What is "post horn"

Post \Post\, n. [F. poste, LL. posta station, post (where horses were kept), properly, a fixed or set place, fem. fr. L. positus placed, p. p. of ponere. See Position, and cf. Post a pillar.]

1. The place at which anything is stopped, placed, or fixed; a station. Specifically:

   1. A station, or one of a series of stations, established for the refreshment and accommodation of travelers on some recognized route; as, a stage or railway post.

   2. A military station; the place at which a soldier or a body of troops is stationed; also, the troops at such a station.

   3. The piece of ground to which a sentinel's walk is limited.

2. A messenger who goes from station; an express; especially, one who is employed by the government to carry letters and parcels regularly from one place to another; a letter carrier; a postman.

   In certain places there be always fresh posts, to carry that further which is brought unto them by the other.
   --Abp. Abbot.

   I fear my Julia would not deign my lines, Receiving them from such a worthless post.
   --Shak.

3. An established conveyance for letters from one place or station to another; especially, the governmental system in any country for carrying and distributing letters and parcels; the post office; the mail; hence, the carriage by which the mail is transported.

   I send you the fair copy of the poem on dullness, which I should not care to hazard by the common post.
   --Pope.

4. Haste or speed, like that of a messenger or mail carrier. [Obs.] ``In post he came.''
   --Shak.

5. One who has charge of a station, especially of a postal station. [Obs.]

   He held office of postmaster, or, as it was then called, post, for several years.
   --Palfrey.

6. A station, office, or position of service, trust, or emolument; as, the post of duty; the post of danger.

   The post of honor is a private station.
   --Addison.

7. A size of printing and writing paper. See the Table under Paper. Post and pair, an old game at cards, in which each player a hand of three cards. --B. Jonson. Post bag, a mail bag. Post bill, a bill of letters mailed by a postmaster. Post chaise, or Post coach, a carriage usually with four wheels, for the conveyance of travelers who travel post. Post day, a day on which the mall arrives or departs. Post hackney, a hired post horse. --Sir H. Wotton. Post horn, a horn, or trumpet, carried and blown by a carrier of the public mail, or by a coachman. Post horse, a horse stationed, intended, or used for the post. Post hour, hour for posting letters. --Dickens. Post office.

   1. An office under governmental superintendence, where letters, papers, and other mailable matter, are received and distributed; a place appointed for attending to all business connected with the mail.

   2. The governmental system for forwarding mail matter. Postoffice order. See Money order, under Money. Post road, or Post route, a road or way over which the mail is carried. Post town.

      1. A town in which post horses are kept.

      2. A town in which a post office is established by law.

         To ride post, to ride, as a carrier of dispatches, from place to place; hence, to ride rapidly, with as little delay as possible.

         To travel post, to travel, as a post does, by relays of horses, or by keeping one carriage to which fresh horses are attached at each stopping place.

n. 1 (context historical English) A type of brass horn used to signal the arrival or departure of a postrider or mailcoach. 2 (context music English) A valveless musical instrument based on such a horn, used in orchestral music.

n. wind instrument used by postilions of the 18th and 19th centuries

The post horn (also posthorn, post-horn) is a valveless cylindrical brass instrument with cupped mouthpiece, used to signal the arrival or departure of a post rider or mail coach. It was used especially by postilions of the 18th and 19th centuries. Mail coaches had tight schedules and travelled at high speed, given priority of way in most countries. Other road users were required to clear completely out of the way. In this manner, the post horn was employed as a modern-day siren, the sound travelling some distance ahead and giving warning of a fast-approaching mail coach before it could be seen.

The post horn is often incorrectly referred to as the' coach horn'. While the two types of horn principally served the same purpose, the post horn was generally used on a coach pulled by two horses, technically referred to as "in tandem". Hence it is sometimes also called the tandem horn; whereas the coach horn was used on a coach pulled by four horses, technically referred to as a "four-in-hand". Physical differences consist of the following: the post horn has a smaller bore, has a maximum length of 32 inches, the bell is trumpet shaped, the instrument need not be straight but can be coiled, it will have a slide for tuning if intended to be played in an orchestra, and is entirely made of brass; whereas, the coach horn has a larger bore, is no longer than 36 inches, the bell is funnel-shaped not curved outward like a trumpet bell, the instrument must always be straight, and the instrument is traditionally made of one piece of copper (although telescoping versions were developed) with ideally German silver or real silver mouth-piece and mountings.

The instrument commonly had a circular or coiled shape with three turns of the tubing, though sometimes it was straight. It is therefore an example of a natural horn. The cornet was developed from the post horn by adding valves.