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COVID has changed the performing landscape of fall 2020 drastically.
But before looking at that, there is good news out there, the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel,” I hope readers are taking in some of the recent good news, the end of the pandemic really is in sight. I predict by summer 2021 things in general will be looking a lot more normal, and fall 2021 should usher in a much more normal situation for collegiate horn study. It will still take the music industry a year or more to gear back up, arts organizations have been badly hit financially, but things will sort out, and the music will return.
But back to the present era of COVID and music, speaking generally, colleges and universities have been leading the way. Protocols vary widely by location. Some schools have highly restrictive protocols that don’t allow any live horn teaching or group performances, but others have more options.
In my own case at Arizona State, while recitals are occurring with limited audiences, and lessons have been a mixture of live and Zoom lessons, all of our studio classes were virtual, as were most ensemble experiences. To balance that, I wanted to have a horn choir event with the entire studio, performing together in a non-virtual venue.
Looking at my options, the most workable one was a popup concert at our studio class time. It had to be formally scheduled due to campus location restrictions but, at the same time, we could not publicize it (!), as fewer than 50 people had to be there, even with it being outdoors in a large plaza.
I was able to come up with a varied but simple program, the performance of which reflected well on the individual effort of horn studio members. Especially as none of us had ever performed in the plaza we used, the performance area (under the “noodles”) was newly completed – the photo shows it shortly before being finished.
The program notes are below. The only footnote I would add, in the category “Believe it or Not,” is that this was the very first horn ensemble concert after years of teaching that I have included a Frippery! They are not written for a larger ensemble, but I felt these two would work, and they did. Next time we play, I look forward to some live rehearsals before performing! And I understand that there will be live rehearsals allowed in the spring at ASU, another element pointing to there is a light at the end of the tunnel, don’t lose hope.
Program and notes…
This program is a first of the fall semester for us in the ASU Horn Studio, in a brand new performing space. With COVID protocols, we rehearsed using a parallel practice tactic in Zoom. The performance you are about to hear reflects on the individual practice done by ASU horn students, with a varied program designed to work in this format.
(Works to be performed today are highlighted in the text that follows, in program order)
To open the concert we have a Madrigal by Orlando di Lasso. Huntington Burdick arranged this somber work for the Los Angeles Horn Club.
The next group of works were arranged by Max Pottag. Pottag, who spent many years in the Chicago Symphony, has been credited as being the father of the collegiate horn ensemble, making it part of his teaching curriculum at Northwestern University. The arrangements we are performing today were all published in 1941:
- Prayer and Hunting Chorus from Der Freischutz by C. M. Von Weber
- Adagio Religioso by C. D. Lorenz
- Soldiers Farewell by Johanna Kinkel
- Forsaken (Tyrolian Song) by T. Koschat
Of these Pottag arrangements, perhaps the most notable is the Kinkel. She lived a very interesting life, and the work, written for men’s chorus, is well voiced for horn performance.
Next on the program are Three (of six) Folk Songs by Brahms, arranged by Marvin McCoy. In order we have The Fiddler, How Sad flows the Stream, and At Night
In the brass area this semester we had a special focus on the works of BIPOC composers, and one seminal work that was highlighted in a presentation to brass students was the African-American spiritual, Deep River, heard here today in a traditional choral arrangement.
While written for horn quartet, we also wanted to highlight with the full studio two works in a jazz style,
- Frippery No. 16 “Something Blue” by Lowell Shaw
- Frippery No. 25 “Takin’ it Easy” by Lowell Shaw
Finally, to close the program we have another of the Pottag arrangements, Lutzow’s Wild Chase by Weber. Thank you for joining us today in this new concert space.
