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When I was starting this series (here) I was really just beginning to firm up ideas toward this recording project, having had a long interest in doing a period instrument recording. Now, with the first edits done, I am feeling really excited about where it is and about the repertoire chosen.
So what is on the CD? The music is all public domain and on IMSLP (composed between roughly 1860 and 1910), and I think all worth a closer look by the horn players of today. Recorded on the CD, in alphabetical order:
Serenade, Op. 20 – Louis Bödecker
Sonata, Op. 7 – Hermann Eichborn
Resignation, Op. 16 – Charles Eisner
Lied ohne Worte, Op. 2 – Oscar Franz
Gondellied, Op. 15 – Karl Matys
Am Abend, Op. 71 – B. Ed. Mülller
Melancholie, Op. 68 – B. Ed. Mülller
Nocturno, Op. 73 – B. Ed. Mülller
Wiegenlied, Op. 69, No. 1 – B. Ed. Mülller
Lied ohne Worte – Josef Richter
Sonate, Op. 347 – Fritz Spindler
These were the best works out of a larger group I considered. The works that did not make the cut, for those very curious, were:
Zwei Phantasiestücke, Op. 35 – Louis Bödecker
Fantasiestücke, Op. 3 – Carl Eschmann
Andante, Op. 14 – G. Goltermann, arr. Fr. Gumbert
Fantasie, Op. 117 – Carl Haslinger
Cavatina, Op. 85, No. 3 – J. Raff, arr. Fr. Gumbert
Fantasie Heroique, Op. 25 – Heinrich Gottwald
Romanze – Arnold Krug
Lied ohne Worte, Op. 109 – Felix Mendelssohn, arr. Franz
Andante, religioso, Op. 74 – B. Ed. Mülller
Fantasie (on themes of Weber), Op. 66 – B. Ed. Mülller
Gebet, Op. 65a – B. Ed. Mülller
Romanze, Op. 182, No. 1 – J. Raff
Stimmung, Op. 11, No. 1 – Alfred Rasmussen
Cavatine aus Der Freischütz – C. M. v. Weber, arr. Oscar Franz
Last week I spoke to the horn studio at ASU about the project, and one sentence and thought that struck me is worth sharing to close this segment of the series. What I told the studio about the F horn I used was more or less this –
The intonation on this horn is terrible! I bet 1/3 of the notes are out of tune. I had to put arrows all over the place in the music.
I got the horn out again after the studio class and really sat down to play it with a tuner and my goodness it is really out of tune in comparison to a modern double horn. BUT: the CD is not! Four months of hard practice, I had the horn pretty figured out and was feeling pretty used to it. The CD has very good intonation, but there is one note that was quite sharp that at times you can tell I am covering the bell a good bit more than normal to bring it down. I think it in the end adds a little charm and color to the already colorful sound if a period single F horn. Buy the CD and you can decide for yourself!
It should be close to being released in about a month, be checking back for more.
UPDATE: Clearly I am an optimist!
Continue reading series on the F Horn CD project
