This is a copy of an email sent to a French Horn mailing list having read many emails that criticised various instruments for their intonation difficulties.

I've read with interest the recent posts (and others) discussing intonation problems with various horns and I have a theory - and it may well be bull, but it's my theory, as follows:

Tonight, 25th January 2010, I conducted both the Junior and Senior Wind Bands of the RIAM in a concert at the National Concert Hall.  Truth to tell, both groups were under rehearsed as the recent snow closed the Academy for one of our scheduled rehearsal days and the planned weekend workshop with the seniors didn't happen as a result.