In very loud passages played by a good symphony orchestra, higher notes can be reached though not without some difficulty. Similarly very quiet passages should not be written for in the top or bottom extremes of the range.

It was once the case that notes written in the bass clef were written a fourth lower than the required pitch instead of a fifth but this is no longer the case.

In its middle range (most comfortable range), the French horn is capable of a great deal of expression especially when playing a simple melodic passage. Probably one of the best ever examples of this would be the andante of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony.