The Horn

Medieval Musical Instrument: The Horn

The horn, as its name suggests, was made from the horns of animals, keeping its curved shape, but eventually were made of wood or metal. As a musical instrument it belongs to the “wind” category and in its origins was more famous among military armies or warrior peoples. The horn, at the beginning and the bugle later, was very appreciated as an instrument of war, in games, in hunting exercises and in some religious rituals or to communicate over long distances.

War Horn from the Middle Ages

With the development and better knowledge of the metals, a new stage begins for the wind instruments since the bronze is a suitable material for its construction, improving its sonority. Around the 9th century, music became more and more present thanks to jugglers and troubadours who played and sang on the street to entertain people; On the other hand there were the imposing buildings dedicated to music that impel the most talented to compose and sing their verses and in most of these shows, the audience ended up dancing to the rhythm of the music.

The best known instruments of medieval times were the lute, the drum, the trumpets and the triangle. Unfortunately, not much information is known about what music was like, but what we do know with certainty is that music and poetry went hand in hand. As for the dances, always cheerful, it seems that they were the favorite entertainment of the court and of the plebeians. The horns or medieval trumpets were used often by hunters and even today they are still used in hunting.