Philip Farkas Video Available to Members

The French Horn, featuring Professor Philip Farkas, was originally produced and released in 1984 by William G. Paulick for The Brass Emporium (Juneau, Alaska). The IHS has purchased the rights to this video as a service to its members, and divided the original two-hour video into eleven segments corresponding to the original eleven "lessons" filmed by Paulick.

The opportunity to hear the thoughts of such a luminary of horn history provides wonderful insights into why Philip Farkas, a legend in the horn world as a player and teacher, was so respected. As one will see, his warm personality is more evidence of why so many of his students loved him and appreciated his wisdom and guidance. Those who are familiar with Farkas's seminal book, The Art of Horn Playing, will find some familiar themes (well, it is the same person!), but the chance to hear these "pearls" directly from the source is heart-warming and even more profound.

The IHS Advisory Council hopes that members will appreciate this service and encourage students and other younger generations to get in touch with a part of horn history.

Jeffrey Snedeker
President, IHS

New Additions in Online Music Sales

More of the Music of Douglas Hill has been added to Online Music Sales:

Oddities for Horns

These pieces for horn quartet are loosely based upon the odd numbers of each of the titles (i.e., the first movement is titled "Ones"; second movement "Fives"; third movement "Threes"; fourth movement "Nines"; fifth movement “Sevens/Elevens”). They are all "for the fun of it", pure and simple (though not necessarily easy). A jazz-like feel, in its many guises, is always prominent throughout each of these songs and dances.

Road Trip for Two

Throughout these five compact, fun-loving, cartoon-like duets for horns both players share equally the numerous twists and turns as well as harmonic, melodic, metric, and rhythmic stops and starts. The two outside duets invite the players to deal with differing dance styles. Keep On Keepin’ On begins as a lightly swung melody in 5/4 which coasts smoothly into and out of a gentle jazz waltz. In Doodah we finally arrive at our destination, a square dance tune at the hoe down. Along the way, in Round About, we travel through a maze of chromaticism which feels like driving in circles. In Stop and Go we are jostled back and forth amidst whole-tone scales, between machine-like progress, and periodic sudden ‘stopping’ (wordplay intended). Changing Lanes returns to a maze of melodic chromaticisms, this time shifting meters as we move on down the road. ENJOY!

Jazz Sonata

Jazz Sonata for Horn and Piano began as three separate original melodies which morphed into a set of solos for horn titled “Three (Jazz) Fantasies for Horn Alone”. From there the sonata evolved and expanded, adding the piano’s range, percussive powers, and tonal capabilities, which greatly enhanced the melodic materials. Each melodic character is presented, after a brief intro, and is then freely and fully developed. Included in the horn writing are some of the more common extended techniques typical in jazz, including those most effective on the horn, such as vibrato, trills, smears, half-stopped, full-stopped, glissandi, bends, flutter-tongue, and doinks.

Movement I is both playful and soulful, with some “cool” walking bass lines coming in and out of a loping and flowing swing feel notated in 12/8. Movement II revolves freely around a simple song, but then finds itself halting, questioning, shifting somewhat awkwardly between muted and open timbres. Movement III is a light-hearted and sometimes rambunctious jazz waltz in 9/8, dancing through angular melodies, dialoguing between stopped and open horn.

Three (Jazz) Fantasies

Three (Jazz) Fantasies for Horn Alone is a set of unaccompanied solos for the horn based upon three original melodies. The tunes are presented after brief introductions and then freely developed, including some of the most common extended techniques typical in jazz and so very effective on the horn. Each “Fantasie” lasts approximately three minutes. ENJOY!

Blueberry Soup is both playful and soulful, with some “cool” walking bass lines coming in and out of a loping and flowing swing feel notated in 12/8. Not So Sure revolves freely around a simple song, but then finds itself halting, questioning, shifting somewhat awkwardly between muted and open timbres. Jelly Jam is a light-hearted and sometimes rambunctious jazz waltz in 9/8, dancing through angular melodies, dialoguing between stopped and open horn.

2016 Survey Results

In 2016, the Advisory Council decided to solicit input from members on a range of subjects related to services that the society performs.  Around 250 people participated, and a pdf of the statistical results is linked below. On behalf of the AC, I want to thank all who participated.  We will offer additional surveys in the future, so please be on the lookout for them and let us know what you think.

If you would like to offer any additional comments, please feel free to send them to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Jeffrey Snedeker

President, IHS

pdf 2016 Survey Results (879 KB)

New Column "Horn Tunes"

Greetings, and welcome to Horn Tunes!

The goal of this new column is to provide a library of pieces free for use by and for members of the International Horn Society. I am Anna Leverenz, the first editor of this new column. I am a Sergeant in the US Army, currently stationed in Germany with the US Army Europe Band. I earned my DMA from the University of Cincinnati in 2011, and have been performing with the Army since 2010.

The intention of HornTunes is to collect short, light pieces that can be enjoyed by students, casual players, and professionals. Submissions for solo horn, horn with accompaniment, and chamber music are all welcome. I want to use this opportunity to encourage original compositions and arrangements of public domain works. Consider submitting music with flexible instrumentation, arrangements or new compositions that are appropriate for worship settings, or chamber music to be enjoyed by friends.

Unlike the IHS Online Music Library, submissions to HornTunes will be considered donations to the IHS and will be made available free of charge to members. The composers or arrangers will retain rights to their works. Arrangements of works that are not in the public domain will be considered, but the arranger must obtain the appropriate permissions.

Please send submissions in PDF format to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Horn Tunes.” 

Anna Leverenz
HornTunes Coordinator

New Addition #2 to "The Music of Douglas Hill" in OMS

Douglas Hill – Jazz Mix for Two, Set 2

Jazz-Mix for 2, Set 2 is a light-hearted group of duets for horns that explore various jazz stylings not typically enjoyed by horn players. The arrangements of these original melodies are written with both parts sharing the tunes and harmonies equally.

Each duet deals with specific performance traditions.

Cha Cha Cha is a Cha Cha. It is also the first melody this composer can actually remember having created back in junior high school. The performance should be quite playful with even eighth notes, crisp staccatos, and a strong Latin dance-like feeling throughout.

Echo Horn Blues makes full use of an extended technique that distinguishes horns from all other instruments; the ability to bend the pitch with the right hand in the bell. Often called “echo horn”, the motion of covering with the hand should lower the pitch only a half-step. The effect is like the “do- wah” common to harmon mutes from trumpets and trombones. Enjoy!

Distant Dawn is a simple, lovely ballad which emphasizes the vibrant warmth of two horns singing together, sharing thoughtful, legato melodic lines and luscious sustained harmonies.

Faulty Waltz is a somewhat typical jazz waltz, notated in a compound meter to advocate for a swing feel. The cool quality and sassy use of dissonances weave through this duet. A few glissandi, aggressive articulations, and twos-over-threes, and fours-over-nines add to the fun.