The Origin and Development of the French Horn in China

Abstract

The historical development and evolution of the French horn in China are the focus of this study, which will examine the imported history of the instrument in China, its interweaving with Chinese culture, and its use in educational contexts and in professional orchestras. The research will trace the development of a Western brass instrument in one of the world’s great musical landscapes, Chinese music, and add to the global history of musicology. Using a qualitative historical and comparative analysis, the study utilizes 12 peer-reviewed articles to explore archival records, conservatory curricula, and repertoire lists for orchestras. We find that the French horn arrived in China at the end of the 19th century, through missionary schools on the one hand and treaty ports on the other; in the 20th century, it spread throughout the country thanks to state-subsidized orchestras and post-1978 educational reforms. Its transplantation included mixing Western harmony techniques, Chinese pentatonic sound, and contemporary works in hybrid bands. The introduction of the instrument in conservatories such as the Shanghai Conservatory has led to a generation of great horn players who are making a mark on the world horn scene both nationally and internationally. In modern orchestras, such as the China National Symphony Orchestra, the French horn is a symbol of cultural synthesis, illustrating works that meld Western with Chinese musical identities. The study draws attention to the role of the horn in music education, with pedagogical adaptations combining global standards with local values, and to its role in the making of Chinese cultural modernity. Through documenting this cross-cultural trajectory, the study highlights the position of the French horn in China’s participation in world music traditions and contributes to broader understandings of musical globalization. As suggested for future research, the study can be extended to cover the transcoding of this musical instrument in its digital versions and regional styles, thus contributing to the discussion on cross-cultural histories of instruments.