Suitable for dancing: works for horn and piano by alec wilder
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Abstract
Alec Wilder’s works for horn and piano provide numerous opportunities for horn playersto explore a variety of musical styles. Wilder’s compositional style can be described as a mixture of classical, jazz and popular music. Many of his works for horn were strongly influenced by the technical and musical capabilities of his dear friend John Barrows, a horn player for whom he wrote many pieces. Wilder often composed music that deliberately deviated from what listeners would traditionally expect. When studying Wilder’s compositions for horn and piano, one finds that there are many nuances that are characteristic of Wilder’s compositional style. This project is a CD recording of Alec Wilder’s Suite for Horn and Piano (1960), Sonata No. 1 for Horn and Piano (1958) and Sonata No. 3 for Horn and Piano (1970). The recording is accompanied by a manuscript that highlights the stylistic similarities among these works and emphasizes the importance of these works in the horn repertoire. Because the history of Alec Wilder is well documented, this manuscript focuses on specific musical elements found in these works. I support my statements by providing examples from all three works.