The Beginning of Horn: Taking a Closer Look at Conch Shells and Wood Horns

“Ralph took the conch from where it lay on the polished seat and held it to his lips; but then he hesitated and did not blow. He held the shell up instead and showed it to them and they understood” (Golding). This quote came from the novel Lord of the Flies where the boys, stranded on a deserted island, decide that the conch shell would be their symbol of power. Ralph realized he need not even play the conch to gather their attention. It became the center of their civilization as well as the rules and regulations that followed in its presence. The author, William Golding, did not stray far from the real purposes the conch shell had.

  The earliest uses of the conch shell can be traced back to the Mediterranean region and can date back to the Neolithic period (6000 BC. to 3000 BC.). They were used in several cultures but there is evidence that points towards their use in Europe, India, China, Japan, Tibet, Oceania, and the Americas (Strauchen-Scherer). Their use does seem to be absent in Northern Africa but this could be due to the use of a different type of horn. 

The conch shell could be played by breaking off the tip and using the blunt edge as a type of mouthpiece. There are some accounts that say wooden mouthpieces could be inserted to the end of the shell but this was not necessary. They would then use their hand in the shell to play different notes but all of the notes belonged to the same harmonic series. It's not until 200 years later that people use this technique in brass horns which is the same technique horn players use now in both modern and natural horns. Some other cultures used wood or animal horns but the shape and expanding interior spiral gave the conch shell strong musical potential (Strauchen-Scherer). Because the shell was so rare in Peruvian waters, instrument makers of Mochica (200–700 CE) and Chimú (1000–1476 CE) used clay to create both imitations of the shell trumpet and vertical and coiled trumpet (Schechter). 

The conch shell was typically used as a war horn, as most people would expect, but the conch rose as a sacred instrument in religion and ritual around the world (Strauchen-Scherer). Some of the religions that used it in practice were Hinduism, Buddhism, and the spiritual practices of Mesoamerica. It was believed that the conch could control elements related to its habitat (rain, water, wind) which led people to believe that by blowing the conch it could help with things like farming and agriculture or even sea travel (Strauchen-Scherer). Sometimes just the symbol of the shell could carry a lot of weight. For example, it was a metaphor for the conception of life itself (Amman). The conch was also used to signal harvests in the fields; however this practice has fallen out of use over the years (Amman). One practice that is still used takes place in Cuzco, Peru where regional authorities use the shell to rally people together in times of crisis or even for communal tasks (Schechter). All of this led the conch to be an emblem of status in the secular realm as well as everyday life. 

Wood horns were especially popular in Northern Europe and seem to originally be called lurs. The root meaning of the Norwegian word is simply a hollowed out piece of wood but it was never meant to be a musical instrument. It could even be described as a plant stem that was hollowed out; however these were really only used for children. In some cases the lur would be shorter and instead of acting as an instrument it would be more of a megaphone. In the Kvalsund Viking ship burial there was a lur found that measured at 72.5 cm (Alm). With a horn this short it could most likely be heard many miles away which would have been best suited for the vikings and the distance between their ships in the ocean. There are other lurs that have been found in viking burials that dated back to 834 AD. This was interesting since vikings are most associated with the use of animal horns but it seems that the wood lur also held some importance in their day to day lives. The wooden lurs would also be used in wars on land as well. There is an account that said “A lur was used to signal their approach to the log trap that killed many of them. It was launched "just as they paused to listen to Prillar-Guri, who stood on top of the slope on the opposite side of [the river] Lagen and blew a lur" (Botten-Hansen 1853:63)” (Alm). The lur was also used as a signal for the king's army and whether they should attack or withdraw. 

In the Switzerland alps, the more well known Alpine horn can be heard from as far as 10 km away which is equivalent to 6-7 miles (Anonymous). This was most advantageous since Alphorn players would stand on various peaks and use the sound to carry messages down the mountain passes until the message got to where it was going. It was also used to herd cattle through the alps as well as a means of protection for livestock and people. A man named Loedon said in 1989 “What could I do, and what should I do in this critical situation? I had no other weapon than my lur. It appeared a weak weapon against such a bear. But I started blowing the lur. Did I blow hard? I must have done so, for I frightened the beast. He ran and ran without halting, and disappeared up the mountainside at the other side at full speed” (Alm). The lur could have very well saved his life and it therefore was seen as a method of protection against predators. 

The production of alphorns is quite complicated. Since there are no pistons or valves, sound production relies solely on the vibration of one's lips and unlike the conch shell, there is no way to use one's hand to change between notes. There are typically several different types of wood that can be chosen to carve alphorns but the most common is spruce because of the warm tone the wood creates when played. The bend of the alphorn is created by the weight of the snow on the tree in steep land. The spruce is then carefully cut so as to not waste any wood, and then left to dry for around 5 to 8 years. Only then can the quality of the wood be assessed. Once it is deemed dry enough it then goes through several different methods of carving. Finally it is measured in thickness to make sure it is even throughout the entire horn. This will give it the best quality of sound. There are typically four different sections of an alphorn that are produced: the horn bell, the central extension, the mouthpiece extension, and the mouthpiece itself (Anonymous). All of these would be fitted together to make one horn that can measure up to 11 feet long. By the end, the production of one alphorn can take between 9 to 10 years. While this seems like a long and strenuous process, the alphorn community is alive and thriving. There are several horn players today that are working to make sure the beautiful music of alphorns is still heard whether it be in a concert halls or in the Alps. 

Sources:

Alm, Torbjørn. “BIRCH (BETULA, BETULACEAE) BARK HORNS AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS IN NORWAY.” Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, vol. 9, no. 2, 2015, pp. 433–48. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24621307. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

Ammann, Raymond. "Tutu." Grove Music Online.  October 26, 2011. Oxford University Press. Date of access 5 Dec. 2023 <https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-4002215069>

Anonymous. (n.d.). Alphorn. https://www.nendazcordesalpes.ch/en/alphorn

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Faber & Faber, 2011.

Schechter, John M. "Qquepa." Grove Music Online. 2001. Oxford University Press. Date of access 5 Dec. 2023, <https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000022619>

Strauchen-Scherer, B. (2018, March 8). Brass beginnings: A fanfare for the Conch Trumpet. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/collection-insights/2018/brass-beginnings-conch-trumpet-fanfare