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A Newly Updated Dennis Brain Discography

PUBLISHED: October 8, 2011, John Ericson

I recently received a note from Stephen Gamble that Robert Marshall’s substantially revised listing of Dennis Brain’s recordings, originally published in 1996 by Margun Music, is now online. When I first followed the link I was sort of confused as it claimed to be comprehensive but I could not find many recordings on the list. [...]

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Dennis Brain

Website: Aubrey Brain (1893-1955), Master of his Instrument

PUBLISHED: June 28, 2011, John Ericson

In recent correspondence I was pointed toward a great online resource on Aubrey Brain, father of the virtuoso hornist Dennis Brain. It is by Stephen Gamble, a co-author of the new book Dennis Brain: A Life in Music. I have a brief review of a portion of this book here. The Aubrey Brain website is [...]

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Dennis Brain, Quotations

Dennis Brain in Chicago, November 25-26, 1950; Some Notes from Dennis Brain: A Life in Music

PUBLISHED: May 26, 2011, John Ericson

A massive new biography of the great British horn virtuoso Dennis Brain was just published this month by UNT press, Dennis Brain: A Life in Music. While I anticipate I will have a more formal review of this publication soon I would offer some initial notes and also look at two interesting quotations related to [...]

Gearing up for “A Horn like Dennis Brain Played”

PUBLISHED: May 17, 2011, John Ericson

At the upcoming international horn symposium I will be presenting a session titled “A Horn like Dennis Brain Played.” On it I will be using two different horns, an Alexander single B-flat described in this prior article (like he used at the end of his career) and also this horn, a hundred year old Hawkes [...]

“Tut” for a Short, Crisp Staccato?

PUBLISHED: February 15, 2011, John Ericson

Scott Whitener in A Complete Guide to Brass notes that The so-called tongued release does have its place…. Professional players often make use of it by adding a “t” at the end of the note (“tut”) in very staccato passages. This produces a shortness and crispness that can be obtained no other way. A mantra [...]

Halloween Frights, I

PUBLISHED: October 27, 2010, Bruce Hembd

Something is not right with this image of Dennis Brain. Yes, it is upside down but if you turn your head around to look at it a peculiar phenomena will jump out at you. The brain is particularly adept at identifying faces, but because we are not accustomed to seeing faces upside-down, the brain can [...]

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Dennis Brain

Pithy Quotes from Sir Thomas Beecham on Music

PUBLISHED: May 19, 2010, Bruce Hembd

The grand tune is the only thing in music that the great public really understands. The humor of Sir Thomas Beecham, though tinged with cynicism, is something that I have always enjoyed reading about. Beecham was a major influence in the musical culture of Britain in the early 20th century, founding both the London Philharmonic [...]

John Ericson & Bruce Hembd
on the French horn, brass related topics, and the field of classical music.