Faye-Ellen Silverman
by Caiti Beth McKinney
Hello all!
I am so excited to be introducing diverse composers and their works for horn every month in Horn and More! Our first feature is on prolific composer, author, and educator Faye-Ellen Silverman.
Born in New York City, Silverman has studied music since childhood, including piano, clarinet, viola, and composition. Having attained advanced degrees from Harvard and Columbia University, Silverman has been a faculty member at The Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University and The Mannes School of Music at the New School, and she is currently teaching at New York University and Juilliard Extension. Additionally, she is a founding member of the International Women’s Brass Conference and currently serves on their Board of Directors, and she is the Board Secretary of New York Women Composers, Inc.
Silverman has written many pieces which feature the horn in combination with other instruments. One of her more recent works, Singing to My Mother (2018), was commissioned by Julie Landsman in memory of her mother. Melodic material in this solo horn piece is based on the Jewish lullaby “Raisins and Almonds,” which was popularized in 1880 by poet and playwright Abraham Goldfaden for his Yiddish musical Shulamis. Singing to My Mother takes the horn on an emotional journey across the range of the horn, frequently dipping into bass clef as the melody varies and transforms.
Another of Silverman’s notable works is entitled Protected Sleep, for horn and marimba. The music is also based on a Jewish melody, “Durme, Durme,” a Judeo-Spanish lullaby which translates to “Sleep, Sleep.” Drawing on the incredible colors created by such a combination, Protected Sleep allows both the horn and marimba to shine individually and as a duo through alternating moments of unison, solo, and complex counterpoint.
Left Behind for horn and mezzo-soprano sets the poems “The Dream” and “Sonnet II” from Renascence and Other Poems (1917) by Edna St. Vincent Millay, is a tour-de-force of communication. In particular, the challenging third movement, “Solo Horn Interlude,” is highly emotional but richly rewarding for the performer.
Silverman’s other works for horn include Dialogue for horn and tuba, Dialogue Continued for horn, trombone, and tuba, From Sorrow for trumpet, horn, and bass trombone, and several brass quintets and woodwind quintets. Many of these pieces can be heard on her album Manhattan Stories recorded by horn players David Jolley and Ann Ellsworth.
For more information, please visit Faye-Ellen Silverman’s website at https://www.fayeellensilverman.com or visit www.subitomusic.com to purchase her music.
