[Hornlist] The ECONOMIST on "I Found My Horn"
The ECONOMIST a highly respect news magazine ran this review http://www.economist.com/subscriptions/offer.cfm?campaign=168-XLMT BLOWHARD Nov 27th 2008 ABOUT to turn 40 and bruised by the end of his marriage, Jasper Rees, a British journalist, climbed up to his attic and found a misshapen case containing his childhood nemesis: a French horn. Quite where the insane idea of playing a concerto before the annual gathering of most of the greatest living horn players came from is hard to tell, but the result is a marvellous memoir of a year's obsession that should be read by anyone gripped by illogical compulsion. What sets the horn apart? First and foremost, it is the sound--"a call of nature, an atavistic summons"--directly descended from the clamour that brought down the walls of Jericho. Then there is the astonishing difficulty of consistently hitting the right notes, let alone making music. Mr Rees, whose book came out in Britain in January and is now being published in America (and turned into a stage show in London), introduces the greatest players. First comes Giovanni Punto, an 18th-century Bohemian who became the subject of an aristocratic FATWA requiring the removal of his front teeth when he had the temerity to leave his boss Count Joseph von Thun's employment without permission. Then there was Mozart's friend Joseph Leutgeb (to whom Mozart dedicated his horn concerto, K417, calling him "ass, ox and simpleton"). There are three generations of Brains, a British horn-playing dynasty; Helen Kotas, the first woman to be principal horn player for a major American orchestra; Herman Baumann and the Anglo-Australian, Barry Tuckwell. What they all share is an absolute certainty that the horn is an instrument like no other. Richard Strauss called for "lots of horns, which are always a yardstick for heroism". Sir Simon Rattle puts it differently: "You never eyeball a horn player. You just don't. They're stuntmen. You don't eyeball stuntmen when they're about to dice with death." A Devil To Play: One Man's Year-Long Quest to Master the Orchestra's Most Difficult Instrument. By Jasper Rees. Harper; 324 pages; $23.99. Published in Britain as "I Found My Horn"; Weidenfeld and Nicolson; GBP14.99 Weidenfeld & Nicolson ___ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
[Hornlist] Freischuetz Overture
Hans, Is this the same arrangement that was also once published by Lorenzo Sansone? I have a copy of that one and I do remember that is was more effective than you might expect (and it keeps the horn plenty busy). I don't recall that the arranger's name was on the music, but I will look at my copy later to see if there was one. Regards, Peter Hirsch >date: Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:41:41 +0100 >from: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >subject: Re: [Hornlist] Beethoven Sextet Opus 71, II: Bb basso? > >For those playing arrangements: If you have a reasonable basson & a reasonable clarinet player in your neighbourhood, >I could provide a good arrangement of the Freischuetz Ouverture by C.M.v.Weber for that ensemble, just a few copies >from the old CeFes publication. It is a serious arrangement. I am doing it a new. ___ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
Re: [Hornlist] Introducing Amahl
the last time I did Amahl, we had a conductor whose grasp on the reality of a live performance was less than is required. We finished up with almost the entire libretto written in our parts and we followed that. At one notable point one of the characters shouts "Stop thief" followed by a crash chord from the orchestra. Every night it went, in this order: "Stop thief" - Bang from orchestra - downbeat from conductor. This was the same person who, during a reheasal of some Handel, yelled at the clarinets for not playing. They failed to convince her that they were not in that piece until someone explained to her that "claini" meant trumpets. Cheers, Lawrence ___ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
Re: [Hornlist] Introducing Amahl
I can't resist anymore. I must share with you my absolutely true Amahl story. Many years ago, in a distant life, a number of us were hired from the New England Conservatory to perform in the orchestra for a regional production of this holiday classic. The dress rehearsal was very long and tiring and when we were released the cast was kept for hours more. The next night, we witnessed an unforgettable example of method acting. When Amahl began to sing Mother, Mother, Wake-up, we felt an increasing urgency in his voice. Apparently Mother was so exhausted, she was genuinely asleep on the stage. I wasn't even thinking much about it at first (I must have been worried about my muted low D!!) When our oboe player turned to me and said "OMG she's really asleep." It was pretty amazing to watch her pull herself together - you can't make this stuff up. c >>> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 11/30/08 2:05 PM >>> Hans P wrote about Amahl and the Night Visitors: Hello Howard, just play the low D very soft. There will not be any difference. ... At this low note & low dynamic there is no distinction in the sound. The composer either wanted it very soft or did use the con sord. markings only, because it exists (composers often use certain "markings", because they are possible. If it makes sense or not, that́s not a question for them !!!) * Ich hoffe that you attention paying are, Howard. After all, Hans hat den Long Call over zwei hundert times gespielt, einschließlich drei times in Amahl, so knows he whereof er spricht. Muss gehn, Kohl ** Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&; ncid=emlcntaolcom0002) ___ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/cwilhjelm%40pascack.k12.nj.us ___ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
[Hornlist] Re: Ill
Sorry, I sent that to the wrong person. Sigh lol -- Mathew James ___ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
[Hornlist] Ill
Laurie, I have become rather ill overnight/last night. And have found myself "pleasantly" bed ridden with the flu. I will not be able to make it into the school today. I'm very sorry about this short notice but it rather "snuck" up on me. CORdially, -- Mathew James ___ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
