Now More Than Ever…
This is by far one of the weirder situations I’ve experienced in my life, and I’m sure many of you can relate. So, for this post I’m just going to list a bunch of music I like—horn concerto or otherwise, in case anybody would want to take a listen and put their minds off of the current situation.
A piece that I absolutely loved playing last semester was Percy Grainger’s “Colonial Song,” written about his hometown in Australia. The first note is like a warm sigh that just wraps around you—the song is gentle but also playful, and the swell of the piece towards the end always gives me goosebumps. Whenever I hear this song, it forces me to reminisce about where I came from, too. Playing this song, it was impossible for me to ever be in a bad mood. I’d also highly recommend the piano arrangement, which I believe was actually his original piece—the band arrangement came second. It’s just absolutely beautiful music.
If you’re looking for a more contemplative song, but still equally emotive, I’d recommend Piazzolla’s “Oblivion.” It’s a sadder, slower piece that is traditionally performed by a woodwind quintet: a French horn, bassoon, flute, clarinet, and oboe. I’ve linked to an arrangement by Imani Winds, who I’m partial to because I saw them perform this live; however, any arrangement has its own unique texture and qualities. The Imani Winds group gives a little bit of a jazzy edge at times to the sound, especially on their last chord; they balance it beautifully with the darkness of the tone. If a black hole had a song, it’d be this piece.
For this piece, I’ll say if you have time to listen to the whole thing—roughly fifty minutes long—then you absolutely should. I’m talking about Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” a piece with one movement for every planet. If you only have a few minutes to spare, then I would listen to my personal favorite of the movements, “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity.” However, each movement has a different feel and tone, and each are so emotive in such different ways. Jupiter, for example, has a section that’s structured around the hymn “I Vow To Thee, My Country,” also written by Gustav Holst. It’s a heartfelt chant about the love one has for their home; the other sections of Jupiter are equally bombastic and joyful, with a lot of flute and other instruments that create a kind of “sparkling” feel.
One of my absolute favorite solo horn pieces is Paul Dukas’s “Villanelle,” a piece just for horn and piano. The beginning is confident and strong, but it quickly settles into a gentle melody which is always delightful to play. But after just a bit, it quickly picks up again, into complex runs—my favorite part, however, is how simple the runs sound regardless. Compositionally it’s a wonderful piece, with intricate piano harmonies as well. I’ve been trying to learn it on my own time, but it’s an intense piece for sure. It switches at one part to stopped horn, and has quite a demanding range for anyone who plays it, as well as a tricky fast-paced section.
And finally, I would recommend—though a little long!—John Mackey’s “Wine-Dark Sea.” It’s roughly thirty minutes, and it charts the Greek myth of Odysseus as he travels from place to place. My favorite movement—there are three—is the second, which tells the story of how Odysseus spent seven years marooned on an island with Calypso. Odysseus eventually remembers that he has to go back to his kingdom, and leaves Calypso, which leaves her heartbroken. It has some very emotional moments.
I’d make this list longer, but I don’t think I would ever stop. If you decided to listen, great! I hope it helped take your mind off of these weird times. When I re-listened to them today, it certainly did.