Horn on Record—Wiener Waldhornverein Jahre 100
by Ian Zook
Volume 17 celebrates a recording made for the 100th year of the Wiener Waldhornverein. The “WWV” is the oldest continually operating horn club dedicated to preserving the sound and style of the Vienna Horn. The “Jahre 100” album was recorded in 1983 to commemorate their centennial anniversary, and it includes twenty-seven players performing music spanning the history of their ensemble.
The history of the Wiener Waldhornverein begins in 1879 with Josef Schantl, solo horn of the Imperial and Royal Court Opera in Vienna, who organized a quartet of horns to perform for the parade commemorating the 25th wedding anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph I and his wife Elisabeth. Schantl, inspired by the success of the quartets he had composed for the occasion, founded the “First Viennese Horn Club” in 1883. Very notably among the founding members was Johannes Brahms—a great advocate for the Austrian hunting music promoted by the ensemble.
Throughout the history of the WWV, members of all the professional orchestras in Vienna as well as amateurs joined together to preserve the sound and style of the Vienna horn. They were featured at the 1st International Brass Congress, held in Montreux, Switzerland, in 1976, and have also established a publishing company to promote their vast collection of horn ensemble music.
The Vienna horn, or Wiener Pumpenhorn, has been in constant use by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra since 1870. These horns are three valve single-F horns designed essentially as a 19th Century Inventionshorns with double-piston valves, a design that uses a clock-spring casing that was patented by Leopold Uhlmann in 1830. The Vienna horn uses a terminal crook, and while mostly played in F, they can also be crooked in E, E♭, G, A, and B♭ alto. The distinct sound of these instruments is found in elegant legato and portamento, golden-hued tone, deeper resonance in articulation, and the captivating energy produced in the upper extremes of dynamics and range.
This Wiener Waldhornverein “Jahre 100” recording was produced in 1983 during a horn symposium in the Vienna Konzerthaus under the direction of Siegfried Schwarzl of the Vienna State Opera. The varied selections showcase many of the composers and iconic pieces that define and preserve the Vienna horn traditions.
The Hungarian Fanfare was among the pieces composed and performed by Josef Schantl for the 1883 parade. In this recording, the WWV uses E♭ parforce horns to reflect on the hunting associations of this music:
Karl Stiegler, solo horn of the Vienna Philharmonic from 1906-1932, contributed a large amount of horn ensemble music to the WWV. His piece, O Dirndl tief drunt im Tal, is a wonderfully expressive setting of this traditional Austrian folksong:
A brief Study in Jazz after Irving Berlin, by Dieter Angerer, features Margo Totzauer in a short solo as the WWV interprets this tune from the Great American Songbook:
Helmuth Foschauer’s Mauerbacher Festmusik was written for the 650th anniversary of the Maeurbach Charterhouse, a Baroque monastic complex 20 km outside of Vienna. This grand fanfare resonates with the rich sound and searing high range of the Wiener Waldhornverein:
I hope you have enjoyed learning more about the unique and lasting tradition of the Wiener Waldhornverein. Thank you for reading Horn on Record!
Hornscapes CD (1ª Parte)
por Ricardo Matosinhos
Olá a todos os trompistas e entusiastas da trompa que recebem mensalmente a newsletter Horn and More da International Horn Society. Este mês, estou muito feliz por anunciar o lançamento do meu CD. Lançar uma gravação é sempre um momento especial, mas neste caso, torna-se ainda mais especial devido às histórias que estão por trás dela. Para celebrar o lançamento deste CD, vou oferecer 2 CDs às primeiras pessoas que responderem às perguntas publicadas nas edições de setembro, outubro e novembro. Acredito que isto vai ser divertido!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhI67mbya-I
As peças incluídas nesta gravação nasceram todas da minha investigação de Doutoramento intitulada “Definição e Análise dos Elementos Idiomáticos em Obras Compostas por Trompistas.” Resumidamente, esta investigação teve como objetivo identificar os elementos específicos que tornam uma peça idiomaticamente adequada para a trompa, com foco em obras compostas por trompistas, nativos do idioma trompístico. Esta compilação oferece uma seleção dessas peças, criando paisagens sonoras únicas—ou mais apropriadamente, Hornscapes. A trompa é um instrumento notável, capaz de produzir um som rico e brilhante, ao mesmo tempo que se funde com as cores tonais delicadas dos sopros de madeira. Além disso, este CD inclui duas peças compostas por mim, que apresentam a Tuba Wagneriana em cenários musicais contrastantes. Ao longo destas gravações, encontrará vários géneros e uma multiplicidade de técnicas avançadas. No entanto, é importante notar que estas técnicas não são meramente uma demonstração da destreza técnica do intérprete, mas sim uma demonstração das diversas possibilidades e expressões da trompa.
Estou também a organizar uma campanha de crowdfunding para ajudar a cobrir os custos do lançamento do CD. Se quiser contribuir, pode receber um CD ou até mesmo uma peça composta por mim e dedicada a si. Veja estas informações aqui: https://ppl.pt/pt/horn
Agora é a altura para a primeira pergunta deste jogo. Está pronto?
The Ambitious Amateur—About Jay Kosta
by Marty Schlenker
Dear Fellow Amateurs,
This month, amateur Jay Kosta is featured. Jay contributed to this column two months ago with a helpful embouchure treatise. Now, more about Jay.
Jay grew up in Cleveland and began his musical life playing the trumpet. His first lessons were at the music shop where his trumpet was purchased. These were followed by lessons from a faculty member of the Cleveland Institute.
After college, Jay relocated to Binghamton NY, which was a hub of employment for IBM. He sought to join the IBM Band there, which had been active since 1915. The trumpet section was full, but the band needed horn players, and they loaned him a single F horn.
The appeal of the horn grew, and Jay purchased a King double horn and later a Yamaha 668. While Jay doesn’t try to emulate the sound and style of any specific professional, his Cleveland roots influence him to go for a big, rich sound, which the 668 enables. Jay has been through a few mouthpieces before settling on a Conn 7. Jay found that its narrow throat improves upper register intonation.
The IBM Band reflected the company’s penchant for organization. Jay recounts that the band put on 20 performances annually, with music chosen specifically for each week, on a three-year programming cycle. The sixty programs were filed with folders for each chair. Concerts would be preceded by a single rehearsal—a whirlwind for new members, but “all in a week’s work” for band veterans.
In 2001, economic conditions led IBM to eliminate the Band. The grand finale of the IBM Band was Jay’s most memorable performance. Their weekly outdoor concerts had been drawing 30-40, but news that the band was shutting down spread far and wide, and a standing-room crowd of 500+ bid them farewell. The program included the IBM march, Ever Onward, and Billie Holiday’s I’ll be Seeing You.
A few years before, Jay had also joined the Maine Community Band, an even older institution, operating continuously since 1861. In addition to concerts, the Maine Band participates in parades on a band wagon pulled by a pickup.
Jay observed this about his role in his section: “I play second these days. My job is to make the first horn sound great.” And about his section’s role within the community band: “The role of trombone and horn is to reinforce the trumpet section…provide them a foundation to ride on.”
Jay credits The Trumpet Herald and its well-organized forums for horn-transferable insights. Jay sees many more similarities than differences in trumpet and horn pedagogy, noting that both teachers and students have to overcome the fact that fine movements are hidden and difficult to describe.
High register playing is a universal topic, in addition to balancing pressure between the upper and lower lips, and the role of the tongue. Jay once was stuck at G or A above the staff. “I was doing the ‘Armstrong Method,’ and it wasn’t going anywhere. But playing isn’t about pain tolerance. It’s finesse, a skill game with very fine movements. Now when I’m fresh, I can reach the upper C. When I’m in my basement, I can play Wagner’s horn call.”
Jay’s experience reminds us that the internet can be a great gift to those who strive for self-improvement. Jay read, listened, watched, experimented, trialed, and achieved.
How many of you out there have been led to playing opportunities at work? What forums have helped you improve your playing? Please let us know by contacting me at marty.schlenker@cavaliers.org.
Your servant and kindred spirit,
Marty Schlenker
Amateur hornist
Student Column—College Audition Preparation: Strategies for Success
by Inman Hebert
The task of preparing for college auditions can seem daunting to any student. These auditions hold the power to alter a student’s immediate and long-term futures. Regardless of the stakes, taking a calculated approach makes the audition process more manageable.
Start early. That simple phrase can save immense hassle. At the beginning of September, students should already have a list of schools and an idea of what to play for each audition. For students not yet decided, see the Horn and More student column Deciding Where to Audition for College, published September 2023. Students who still need to finalize their audition material should review the institution’s requirements and follow the listed guidelines, which often require contrasting selections. Creating a chart will highlight potential overlap to narrow audition lists and focus preparation. Choose music that showcases your current strengths as a musician and stretches your potential but does not exceed your ability to polish each selection. With these ideas in mind, students have four to five months to prepare their lists fully.
The first part of college audition preparation involves working up each piece's basic notes and rhythms. As simple as it sounds, many students go into auditions rhythmically imprecise. Practicing with a metronome is paramount to rhythmic accuracy during the audition. The tempo of every audition piece needs to be checked metronomically on a near-daily basis to ensure that poor rhythmic habits never emerge. Slowing down the music can help students work on technical accuracy. Students can significantly improve their precision by practicing correctly at slower tempos and gradually increasing the tempo as capable. Paying careful attention to rhythmic and technical details of pieces creates a solid foundation on which to build.
Audition preparation requires dedication, consistency, and thoughtful practice. Attention to detail from the beginning will prevent mindless, repeated playing of the same music without improvement. Record and listen to yourself. Is the sound solid? Is the music in tune? Are the breaths being incorporated as marked? Break apart the different components of the music and put it together step by step.
When feeling overwhelmed, a student may be tempted to neglect fundamentals; however, some challenges in repertoire preparation may occur due to gaps in ability. For example, a student with struggles in the high range should address this issue daily with high-range exercises. Trying repeatedly to hit high B-flats in a Mozart concerto will be useless if the note is not achievable in fundamental sessions. The same concept applies to articulation, stopped horn, low horn, and many other fundamental areas of horn playing.
Another major challenge of college auditions can be knowing how to divide practice time to prepare all music to the same standard. Many professors recommend dividing pieces into three categories grouped by proficiency. In a week, most preparation time should be spent on the weakest of the three categories, with progressively less time on the more prepared categories. At the end of the week, reevaluate preparation levels and regroup the music. Then, “rinse and repeat.”
After a certain level of technical preparation, focus on musicality. College audition repertoire can generally be divided into three major categories: etudes, solo repertoire, and excerpts. Each category holds its musical challenges which require different styles of preparation.
Etude preparation is often seen as a battle for technical accuracy. However, even the most straightforward Kopprasch etude contains musical phrases that can be brought out. Preparing technical etudes as lyrical pieces brings out their musicality and makes the piece's technical challenges seem less daunting. Rather than focusing on each note of the piece, focus on creating longer musical phrases; this actually assists overall accuracy.
For solo repertoire, listen to recordings to understand their musicality. Listening to performers’ musical interpretations can help shape the way you perform. In practice, after having reasonable technical control over the repertoire, work on the phrasing of the music. Create broad musical phrases which convey your musical self in performance.
Most orchestral excerpts, on the other hand, offer less musical freedom. Orchestral excerpts require an extraordinary amount of attention to detail. In addition to practicing the correct notes and rhythms, preparing excerpts involves comprehending their context. By listening to the orchestra parts, one can learn to play the excerpt in an appropriate style.
Students worried about college audition day might want to reference Be Yourself: A Constructive Approach to College Auditions in the January 2024 Horn and More Student Column; however, do not neglect performance before auditioning. Play audition selections for anyone willing to listen, from band directors to music teachers to parents. Practicing the art of performing for others can help assuage the nerves of audition day. With repetition and simulation of audition day conditions, one can maximize their chances of success.
Meet the People—Monica Martinez
by Monica Martinez
Hello! I am Monica Martinez, and I am the new Secretary on the Executive Council of the International Horn Society. I am from Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley in the far south of Texas. I completed my undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University at Kingsville and my graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
I am currently Assistant Professor at the University of Texas—Rio Grande Valley, and I am an active, passionate educator and freelance musician. I recently did an interview with James Boldin for The Horn Call Podcast, Episode 49. Fun fact: I have my degrees in both Music Education and Horn Performance, which is perfect for me because I’ve had the opportunity to be able to focus on various levels in both fields. I also get opportunities to travel and perform, a balance that I had always wanted and needed in my life. I am always appreciative of every opportunity that comes my way, and I love the chance to network and meet new people and perform in different types of ensembles. I always look forward to attending as many local, regional, national, and international events that I can each year.
I am grateful to the IHS Advisory Council and the Horn community for the ability to continue in this new role. I will continue to provide a service that is aimed at growth, stability, diversity, and inclusivity.
If you would like to know more about me, feel free to search any of the links below:
The Horn Call Podcast, Episode 49: Monica Martinez
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-mgx8b-1623476
UTRGV Horn Studio Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/utrgvhornstudio
UTRGV School of Music
https://www.utrgv.edu/music/people/faculty
Chromatic Brass Collective
https://www.chromaticbrass.org/monica-martinez
International Horn Society, Advisory Council
https://www.hornsociety.org/ihs-people/a-c
2024-25 Officers and Advisory Council
The annual general meeting of International Horn Society membership was held on Wednesday, July 31, at IHS 56 in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Officers and Advisory Council members for the next year were announced at the meeting and are as follows:
Officers:
President: Peter Luff, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Vice-President: J. Bernardo Silva, Porto, Portugal
Secretary: Monica Martinez, Edinburg, Texas, USA
Treasurer: Jennifer Sholtis, Kingsville, Texas, USA
IHS Advisory Council:
Lisa Bontrager, Emeritus Distinguished Professor, Pennsylvania State University
Emma Brown, Graduate Student, Chicago College of Performing Arts
Randy Gardner, Cincinnati Conservatory, retired
Tommi Hyytinen, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts, Helsinki
Gabriella Ibarra, Latino America Horns, Horn and More
Marilyn Bone Kloss, Assistant Editor of The Horn Call
Ben Lieser, University of Central Florida
Peter Luff, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Monica C. Martinez, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley
Ken Pope, Pope Instrument Repair
Jeff Scott, Oberlin Conservatory
Jennifer Ratchford Sholtis, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
J. Bernardo Silva, Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Richard Todd, University of Miami, Los Angeles Studio Musician
Margaret Tung, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
Lucca Zambonini, Orquestra Sinfônica Municipal de Campinas, Brazil
Horn on Record
by Ian Zook
Volume 16—Vitaly Buyanovsky
This month, we will honor Vitaly Buyanovsky, a prolific performer, teacher, and composer who famously exemplified the characteristics of the Russian school of sound and interpretation. Buyanovsky recorded several albums, many of which have been compiled into a collected multi-volume set on compact disc released by a Russian label and available only as an import. The pieces we will examine, Beethoven’s Rondino in E-flat Major for Wind Octet and Sextet in E-Flat Major, Op. 71 for two clarinets, two horns, and two bassoons, still remain available only on the 1970 Melodiya vinyl release.
Vitaly Mikhaelovich Buyanovsky (1928-1993) was born in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) and raised in a musical family. His horn studies began with his father Mikhael Nicolaevich Buyanovsky who was principal horn of the Kirov Opera Orchestra and professor of horn at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory. At 18, Vitaly joined his father in the Kirov section and also continued his academic studies, earning a master’s in art criticism and producing a doctoral thesis centered on Tchaikovsky’s scoring for horn in his symphonies and operas. In 1955, Buyanovsky became solo horn of the Leningrad Philharmonic under conductor Yevgeny Mravinsky and was also appointed to the faculty of the Conservatory. Additionally, he taught at the Music High School and maintained his teaching and orchestral performing throughout the next 40 years of his career.
Hailed as a beacon of Russian artistry, Buyanovsky earned notable accolades, winning the International Reicha Competition in Prague in 1953 and the International Competition in Vienna in 1959. He made numerous recordings for the state-run Melodiya label, resulting in over three dozen interpretations of repertoire, including the Mozart concerti, Britten’s Serenade, numerous chamber works, as well as many of his own compositions. Buyanovsky described the Russian horn tradition as a combination of the Western romantic-classical style and Russian sacred vocal music that is present in the works of the great Russian composers until Shostakovich, and his recordings exemplify this beautiful lyrical merging.
While many may be familiar with Buyanovsky’s compositions through his Four Improvisations (from Traveling Impressions)—and even moreso through the Espãna movement—he was a prolific composer across a breadth of genres. In summary, he either composed, arranged, or edited over forty-eight works, ranging from solo works for trumpet, trombone, horn, and timpani, to ballet scores, quintets for both brass and woodwinds, and several other chamber configurations.
The International Horn Society bestowed on Buyanovsky Honorary Membership in 1985.
Beethoven’s horn chamber works for horn are well-known, principally his Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-Flat, Op. 16, the Sonata for Horn in F and Piano, Op. 17, and the Sextet for Two Horns and String Quartet in E-Flat, Op. 81b. Much less frequently performed are the contents of this recording, the Rondino for Octet and the Wind Sextet, Op. 71.
While these pieces do not feature the horns to the degree of virtuosity of the Sextet, Op. 81b, the precise ensemble and light timbre of the horns are noteworthy. Buyanovsky is joined by Vladimir Shalyt playing second horn in these chamber selections.
The Rondino begins with the melody in the first horn, harmonized by second bassoon. Curiously, Beethoven places the horns first in score order above the other winds, leading the way formally with this idiomatic opening:
The conclusion of the Rondino also features the horns with an indication to play the echoing calls con sordino. Buyanovsky and Shalyt opt to play shaded dynamics to achieve this effect as timing for a mute change is treacherous unless the senza tempo indication is truly indulged.
Beethoven’s use of the horns in the Sextet, Op. 71 is largely supporting rhythm and harmony, with a few standout moments. At the end of the first movement Allegro, the second horn is treated with an arpeggiated outburst to propel the closing coda:
In the final movement Rondo of the Sextet, Op. 71, the horns provide much of the underpinning dotted eight-sixteenth rhythmic motor. Again, divided triplets between the two horns accelerate the rhythmic rate of the tempo, so Buyanovsky and Shalyt let loose with vigor for a bombastic ending to this charming wind chamber work:
There is a rich trove of recordings and compositions Buyanovsky created to share his singular and characteristic musical craft with us all. Seek them out and be inspired. Thanks for reading Horn on Record!
Chamber Music Corner—Ernő Dohnányi’s Sextet Op. 37 (1935)
by Layne Anspach
Hello musicians!
Ernő Dohnányi (1877-1960) was a Hungarian pianist, conductor, teacher, and composer. He was born in Pozsony, now Bratislava, where he was musically trained by the cathedral organist and his father. He finished his formal training in piano and composition at the Budapest Academy. Dohnányi quickly achieved recognition for his skills as a pianist, cementing himself as both a soloist and composer in Europe and the USA by 1900. This acclaim led to positions at the Hochschule in Berlin and the Budapest Academy. While at the Budapest Academy, he taught piano and composition, eventually becoming the director. Through the difficulties surrounding World War II, he eventually found his way to Florida State University as composer-in-residence from 1949 until his death.
While bedridden with thrombosis for a few months, Dohnányi wrote the Sextet for Piano, Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Viola, and Cello, Op. 37, which was his final chamber work. The first movement, Allegro appassionato, begins with piano and cello providing the foundation for the opening. The other voices interject with the horn leading the first statement. While itself not overly bright, the opening theme is countered by a dark second statement in unison strings and piano. The piano cascades downward into another character, and all this occurs within the first minute. The entire movement can be described as tempestuous with only hints of calm and tranquility; the twists and turns warrant a close listen.
The second movement, Intermezzo, adagio, begins with a tranquil scene set by strings and piano. The serenity is broken with the introduction of a march, led by the piano. The tranquility of the opening returns, this time including the winds. The movement ends with the tranquil theme and a short interruption by the march. The third movement, Allegro con sentimento, features a loose set of variations. The clarinet presents the melody with string accompaniment. There is a definitive change at the Presto which emulates a scherzo. A lush section, Meno mosso, follows with all voices. Prior to the end of the movement, the horn presents the theme from the first movement, setting up an attacca into the final movement.
The final movement, Allegro vivace, giocoso, starts with a light theme in the piano, which is passed to the clarinet. The ensemble descends into a haphazard waltz seemingly by accident. After a few attempts to break away from the waltz, the ensemble finds its way back to the initial theme. Then, the theme from the first movement finds its way back as the movement comes to a victorious conclusion.
The reference recording features hornist Alec Frank-Gemmill.
