by Ian Zook
Volume 9—Ferenc Tarjáni
We’re returning to Hungary for this month’s album, unearthing a piece lost to time by composer Endre Székely and performed by the fabulous virtuoso hornist Ferenc Tarjáni. The Concerto in Memoriam Anton Webern was commissioned by Tarjáni in 1973 and recorded for the Hungaroton label in 1976.
Composer Endre Székely studied with Zoltán Kodály in Budapest and was well-regarded for his work with and compositions for choirs, although he did also compose three wind quintets in the early 1960’s. This concerto is based on a quotation of Anton Webern’s music, which grew from pedagogical analysis Székely made while teaching. (A more detailed description of the music and the form of the piece is printed on the reverse side of the album jacket.)
Hornist Ferenc Tarjáni (1938-2017) was born in Dorog, Hungary and came to the horn after a broken wrist derailed his violin studies at the Béla Bartók School of Music. From 1958 onward, he was the first hornist of the Hungarian Radio Orchestra, and between 1962-1966, he was a prize winner at the international competitions in Geneva, Munich, and Budapest. From 1975 until his retirement, he taught at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and has many recordings of solo and chamber music to his credit. He was a founding member of the Budapest Chamber Ensemble and the Tarján Horn Quartet, and a member of the Hungarian Wind Quintet. His musical prominence has been acknowledged by the Franz Liszt Prize in 1965 and 1967, and the Bartók-Pászthory Prize in 2002.
This concerto is certainly demanding for the soloist, as several cadenza passages explore the wide range of techniques possible on the horn. This example, bookending low bass grumbles, leads to a climatic horn call accompanied by chattering woodwinds:
A later section uses the horn as a musical conduit, tying together fragmented choruses of woodwinds, brass, and then strings:
Another long cadenza displays Tarjáni’s incredible range and dexterity as the sustained pedal tones are contrasted by increasing exclamatory interjections into the high range, leading to a soaring high E♭:
While this concerto may challenge the listener through its striking tonality and challenging formal construction, it does have moments of repose and beauty. Tarjáni plays with warmth and woodwind-like clarity as the piece concludes:
If you enjoy contemporary horn solos, find yourself a recording on vinyl of this concerto! Since few of these pieces enter the standard repertoire, it is so important that artists like Tarjáni continue to push the boundaries of our instrument and how it can be used in every sonic landscape. Thanks, as always, for reading Horn on Record!
