232
232 AN ORCHESTRAL HORN BY TABARD A LYON, CIRCA 1830-40 of brass, the interior of the bell finely painted with trophies-ofmusic, sprays of foliage, festoons and anthemion in gilt on a dark red ground (extensive losses), the outside reinforced around the circumference and stamped ‘Tabard a Lyon’ surrounded by decorative marks, retaining its main slide and mouth-pipe (worn, areas of solder and brackets loose, numerous dents, one small hole), and fitted with later mouthpiece 57cm; 22 1/2in width
The second quarter of the 19th Century saw the most important developments of the so-called French Horn with the introduction of the valve system. However, this was not popular with all composers and the present ‘natural’ style of horn continued to be scored for on many occasions, notably Benjamin Britten in his Serenade for Tenor and Horn, first performed by Dennis Brain and Peter Peers at the Wigmore Hall in 1943 Two instruments by this maker are preserved in the Museum of Cité de la Musique near Paris and another is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc. no. 89.4.1111). A horn by Courtois, Paris with a bell painted in this manner was in use at the Paris Opera until the mid-19th Century. See K. Janetsky and B. Brüchle, London 1988 £400-600
88