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In the same vein as previous articles where I posted pictures of my workstation and mouthpiece pouch contents, today’s article highlights some of the music that I am currently working on – for both fun and profit.
I manage to get in 2-3 hours of practice each day and I do it mainly for personal pride and enjoyment. I strive to maintain a high professional standard for the two main groups I regularly perform with: Arizona Opera, and the West Valley Symphony.
I am not the busy performer that I once was and in combination with my current day job as a web developer, this collection is plenty to keep me on my toes. Fortunately my wife is very supportive and understanding of my sometimes very noisy and repetitive practice habits.
Gallay 12 Studies, Opus 57
Springtime is a busy time for opera, symphony and chamber music concerts and I have my hands full with lots of repertoire to learn. That being said I do like to work on etudes and other projects to stay sharp and keep thinking creatively.
I am currently working on #8 in various transpositions and octave ranges. Musically, I want to make the opening as free, happy and easy-sounding as possible. For myself, this involves bending the time a little or stretching a note here and there.
Ward Fearn: Exercises for Flexible Horn Playing
The first exercise in this book is something that I play several times a week. Transposing it in different keys helps to keeps things interesting.
It starts with a relatively small range and gradually, it expands in range and dynamics. This exercise in its entirety is two pages and the sample below is only an excerpt.
This excerpt from Exercise #4 is another good example of the quirky melodic style.
Verdi: Otello (Horn III)
Verdi’s music is not subtle, and for those that prefer more cerebral German opera, the heart-on-your-sleeve nature of Verdi can seem a tad overwrought.
Verdi’s Otello is currently on my practice stand for an upcoming Arizona Opera production opening this weekend in Tucson. This is my 15th year with the Arizona Opera and the rehearsals so far indicate that this production will be a great one. Principal horn Peter Erb is doing a solid job, and he is also a good guy to work with.
The horn writing in Otello is technically much more advanced than in Verdi’s early operas. Gone is the oompah-pah writing of Rigoletto; we now get tricky chromatic passages and long, vocal melodies.
This second example is exclusive to Horns III and IV. It is a long, exposed melody in unison with the bassoons.
Each phrase ends with a unique chromatic twist and this is something I listen and watch for.
Rochut: Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Book One
This particular volume is a touchstone that I regularly revert to. The vocal style goes hand-in-hand with Verdi.
Beethoven: 2nd Symphony (Horn I)
In a few weeks, rehearsals will start up again for me as principal horn in the West Valley Symphony. On the plate (among other things) is Beethoven’s 2nd symphony.
This will be the first time that I have played principal on this piece. I am looking forward to the challenge.
Wagner: Götterdämmerung
On the practice stand too – hidden in back – is the first horn book to Wagner’s opera, Götterdämmerung. I am reviewing this for a future article on the Short Call.
Related to this research, I have recently organized all past Horn Matters articles on Siegfried into a new sub-category.
As it currently stands, most of the articles pertain to the Long Call from Siegfried and the topic is well-covered.
- Siegfried
In the final chapter of the Ring cycle however the Call appears yet again – and in a completely different context. This story is something that will be addressed in a future article, but in the meantime …
I need to go practice!
