Meet the People—Marty Schlenker
by Marty Schlenker, Amateur Hornist
Dear Fellow Ambitious Amateurs,
I was surprised and flattered when Mike Harcrow asked me to consider writing a column for Horn and More. As I introduce myself and my circumstances, I hope you will find things in common and be inspired in your own playing. This column, to be called Ambitious Amateurs, will be as informative as I can make it, but there will be a steady theme of “fighting to make time for horn in a busy life.” You’ll see that I’m early into an experiment, and the column is part of it.
How I got here: I was six years old when Star Wars hit theaters. It was, of course, a revelation. My parents indulged me (in the pre-VCR days) by taking me many times to the theater. When fourth grade came around, I was determined: I wanted to play the horn because of Star Wars, although I’d never actually seen a horn up close. [Aside: I was in my 30s before I played anything from Star Wars with an ensemble. I’ve played the Binary Sunset leitmotif exactly once in concert.]
I loved being in the school band but knew that I wasn’t “music major material.” Even as a non-major, I had very fortunate experiences in college, the pinnacle of my musical immersion. There were orchestras, wind bands, and various chamber groups during the school year; and for three summers, I marched in the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, an experience that profoundly improved me as a human being and as a musician.
I consider myself mostly self-taught to date but will credit teachers and recount some “a-ha moments” in future columns. My post-college playing will be familiar to many of you: community bands, church services, and various horn and brass ensemble configurations. The latter were the most enjoyable but the most fleeting. I rehearsed and practiced as time allowed, working it in around a career and raising three kids with my wonderful wife, who, by the way, is the ‘pro’ in the family, having earned a degree in piano and voice and who plays the trombone for kicks. Lucky me!
But I think what prompted Mike to suggest that I write a column was this: even though I don’t expect to regain the state of musical immersion that I had in college, I haven’t given up on the idea that my most accomplished days as a horn player still lie ahead. What will follow in this column are dispatches from my journey, still largely unmapped, to reach as close to music-major-like proficiency as I can as a 52-year-old guy whose homestead (Cumberland County, PA) and new office (Los Angeles) are three time zones apart.
The DFW area, where I spent about 25 years before moving to Pennsylvania last Christmas, is a terrific place to be a horn player. Not only are there are community bands everywhere, but the DFW area is also home to the remarkable Houghton family. I’ve taken my instruments to Houghton Horns for care the entire time I lived in Texas. Like clockwork, as I was dropping it off or picking it up, or ogling their vast inventory, there would be a high school kid in a lesson with Karen in the studio. 10 times out of 10, that kid could outplay high-school-me…and 8 out of 10 could outplay right-now-me. Wow. Seriously, wow. What proficient teaching.
Somewhere along the line, I started to muse to Dennis every time I saw him that someday life was going to get simpler, and I was going to get back into lessons and really figure out what to do with this thing. Life got simpler in some ways and less in others, but when I told Dennis I was moving to Pennsylvania, he instantly thought of his old pal Mike Harcrow and suggested that I give him a call. It took me a few months to get organized, but I did make that call, and what’s happened since will be the subject of some of the columns to come.
If any part of your life as a horn player sounds like this, let me know who you are and what has worked and what has not, and you will be subject of the column. If this column remains just about one person, it’s going to become boring very fast. Now let’s go practice!
Meet the People—Angelo Nuzzo, IHS Country Representative for Austria
by Angelo Nuzzo
Angelo Nuzzo has served as the International Horn Society Country Representative for Austria since 2020. Born and raised in Italy, he is trained as a biomedical engineer (PhD), a business manager (MBA), and a hornist (MA). His career has developed internationally as a bioinformatician, and he is currently working at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) in Vienna.
He studied horn in Italy at the Conservatory of Music in Taranto and graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Trieste. Despite a non-musical career, he has continued to play in several amateur orchestras in Italy, and in Austria with the Vienna University Philharmonic, the Akademische Orchesterverein Wien, the Wiener Konzertvereinigung, and in various wind bands and horn ensembles.
His passion for the instrument eventually motivated him to take over the vacancy of the IHS representation in Austria. Working within the IHS gives him the opportunities—and the great pleasure—on one side, to connect with and get to know top professional and amateur performers, and on the other, to offer the horn community the possibility to enter a more international network. To this end, he works to promote a yearly event dedicated to horn playing in Austria and for connecting with horn ensembles across Europe for common projects and exchange.
Composer Spotlight—Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
by Caiti Beth McKinney
Hi Horn Friends!
For this month’s Europe issue of Horn and More, I want to share the music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor with you. Although only one of his chamber pieces features the horn, Coleridge-Taylor’s Nonet in F Minor is a substantial and invaluable addition to any chamber musician’s repertoire, and his orchestral oeuvre is not to be missed!
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, named after the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, was born in London in 1875 during the height of the Victorian Era to parents Daniel Peter Hughes Taylor, a doctor from the African country of Sierra Leone, and Alice Hare Martin, an Englishwoman. It is unlikely that Samuel ever met his father, who returned to Sierra Leone that same year, leaving the future composer to be raised by his mother alone. She was able to provide him with violin lessons from a local instructor from a young age, and in 1890 the musician entered the Royal College of Music in London. His talents were prodigious enough to catch the eye of a silk merchant, Herbert Walters, who would become Coleridge-Taylor’s patron and sponsor, paying for his education.
Coleridge-Taylor’s mixed-race ancestry had a profound impact on his life and career. During his daily commute to school, Samuel was forced to endure comments about his appearance and color, and insults and slurs would continue to follow him his whole life. Even supposedly well-meaning titles bestowed by fans were laden with problematic racialized terminology; for example, after a successful tour of the United States in the early 1900s, American musicians took to calling Coleridge-Taylor “the African Mahler.”
Despite both outright and microaggressions, Coleridge-Taylor’s music was widely celebrated during his lifetime, particularly his orchestral repertoire, including such pieces as Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast (1898), which he would later expand into a cantata trilogy entitled The Song of Hiawatha. The composer’s successes were so far-reaching that he was even received at the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt, and his music was championed by Edward Elgar. Coleridge-Taylor’s compositions frequently incorporated elements and melodies pulled from African music, Negro Spirituals, as well as British, Irish, and other cultural folk tunes, pulling together parts of his identities into a seamless whole.
The Nonet in F Minor, Op. 2 (1893), written while he was teenager and student at the Royal College, is one of Coleridge-Taylor’s earliest published works but is, nonetheless, a work of art. Full of lush melodic lines, contrapuntal interplay, and beautiful use of textural colors, this piece is an underappreciated gem. Enjoy!
IHS 56—Horns on the Horizon
by John McGuire
Old Town Fort Collins
Hello all! Hopefully, you have seen the start of our rollout of announcements about Featured Artists for IHS 56: Horns on the Horizon which will continue over the next few weeks. If not, please see our website and Facebook and Instagram pages. There are so many people who I am genuinely excited to present next summer, and I know that you will be thrilled to hear all of these wonderful artists, too!
We are planning to open registration for IHS 56 in mid-to-late December 2023. The registration website is currently being built and will be active as soon as we get all of the details just right. We will, of course, announce the opening of registration on all of our social media channels as well as at www.hornsonthehorizon.com. You will be able to access registration from a link on the website, which will take you to a special page that Colorado State University is building just for us. On this registration page, you will be able to select which level of IHS membership you are, whether or not you would like to purchase a ticket for the big social event mid-week, enter various competitions, and reserve a dorm room at CSU. (Dorm rooms can be reserved and paid for through this process and will be less expensive than hotel rooms in the Ft. Collins area. Dorm room rentals will also come with 2 meals per day included! If you would like to stay in a hotel instead, a range of options will be listed on www.hornsonthehorizon.com website.)
Finally, if you are a potential vendor, exhibitor, or sponsor, you should have recently received an email communication from Christine Pelletier, the Exhibits Coordinator for IHS 56. This communication was sent out based on a list from IHS. If you did not receive it, please feel free to reach out to Christine anytime at exhibits@hornsonthehorizon.com. In that email, you should find information about costs for registration, extra tables, program advertisements, sponsorship levels, and more. And in an effort not to bombard you with constant emails over the next several months, we have tried to streamline the process by providing you with all pertinent information up front. Of course, it’s impossible to include every little detail, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need clarification or additional information on any issue. We want IHS 56 to be as enjoyable as possible for everyone, including our great vendors and sponsors.
See you in Colorado!
Chamber Music Corner—Zdeněk Fibich’s Quintet in D Major, Op. 42
by Layne Anspach
Hello musicians! This month’s Chamber Music Corner features Zdeněk Fibich’s Quintet in D Major, Op. 42. Fibich is known as one of the “big three” Czech composers in the second half of the 19th century, Smetana and Dvořák being the other two. Fibich was born in 1850 in Všebořice, Bohemia. At the age of seven, he began piano lessons with his mother but went on to study music in Prague (1864-65), Leipzig (1865-67), and Mannheim (1869-70). Between 1875 and 1881, Fibich worked as conductor and choirmaster at the Provisional Theatre in Prague in addition to being choirmaster at the Russian Orthodox Church there. Starting in 1881, he focused only on composing and private teaching. His compositional output was mostly opera, with at least seven operas and seven melodramas in his oeuvre; his orchestral works include three symphonies and six symphonic poems; and he composed piano music as well. Fibich died of pneumonia in Prague in 1900.
While most of his chamber works were written early in his career, the Quintet in D Major, Op. 42 (1893) for piano, clarinet, horn, violin, and cello is considered his most important chamber piece. Fibich’s diary indicates that the work was inspired by his relationship with Anežka Schulzová, pupil turned collaborator and lover, who wrote the librettos for his final three operas. The work also exists in a version for the standard piano quintet which includes string quartet.
Following a typical sonata form, the first movement, Allegro non tanto, starts with the clarinet introducing the first melody, characterized by an initial upward leap. Within the first fifteen measures, each player has taken a turn presenting the A theme. After a tutti passage, the piano introduces the B theme, a slow reserved ascent contrasting the energetic opening. The development combines the key motivic elements from each melody, upward leap and stepwise ascent, building energetically towards a prominent peak by the piano which dissipates quickly into the recapitulation. The coda is signaled by a strong statement in the piano which brings the ensemble to the end of the movement. The piano takes the lead throughout the breathtakingly beautiful second movement, Largo. The unique sonorities of the ensemble come through as the differing timbres interweave. Sprinkled throughout are lovely cadenzas or little features for each instrument.
The Scherzo. Con fuoco e feroce starts “with wild humor,” as instructed by Fibich. The first of two trio sections features a prominent horn solo. The violin later joins, adding a continuous commentary to the horn melody. In the final ten measures of the first trio, the piano alone leads the ensemble back to the scherzo. The second trio, Allegretto vivace, features the cello and clarinet while the violin and horn rest. Fibich creates momentum with syncopation in the right hand of the piano. The movement ends with the return to the scherzo, outlining the rondo form. The final movement, Finale. Allegro con spirito, is jovial, alternating between light and lyrical sections. Fibich again writes so as to highlight the contrasting timbres of the instruments. The work ends with a Grandioso featuring the first theme with violin obbligato, followed by an energetic and familiar conclusion.
Hornist Vladimíra Klánská is heard on the reference recording: Fibich: Piano Quartet, Op. 11 & Quintet, Op. 42.
Student Column—Supporting Our Fellow Student Horn Players
by Inman Hebert
The International Horn Society describes itself as a community of horn players from around the world, with respect and collaboration being core values. The horn studios of which we are members serve as microcosms of this larger community. To gain admission to these programs, we had to audition to demonstrate suitable skills. We compete for awards and scholarships, in performance contests, and for open positions; however, in a horn studio, creating a culture of supporting and cheering for our horn colleagues generates a healthy studio which encourages every member to hone their skills and be well-rounded in all areas of musicianship.
In a horn studio, we are all trying to master an instrument characterized as having an intense learning curve and being notoriously challenging, intimidating, and perplexing. Fear of the scarcity of opportunities may lead to unhealthy competitiveness, outweighing the need for a positive studio atmosphere. A false dichotomy often exists between striving for personal excellence and supporting our fellow horn players. Unhealthy competition focuses externally and places our value only in comparison to others; however, we are all on different journeys as we seek to master technique and musicianship. In this long personal development process, we should push beyond our existing barriers, focus on our own progress, and identify our next challenge. Commitment through hard work and dedication can set the standard in our studios and encourage all members to work towards higher achievement.
How can we be more supportive colleagues? While getting to know those in our horn studios, we can show genuine curiosity in learning about their lives and encouraging them to achieve their goals. When fellow horn students struggle, we must show empathy and learn to listen. Encourage open communication and feedback. Welcoming constructive criticism from professors and our peers is how we grow as musicians. As we are asked to provide commentary on other’s performances, we must choose how to frame our observations in a manner that can lead to improvement. A healthy studio will not diminish its members. In providing analysis of performances, compliments can do much for morale. Respect and civility should underlie all of our interactions in the horn studio. Although we are all busy, we should take the time to attend concerts and recitals and celebrate our colleagues’ achievements. Success for one member strengthens the horn studio and benefits everyone.
Horn studios are filled with students with an energy and passion to play music at a higher level. We can motivate each other to push harder, learn as we observe our peers overcome obstacles, and celebrate goals achieved. In encouraging our fellow horn players, we can create a more wholesome environment which supports the success of our horn studios and their members.
Horn on Record
by Ian Zook
Volume 12—André Van Driessche
Since this month’s IHS Newsletter is devoted to European content, we will take a tour of Belgium and listen to André Van Driessche’s 1986 vinyl recording of Jacques-François Gallay’s Twelve Grand Caprices, Op. 32.
André Van Driessche (1936-2014) was a luminary performer and teacher who exemplified and expanded upon the Ghent school of horn playing. He began his horn studies at age sixteen at the Ghent Conservatory under the tutelage of Jean-Baptiste ‘Maurice’ Van Bocxstaele. Here, Van Driessche was trained in a playing style that emphasized the notable Ghentian trait of lyricism. Success followed quickly, joining the Royal Antwerp Symphony Orchestra as Principal horn in 1957. He subsequently held the same position with the Brussels Philharmonic and the Flemish Radio Orchestra from 1962-1996.
Van Driessche was Professor at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and established himself as a pedagogical authority for a standardized embouchure technique. Both Van Driessche and Philip Farkas (himself a protégé of the Flemish-trained Louis Defrasne) strived for uniform embouchures that could meet the technical and endurance demands of the contemporary orchestral and solo literature while maintaining the quintessential tone quality of the F horn. For his expertise in addressing deficient embouchures, Van Driessche was regarded as the “Brass Clinician of Brussels.” He was an active member of the International Horn Society and frequent participant in the International Symposia spanning from the 1970’s through the 1990’s.
We are thankful for the biographical information and a contextualization of the importance of André Van Driessche and the long lineage of Belgian hornists that is comprehensively and compellingly captured in Jeroen Billiet’s dissertation Brave Belgians of the Belle Époque: a study in the late-romantic Ghent horn playing tradition.
Each of Gallay’s Caprices are wonderful musical miniatures. They are defined by their compact and efficient form that create contrast and allow expressive interpretive decisions for each performer regarding pacing and fluidity. As such, two complete renditions of these Caprices, as interpreted by André Van Driessche, will be highlighted:
Gallay Caprice No. 1:
Gallay Caprice No. 10:
In both examples, we can enjoy the firm and sonorous tone of Van Driessche that is colored with the slightest shading of vibrato. His intervallic leaps can be very pliable through generous portamento, and then contrasted with immediate and athletic juggling of rapid passagework with equal ease and assurance. As Jeroen Billiet highlights in his chronicle of the Belgian style, lyrical phrasing is tied to narrative and poetic interpretive principles. I believe Van Driessche’s performances of these Caprices beautifully encapsulates these musical virtues.
Gallay’s Caprices can find equal footing in your practice room or as a selected suite of solo pieces for a wide range of public performance situations thanks to their brevity and musical merits. What a treat to have these pieces definitively preserved by André Van Dreissche!
