by Ian Zook
Volume 19—Howard T. Howard
For this installment of Horn on Record, we will be listening to obscure (and very piano-oriented) chamber quintets, one each by Friedrich Kalkbrenner and Louis Spohr. Hornist Howard T. Howard is joined by New York City freelancers on a recording from 1972 on the Turnabout label.
Howard T. Howard (1936-2021) was a Principal Horn of the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera from 1962-2007. He was born in Beatrice, Nebraska, and he took up the horn at age fourteen after relocating to Billings, Montana. He attended the University of Michigan, graduating in 1958 with a degree in music education before enlisting in the United States Air Force. He had a short tenure as Principal Horn of the Toledo Symphony, and then moved to New York to pursue his music career. While substitute teaching elementary school, he won a position with the MET Orchestra and was appointed principal horn in 1962. He shared co-principal duties with Clarendon Van Norman until 1985, and then with Julie Landsman from 1985 until his retirement.
Julie Landsman credits Howard as her first teacher, instructing her through her middle- and high-school years. When she joined him in the MET Orchestra, she recalls his favorite repertoire being the Mozart operas, Handel’s Giulio Cesare, and Strauss’ Rosenkavalier. He was known for his sensitivity in blending tone and phrase, and for his love for the orchestra and his enjoyment of performing through his final 46th season in the section. He was also active in the Newport Classical Chamber Series, frequently sailing his restored Herreshoff S-Class yacht to Rhode Island as well as around Long Island Sound.
Friedrich Kalkbrenner’s Grand Quintet, Op. 81 for piano, clarinet, horn, cello, and bass was composed in 1827. Kalkbrenner, German by nationality, settled in Paris where he gained fame as a pianist of exceptional virtuosity, worked at the Pleyel piano company and also oversaw a music school. He was the most sought-after and highly paid concert pianist from 1824-1833 but was eclipsed by both Chopin and Liszt whose music and performance styles reflected the burgeoning Romantic era.
The second movement, Andante quasi adagio, presents Howard taking the melodic role. He spins forth a Mozartean line supported by clarinet and strings and then has a short dialogue with the piano.
In the following Rondo, resplendent with dazzling piano lines, the horn answers the piano theme. Howard easily moves from the solo voice to a supporting harmonic and rhythmic chamber partner.
Louis Spohr also composed his Quintet, Op. 52 for piano, flute, clarinet, horn and bassoon in the same timeframe as Kalkbrenner, the early 1820’s. Spohr was a dominant figure on European concert stages as a violinist, composer, and conductor. Also written to feature the piano, Spohr’s Quintet does employ the winds more prominently.
In the opening moments of the first movement, Allegro, Howard shapes a beautiful line with soloistic portamento, melding seamlessly with the clarinet and bassoon.
The contrasting theme in the second movement has a flowing, cantabile shape. Howard’s smooth, pulsing articulation and suave solo conjures the operas of Verdi and Puccini, a style he would have perfected with his career at the MET.
Both works seem to have fallen out of favor for chamber music programming. Perhaps this is due to their pianistic demands, or simply that they linger in the shadow of the prominent works for piano and winds by Mozart and Beethoven. Thankfully we have these renditions, the only chamber music recording credited to Howard T. Howard, to inspire those looking for different options in this genre.
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