OK – so a few things came together for today’s choice – we have had a week of horn solos – so today we have lots of horns – yesterday I mentioned the Wiener Waldhornverein, so I thought I would choose something from them – what I have ended up with though is the Vienna Horns (who I suspect are members of the Waldhornverein anyway).
George McConnell
A Gorgeous Slow Movement
One of my aims in making these posts is to hopefully introduce at least some people to some new music – and I know that I have managed to do that a little already even though I haven’t strayed too far from the “well-known” in the repertoire.
When One Horn Is Not Enough
This is something that is probably played more frequently now than it was when I first came across it. I’m pretty sure that the first time that I ever heard it was when I played it. It is a challenge to play – especially for the 1st horn.
My Last Solo
Continuing the theme of people playing the horn better than I did….. today it is the music of Saint-Saëns. This particular recording is with wind band accompaniment (which I think works quite well).
The Natural Horn
Following on from the demonstration of the natural horn in yesterday’s link here is the Weber Concertino played on a natural horn. Another solo that I (along with most aspiring horn players) learned to play once upon a time.
One Of The Greatest
It wasn’t my original plan, but when I saw that today would have been Dennis Brain’s 99th birthday it seemed as though I ought to have him playing something.
Now This Is Music
For the third Sunday in a row I am linking some unaccompanied vocal music – not bad for a brass player!
An Old Favourite
The last of this week’s “symphonies I have played with good horn parts” is a much less well known one – that of Cesar Franck. This was something that was in the “Music of the World’s Great Composers” collection that I have previously mentioned was very much part of my learning of orchestral music.
Russian Calm
Still with Russian symphonies – but for today’s “calm moment” I have switched from the sometimes grumpy music of Shostakovich to the lush romanticism of Rachmaninoff – his 2nd Symphony – the Adagio.
Russian Music
A late offering tonight – the link is to the first movement of Shostakovich 5 – another composer who wrote “interesting” horn parts. One of the ‘interesting’ things about this one is the range that is required.