The history of horn playing in Los Angeles is part of the larger story of musical life in Los Angeles and in particular that of the motion picture industry. Like many American cities in the 1920s, recent immigrants provided a large contribution to the culture of their adopted cities. In particular Germans, Czechoslovakians, Italians, and the British, in individuals such as, Alfred Brain, exemplified the various threads of national schools of playing that were woven together to form the musical tapestry of Los Angeles. They bolstered nascent symphony orchestras around the country as well as orchestras employed to accompany silent film. These immigrant musicians were eventually succeeded by their children, the children of their relatives, and those who had studied with them.

Many of the first-generation immigrant musicians were not able to compete in the next phase of the music industry in Los Angeles. With the advent of sound tracks, this era centered around the motion picture recording studios. The subsequent generation of horn players began performing and recording at a young age and, unlike their predecessors, they did not relinquish their hold on the studio industry until they were in their sixties. It was only the intervention of the contract orchestras and the quota laws that prevented a seamless transition from the hegemony of Alfred Brain to that of Vincent de Rosa. Brain set a standard of professionalism both as a player and a person, and advanced the use of the single B-flat horn. He had few imitators, nor did he wish to be imitated. Brain's legacy of excellence was extended by de Rosa in the areas of consistency of tone, accuracy, intonation, and low register. Whereas Brain eschewed teaching, de Rosa used his teaching to extend the influence of his playing style. Between his playing and teaching, de Rosa has been remarkably successful in consolidating a distinct school of horn playing as well as advancing the widespread use of the Conn 8D in the Los Angeles area. The Los Angeles Horn Club's local legacy, viewed by someone outside of Los Angeles, might appear larger than it was at the time because its influence on the international horn world has been so significant. In addition to the real achievements of the Horn Club, the cumulative legacy of horn playing in the motion picture and recording industry along with that of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, mark Los Angeles as one of the major centers of horn playing in the world.