Abstract:
Music for solo horn forms an important, albeit small, part of the twentieth-century horn repertoire. While solos written for horn and piano or horn and orchestra are more common, performers regularly program the unaccompanied works as part of an engaging program. In addition, repertoire lists for horn solo competitions regularly feature these works, as they are an excellent test of the performer’s creativity and musicianship. This recording and accompanying manuscript focus on some of the most important and popular works for solo horn. Many of them appear regularly on competition repertoire lists and can be heard on recitals by students and professionals alike. Even the most recently composed piece, The Confessions of St. Augustine by Erika Raum, is growing in popularity in the horn community. While there are many other pieces for solo horn, these six works represent the core of this body of works. This CD will serve as model for a musical and expressive approach to these works. While playing without accompaniment can be intimidating to younger players, this CD will demonstrate the freedom afforded to the performer of this music. In addition, the performances on this CD will show these pieces to each be a unified musical whole, not a rough collection of ideas and extended techniques, as they are sometimes performed. The accompanying manuscript will provide biographical information on the composers and performer, as well as musical information that aids in the performance of these works.
