- - Please visit: Legacy Horn Experience - -
Back almost a year ago I was describing my teaching materials and the final article of that series was devoted to noting what materials I wished were available. There I wrote,
In the first post I mentioned the Reynolds etudes. I studied with Verne Reynolds and I end up using his etudes to a point with advanced students but to be honest, and this may sound like heresy again, what I really wish I could say is I have found is a book that is similar to Reynolds but the etudes are somewhat shorter and easier and could be attempted by younger students. Because that is the material I am still looking for.
Fast forward to the Midsouth Horn Workshop this year. Sitting right there on the table for RM Williams Publishing was a two volume collection of Etudes for Horn by Paul Basler. His name is one that should be familiar to Horn Matters readers as he has published a number of great works for horn and piano and is Professor of Horn at the University of Florida. Published in 1998 I must have walked right by his collection of 48 etudes (the magic number!) several times on the RM Williams sales table at horn events and never noticed. Because when I opened the books this time I knew immediately that I had found what I was looking for.
In the RMW website they are described as follows:
Etudes for Horn is a collection of solo pieces that deal with various aspects of modern horn playing. This book serves as a companion set to the etudes of Verne Reynolds, Gunther Schuller, and Kopprasch and will hopefully give the advanced hornist extra work in technical and lyrical playing, throughout the entire range. Many of the etudes can be used as solo horn pieces in recital. Etudes for Horn is dedicated to William Purvis whose performance and teaching inspired this book.
If you are looking for 48 etudes that are generally similar to the Reynolds 48 etudes but shorter and not as difficult then this really is that book. Most of the etudes are one page or less in length, they are clearly notated, and there are no bad page turns. They are published as already noted in two volumes, each costing $20 published in a booklet format. I recommend them highly and look forward to making more use of this book this next year. Again, they are available direct from RM Williams Publishing.
