Krzysztof Penderecki—Capriccio per Radovan
Krzysztof Penderecki—Capriccio per Radovan
by Wojciech Kamionka
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Krzysztof Penderecki
(photo by Jakub Ociepa) |
Krzysztof Penderecki (1933-2020)—Polish composer and pedagogue, and Rector of the Academy of Music in Kraków from 1972 to 1987—in his various compositions, dedicated a notable number of solos to the horn. As examples, he wrote long solos for horn on-stage and off-stage in Credo (1997-98) in the movement Crucifixus, as well in his Symphony No. 7 “Seven Gates of Jerusalem” (1996), commissioned for the 3000-year anniversary of the city of Jerusalem. This work was premiered in Jerusalem on January 9, 1997. The orchestra included members of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lorin Maazel. The horn part was performed by Will Sanders of the Bavarian Radio Symphony, and he will come in-person for the IHS 58 Symposium in Kraków.
The composer welcomed the 21st century with a chamber music work, Sextet for clarinet, horn, string trio, and piano (2000). The world premiere of the work took place in the Vienna Musikverein, the concert hall famous for the “New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic” concerts. From the all-star team of musicians, the horn part was performed by Radovan Vlatkovic who worked closely with the composer on the part. The extraordinary fruit of that relationship came in 2008 when Penderecki composed his Horn Concerto Winterreise, dedicated to Vlatkovic. The concerto is 17-18 minutes long, and in it, the composer exploited the most beautiful qualities of horn: deep expression of sound, long phrasing, intimacy, sometimes brutality and power, and the colors of both muted and stopped horn. The inspiration of the title Winterreise (Winter Journey) came more from the season spent composing the work and travelling in winter than from the famous song cycle of Franz Schubert. The work has notable recordings by Radovan Vlatkovic with the Sinfonietta Cracovia of Kraków and again with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennifer Montone with the Warsaw National Philharmonic, and Katerina Javurkova with the Sinfonia Iuventus. The work is also available with a piano reduction; it is published by Edition Schott.
Additionally, Penderecki composed several short virtuosic pieces dedicated to notable soloists. In 2012, he composed Capriccio per Radovan “Il sogno di un cacciatore” per corno solo, a piece again dedicated to Radovan Vlatkovic. The Italian title translates as “A Hunter's Dream,” and the work starts strangely with an imitation of snoring! In the dreams of a sleeping hunter, a horn player sounds themes from Penderecki’s works as well as those of other composers. The piece ends with one of the most famous motifs for horn, the call from the Hunters’ Chorus from Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz. Capriccio is also published by Edition Schott.
Capriccio is the obligatory piece in the IHS Premier Soloist Competition at IHS 58 in Kraków. I believe it will be interesting to hear several different interpretations, and personally, I wonder if the younger generation will interpret Capriccio more as a dramatic work or as a comic piece? or perhaps we will be surprised!
Pedagogy Column—Picking Your Ideal Teacher
by Haley Hoops
’Tis the season of music school auditions when serious horn students take the next step in their musical journey by seeking a college professor who feels like the right fit.
There are many outstanding horn teachers, each offering unique perspectives, skills, and experiences. When my students prepare for auditions, I encourage them not only to play well, but also to pay attention to how they feel in the environment. Comfort, curiosity, and trust matter. Listening to one’s intuition is an important part of choosing a teacher, as we all have individual paths of learning, and certain teachers will naturally resonate more than others.
Over the years, I have studied with a variety of teachers. Some experiences were deeply formative, while others were more challenging. Even so, I have come to believe that all experiences can offer valuable lessons—sometimes by showing us what we want to emulate, and sometimes by clarifying what we hope to avoid in our own development as musicians and teachers.
From a student’s perspective, these are qualities I would look for in an ideal teacher:
- a genuine passion for teaching and an understanding that each student is unique
- the ability to demonstrate clearly and musically in lessons
- honest feedback offered with kindness and encouragement
- a strong knowledge of horn pedagogy and its literature
- a thorough knowledge of solo, chamber music, and large ensemble repertoire, and how each informs musical development
- the use of a variety of etude books, chosen thoughtfully
- openness to questions, answered without disparagement
- healthy, inspiring practice strategies and practical problem-solving tools
- awareness of current equipment and the evolving horn market
- humility regarding their own limitations
- encouragement of independence and learning from other teachers
- the ability to have difficult conversations with empathy
Conversely, from that same student perspective, I would be hesitant to study with someone who:
- creates an uncomfortable or unwelcoming learning environment
- does not play or demonstrate in lessons
- avoids questions or dismisses curiosity
- surrounds themselves only with unquestioning or adoring students
- presents an inflated ego or an infallible, top-down approach to teaching
- does not encourage further study with other horn players or teaching peers
- makes discriminatory or demeaning comments
- is inconsistent with scheduling or availability
- appears disengaged or unhappy in their role
- uses unkindness or cruelty as a teaching tool
To find a teacher who feels like “the one,” it is wise to seek out a private lesson early on. Bring music that represents your strengths as well as music that truly needs help. This approach can be revealing in understanding how you and a teacher might work together.
Our teachers may be temporary figures in our lives, but their influence often stays with us for years. Choosing a teacher who feels right can help students grow not only as players, but as independent, thoughtful musicians. Ultimately, the most meaningful teaching relationships are built on mutual respect, openness, and a shared commitment to growth.
Haley Hoops has served as Second Horn with the Dallas Symphony since 1999. She also performs with the Mainly Mozart All-Stars Orchestra in San Diego, California, in addition to performances with the orchestras in Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Lansing, Michigan; Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Richmond.
Since 2000, Haley Hoops has been an adjunct faculty member at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She also maintains a private studio in her home.
In 2013, Hoops won First Prize at the International Horn Competition of America. This has opened up many more teaching and solo playing opportunities; she now presents solo recitals and masterclasses at universities and workshops across the USA. She also continues to encourage others on her YouTube channel, HaleyHoops.
Composer Spotlight—Fernande Decruck
by Caiti Beth McKinney
Happy New Year! To start 2026 off on the right note, this month I want to introduce you to a composer who has only come to my attention in the last year: Fernande Decruck (1896-1954). Decruck was a French composer active during the first half of the 20th century who composed an astonishing number of pieces, over 280, despite living only to age 57. Her works covered nearly every musical genre, from orchestral to chamber and solo music. While Decruck is most remembered for her sonata for saxophone, she lavished attention on the horn in several of her compositions.
One of my favorite Decruck works is her double concerto for horn and trumpet, Heroic Poem (Poème héroïque pour trompette solo en ut, cor solo en fa et orchestre). Completed just after the end of World War II, the piece is firmly in the Neoromantic style that had become so popular by this time. The heroics of the music’s namesake are certainly present in the first movement in the form of dramatic and triumphant leaping figures in both the horn and trumpet; however, the second movement is where I believe Decruck truly shines. Dark and rumbling strings underscore lyrical lines in the two solo brass; the whole movement is haunting and melancholy, moving the listener into feelings of grief. This is exhibited no more poignantly than at the end of the movement, where unaccompanied solo horn descends into a final lament, closing the section on a low, mournful concert F. The hero of the third movement is changed by the journey of the second; their bravado has matured, and, while slightly subdued, is no less triumphant. Complex (and very French) skipping and leaping motifs resound in the solo parts, culminating in another concert F in the horn to end the work—though three octaves higher this time!
Heroic Poem is certainly not the only Decruck work to feature the horn, though it is the only one professionally recorded thus far (an outstanding performance with soloists Amy McCabe and Leelanee Sterrett with conductor Matthew Aubin and the Jackson Symphony). Decruck also composed a horn quartet, a short work for horn and piano titled Pastorale Triste, and a fascinating wind quintet with piano Chant Lyrique. Many of her manuscripts are available for digital perusal here thanks to the tireless work of Matthew Aubin and his endeavors to restore Decruck’s compositions from the attic back to the concert hall.
The Music of Egmont Fuchs
Egmont Fuchs (b. 1955) served as second horn in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra from 1975-1977, and he played third horn with the Vienna Horn Quartet for nearly four decades. He also studied composition with Alfred Uhl at the Vienna Academy of music. Several of his works for horn ensemble are available as free downloads at https://egmontfuchs.musicaneo.com/. Enjoy his short and festive Fanfare für 8 Hörner.
IHS 58—Symposium Updates
Winter in Poland will give way to a beautiful Symposium summer this coming July, and now is the time to prepare for IHS 58. Registration is officially open.
Dormitory reservations can be made. Other accommodations will become available in the next few weeks; watch for options and reserve your preferred location early.
Competitions include those for Horn Quartet in 4 divisions, Horn Ensemble in 3 divisions, Natural Horn and Jazz Horn competitions, plus the IHS Premier Soloist Competition and the Frizelle Orchestral Audition Contests. Check the website for applications and to familiarize yourself with the requirements and rules.
Chamber Music Corner—Trevor Zavac’s “Fringe”
by Layne Anspach
Trevor Zavac’s “Fringe” for horn, violin, and piano (2022) will be the focus of this month’s Chamber Music Corner. Trevor Zavac (b. 2000) is a composer and hornist. He received a BM from Indiana University and is currently pursuing his MM in Composition at the University of Southern California. Zavac was the 2024 ASCAP Morton Gould Award winner, and his works have been performed by the Indianapolis Ballet, the Indianapolis Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and other ensembles.
“Fringe” was premiered during the 2022 Brevard Music Center Summer Institute. Zavac included the following program notes for the work:
“Fringe” (2022), for horn trio, is inspired by the idea of pulling at a loose thread on a piece of woven fabric. The music, like fabric, is tightly woven and very compact, but with time, it unravels—being slowly disassembled as the pattern is pulled apart, slipping and snagging on the way, until it dissipates entirely.
Receiving Honorable Mention in the International Horn Society’s 2022 Composition Competition, “Fringe” was subsequently performed at the 2023 International Horn Symposium in Montréal.
The work is in a single movement marked Allegro. The three players begin with short staccato hits using various timbres or techniques: the violin starts pizzicato and the horn plays stopped. As the section progresses, each member has slightly longer motivic elements stacked together. A descending sixteenth-note passage in the violin tumbles into the next section in which we hear continuous lines from all members, and this builds to heavy accents in the violin and horn.
As the music grows to a collective downbeat, the texture changes dramatically and an ostinato is heard in the left hand of the piano. Once the right hand joins, the horn plays a melodic line which the violin subsequently assumes. The ostinato stops leading to more fragmentation, as Zavac puts it, unravelling. The staccato prevalent at the outset of the work disappears, giving way to longer and longer phrases. A new ostinato emerges in the piano, more soothing than the first. This, along with the continued elongation of lines in the violin and horn, brings the work to a measured conclusion.
The reference recording is from a live performance in Auer Hall at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. The hornist is Andre Richter.
Student Column—Horn Ambassadors
by Inman Hebert
As horn players, we have an unofficial obligation to serve as ambassadors. A key part of the International Horn Society’s mission revolves around building global fellowship in the effort to educate and to promote the instrument. These ideals rely, in great part, on us being representatives of the horn to non-musical family, friends, and communities. As spokespeople, articulating why the horn matters encourages us to find shared connections which illustrate the horn’s impact in society.
While iconic classical horn moments, such as the solo in the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, the trio in Beethoven’s Eroica, or Wagner’s “Short Call,” may lack mainstream familiarity, using popular culture and highlighting the role of the horn in film and popular music can foster comprehension as we communicate.
First and foremost, we must understand that not everyone recognizes the horn’s sound. To remove this barrier, we can point out specific moments in popular media that feature horn solos. We must also endeavor to perform more in our own communities. Playing in chamber music ensembles, like brass quintets or horn quartets or performing pops concerts, can provide an entry point for the general public to appreciate the instrument’s captivating tone.
Renowned for its unique rich sound—the sound which we work so hard to develop—the horn features prominently in a variety of films of almost every genre from Westerns to Sci-fi classics to modern superhero movies. To name a few, the horn is featured in the title themes of The Magnificent Seven, Star Trek: First Contact, Band of Brothers, and The Avengers.
For the elevator pitch, “Think of the most epic moments in any movie you have ever watched, and the horn will be present in those triumphs.” Consider, for example, The Lord of the Rings. Highlighting a few horn features in cinematic music can serve as common ground for discussion.
The Star Wars fan can relate to the famous “Princess Leia’s Theme” or “Binary Sunset” (Force Theme), the first of which portrays the character’s emotional depth while the latter elicits hope throughout one of the most iconic movie franchises ever created.
The over one billion people who have been estimated to have seen the Harry Potter movies can easily recognize “Hedwig’s Theme,” the song playing during the opening credits that then permeates the film series. Within this theme, the horn takes over the melody from the glockenspiel, lending its unique sound to the mystique of Rowling’s wizard world.
Additionally, The Beatles, one of the most popular bands ever, feature Alan Civil’s horn playing in their hit "For No One,” which recently surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify.
Through pop culture references, we can promote the horn’s sound, show the extent to which the instrument pervades familiar music (particularly in movies and television), and share the horn’s role in storytelling and in evoking emotion. By engaging with our audience through shared experiences, we go a long way in fulfilling our roles as ambassadors for the horn.
