‍Greetings!

My name is James Boldin, and I am the new Publications Editor for the IHS. I know that many Horn and More readers are already IHS members, but if you are not, I wholeheartedly encourage you to join. It's a wonderful organization, with many programs and other benefits for horn players around the globe. I hope you enjoy this selection from our archive, "The Infinite Power of Self-Determination," by S. Earl Saxton (May 1978). The world has changed drastically since 1978, but his words are as relevant now as they were then. May you find them an inspiration during difficult times.

by Peter Damm

Music was his life; the horn was his special love.

The news comes to us with sadness and melancholy that our dear horn friend Ib Lanzky-Otto, freed from his suffering, has passed away. For all who knew him, his death is a painful loss.

In the truest sense of the word, Ib was a legend. His expressive, warm horn sound, his flawless technique and his wonderful musical phrasing will never be forgotten. From the time I first met him in the 1960’s, I treasured him as a human being, as a musician and artist, and I cherished his good humor and amiable, warm-hearted manner. Ours was a friendship that spanned many years. As I write this, I am reminded of various encounters, cooperation at summer music courses, and not least of his long collaboration as an objective juror at our international wind competition in Markneukirchen. 

We will hold Ib Lanzky-Otto in our memory with utmost gratitude.

Translation: KMT

 English version

von Peter Damm

Sein Leben war die Musik, seine ganz besondere Liebe galt dem Horn.

Trauer und Wehmut löst die Nachricht aus, daß unser lieber Hornfreund Ib Lanzky-Otto, erlöst von seinen Leiden, entschlafen ist. Für alle, die ihn kannten ist sein Tod ein schmerzlicher Verlust.

Im wahrsten Sinn des Wortes war Ib in jeder Beziehung eine Legende. Unvergeßlich werden sein expressiver, warmer Hornton, seine perfekte Technik und seine so wunderbare musikalische Gestaltung bleiben. Ich schätzte ihn, den ich bereits in den 1960er Jahren kennenlernte, als Persönlichkeit, als Musiker und Künstler, seine sympathisch humorvolle, liebenswürdige und warmherzige Art und Weise. Es war eine freundschaftliche Verbundenheit über lange Jahre. Während ich schreibe, erinnere ich mich an so manche Begegnung, an Zusammenarbeit in Sommerkursen, nicht zuletzt aber an seine langjährige Mitarbeit als objektiver Juror unseres Internationalen Wettbewerbes für Blasinstrumente in Markneukirchen.

Wir werden Erinnerungen an Ib Lanzky-Otto bewahren und seiner immer dankbar gedenken. 

By Matthew C. Haislip, D.M.A.

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we musicians found ourselves facing months ahead with an end to practically all live performances. I was thankful to be able to continue to work by teaching my university classes and horn students in an online format, but so many other musicians were not as fortunate. It has been such a devastating time for so many, and my heart goes out to all of those who have been struggling.  

I decided to make the most of the time I was afforded to seek to become a better musician and horn player. While I participated in creating some recordings of socially distant chamber music, I also knew that I needed a daily goal. As an everyday rule in the past, I have mainly focused my practice on fundamentals, different warm-up routines, upcoming repertoire, and a few favorite Kopprasch, Gallay, Kling, Bordogni, and Fearn etudes. I own stacks of other etude books, but I had not systematically worked through entire books at a time since my undergraduate days.  

In the back of my mind, I knew that one day I needed to complete Maxime-Alphonse. I had spent a lot of time in book one, but I had never worked through the other books completely. I decided that this time of social distancing was the perfect opportunity for the entire set of 200 etudes. This undertaking proved to be the most rewarding time of practice that I have ever experienced on the horn. I perceive that I am an entirely different horn player, having worked through these books. My sight-reading skills are better, and I feel much more confident in approaching what I would consider to be nearly “impossible” literature. My aural awareness, articulation, sound, rhythm, dynamic control, and technical facility have all been sharpened by these studies.

Finishing all six books took nearly 20 weeks for me to complete from early spring through the summer. I marked each etude that I found to be especially challenging or helpful to return to later. I simultaneously worked on Bach Cello Suites, Bordogni vocal studies, stopped or F horn-only Kopprasch, and some Schantl exercises to balance out my practice. With the Bordogni, I played the treble clef version and transposed them to an upward key, a downward key, and down an octave. I learned the value of studying Bordogni in various octaves from my undergraduate teacher, Michael Morrow. Practicing Bordogni this way is an incredible endeavor for developing a lyrical refined approach on the horn, so it balanced out my practice well.

Depending on the standard one holds one’s self to, there are difficult etudes in each book of Maxime-Alphonse. These etudes have endless applications. The detail of articulation and dynamic markings alone provides opportunities for intense work on extremes. For me, the virtuosic etudes in books five and six had to be played slower than marked and broken down into one measure at a time. I chose not to play the numerous repeats marked in book six, and I made sure to take breaks often to avoid injury. Interestingly, I found that some of the studies in book six were no more impossible than studies in earlier books, but I would say that I got the most benefit out of the first five books.

I had a lot of fun practicing these studies. They are so well-written for our instrument. I would attribute the utility of Maxime-Alphonse etudes to their creative musical material, stylistic diversity, technical demands, and sudden shifts in register and dynamic. The delicate studies in book two, for example, are fantastic challenges for developing ultra-finesse. The content in these books tends to be less predictably repetitive than other etudes, so they keep the player on their toes. Attention to detail is key to successfully performing them. There are numerous stories of renowned horn teachers who have demanded strict care with the details in all aspects of these studies. Many virtuosos have pointed to their study of these etudes as contributive to their development.

The French tradition has produced so many similarly invaluable studies with rich musical content and practical applications for the horn. I plan on working through Barboteu’s etudes in the near future. There are several books of Gallay etudes that I would like to play through as well. Since finishing Maxime-Alphonse, I have completed both volumes of Müller’s 34 Studies and Belloli’s 8 Studies, and I am working through Kling’s 40 Studies. I have returned to Maxime-Alphonse to continue to refine the etudes I have marked for lifetime practice; a technique I picked up from my horn teacher Michael Morrow, who picked it up from his teacher Christopher Leuba, another advocate of Maxime-Alphonse. In 2021, all six books of Maxime-Alphonse will be in the public domain. I look forward to incorporating these wonderful books in my teaching. If you are seeking a rewarding challenge, I highly recommend working through our fantastic catalogue of etudes, especially Maxime-Alphonse!

Best wishes to everyone in this difficult time!

Matthew C. Haislip is a hornist, teacher, and composer currently serving as Assistant Professor of Horn at Mississippi State University. He is a founding member of Quintasonic Brass and has performed with such ensembles as the Cincinnati Opera, Opera Naples, and Omaha Symphony. His recent publication Dueling Fundamentals for Two Horns is published by Mountain Peak Music. Dr. Haislip holds degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, and Texas A&M University-Commerce. His website may be found at www.matthaislip.com.