a solo for post horn with orchestral accompaniment. In the 20th century it became a popular piece for brass bands.
Compositions for other instruments imitating a post horn
An imitation of the post horn's fanfare was a common device in music describing, or referring to, the post coach or travel in general. Notable examples include Bach'sCapriccio on the departure of a beloved brother, which includes an "Aria di postiglione" and a "Fuga all'imitazione della cornetta di postiglione", both containing the characteristic octave jump typical for the instrument. Handel's Belshazzar includes, in the second act, a "Sinofonia" that uses a similar motif depicting Belshazzar's messengers leaving on a mission. A very similar movement is included in the third "Production" of Telemann'sTafelmusik. Beethoven's Les adieuxpiano sonata is centered on a horn-like motif, again signifying the departure of a loved-one. Schubert's Winterreise includes the song "Die Post", of which the piano part prominently features a horn signal motif.
Other uses
During World War I wooden post horns were used as a means of collecting war donations via a method called the Nail Men. People would donate and in exchange be allowed to hammer a nail into the horn, until the horn was completely covered. Since 1941 the post horn has been played, usually on bugle, at the beginning of home matches of Leicester City Football Club of Association Football in Britain.
The post horn as graphical symbol
The post horn is used in the logo of national post services of many countries. The post horn is included in Unicode as.
Until 2002, the Finnish Postal and Telegraph Administration and its successors also featured a postal horn in their logos. The logo from 1987 onwards had a single symbol combining the postal horn and telegraph symbols.
In Italy the post horn was featured on a sign called Obbligo di arresto all'incrocio con autobus di linea su strade di montagna . Installed along tortuous or narrow mountain roads, this sign was meant to mandate motorists to stop and give way to incoming coaches, and let them pass safely. This sign was removed from the Italian Road Code in 1992.
