Recital Pieces for Two Horns and Piano, Vol. 2
arr. by Cynthia Carr
$23
The original repertoire for two horns with piano is somewhat limited, and consists mostly of difficult baroque and classical duo-concertos (in which the piano plays the orchestra reduction), and a small number of excellent contemporary works such as Andrea Clearfield’s Into the Falcon’s Eye and Randall Faust’s Three American Folk Songs . I have always enjoyed Verne Reynolds’ Brahms vocal duet arrangements for two horns and piano, and have taken them as my inspiration for these Recital Duets. My aim in presenting these arrangements is to expand the range of pieces for two horns and piano – to provide duos that are not especially difficult technically, but are musically satisfying. I hope that these pieces will be utilized by hornists in many different circumstances: by students, who may appreciate the camaraderie and moral support of performing with another horn player; by professional players sharing a recital with a colleague in a conference or guest artist situation; and by avocational players for enjoyment.
Program Notes
Felix Mendelssohn and his older sister Fanny came from a distinguished German family. Born in Hamburg, they grew up in a privileged intellectual environment in Berlin, where their father Abraham was a respected banker. Abraham and his wife Lea recognized the extraordinary musical talents of both Felix and Fanny, and gave them the best instruction available. The two studied piano, music theory and composition with renowned teachers of the day. In the early 1820’s, Abraham established a series of Sunday house-concerts called “Sonntagsmusiken”, in which he hired professional musicians to perform the compositions of his son and daughter for a select and approving circle of friends and colleagues, and presented Felix and Fanny as performers as well. In 1829, Felix began to travel abroad, and went on to take up various conducting posts; his compositions were published, widely dispersed, and respected during his lifetime. Meanwhile Fanny remained in Berlin, and married Wilhelm Hensel. She continued to present her compositions in the Sonntagsmusiken, but because of the societal pressures of the day, most of her music was not published during her lifetime, and her audience circle remained small. Both Felix and Fanny lived an unfortunately short life, dying within months of one another in 1847. History looks back on Felix as a major composer of the early Romantic period, and Fanny as a composer of great talent and fine skill, who made the most of the opportunities available to her as a woman musician in the early 19th century.
All six of the duets presented here were originally for two sopranos. Felix Mendelssohn’s Herbstlied is from a set of six duets for sopranos and piano, opus 63, composed between the years 1836 and 1845.
Wohin is from the motet Surrexit pastor – one of three motets Felix composed in 1830 for female voices and organ. It is notable that he was traveling in Italy during this time, and these are the only motets in his compositional output. Both Herbstlied and Wohin demonstrate Felix Mendelssohn’s emphasis on clarity and his adherence to classical ideals.
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel wrote a great number of lieder for one and two voices. These duets have a charming freshness and transparency. I have arranged them in related keys so that they can be performed together as a set of two, three or four.
Program Notes
Felix Mendelssohn and his older sister Fanny came from a distinguished German family. Born in Hamburg, they grew up in a privileged intellectual environment in Berlin, where their father Abraham was a respected banker. Abraham and his wife Lea recognized the extraordinary musical talents of both Felix and Fanny, and gave them the best instruction available. The two studied piano, music theory and composition with renowned teachers of the day. In the early 1820’s, Abraham established a series of Sunday house-concerts called “Sonntagsmusiken”, in which he hired professional musicians to perform the compositions of his son and daughter for a select and approving circle of friends and colleagues, and presented Felix and Fanny as performers as well. In 1829, Felix began to travel abroad, and went on to take up various conducting posts; his compositions were published, widely dispersed, and respected during his lifetime. Meanwhile Fanny remained in Berlin, and married Wilhelm Hensel. She continued to present her compositions in the Sonntagsmusiken, but because of the societal pressures of the day, most of her music was not published during her lifetime, and her audience circle remained small. Both Felix and Fanny lived an unfortunately short life, dying within months of one another in 1847. History looks back on Felix as a major composer of the early Romantic period, and Fanny as a composer of great talent and fine skill, who made the most of the opportunities available to her as a woman musician in the early 19th century.
All six of the duets presented here were originally for two sopranos. Felix Mendelssohn’s Herbstlied is from a set of six duets for sopranos and piano, opus 63, composed between the years 1836 and 1845.
Wohin is from the motet Surrexit pastor – one of three motets Felix composed in 1830 for female voices and organ. It is notable that he was traveling in Italy during this time, and these are the only motets in his compositional output. Both Herbstlied and Wohin demonstrate Felix Mendelssohn’s emphasis on clarity and his adherence to classical ideals.
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel wrote a great number of lieder for one and two voices. These duets have a charming freshness and transparency. I have arranged them in related keys so that they can be performed together as a set of two, three or four.