Horn Recital
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Robert Schumann, Camille Saint-Saëns, Peter Maxwell Davies, Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Alan Abbott, Thomas Frederick Dunhill, Franz Joseph Strauss, Richard Strauss, Francis Poulenc
Label: Virtuosi
Magazine Review Date: 9/1992
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 65
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 754420-2

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Villanelle |
Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Composer
Michael Thompson, Horn Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Composer Philip Fowke, Piano |
Nocturno |
Franz Joseph Strauss, Composer
Franz Joseph Strauss, Composer Michael Thompson, Horn Philip Fowke, Piano |
Morceau de concert |
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer Michael Thompson, Horn Philip Fowke, Piano |
Adagio and Allegro |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Michael Thompson, Horn Philip Fowke, Piano Robert Schumann, Composer |
Andante |
Richard Strauss, Composer
Michael Thompson, Horn Philip Fowke, Piano Richard Strauss, Composer |
Elégie |
Francis Poulenc, Composer
Francis Poulenc, Composer Michael Thompson, Horn Philip Fowke, Piano |
Cornucopia A sheaf of Miniatures |
Thomas Frederick Dunhill, Composer
Michael Thompson, Horn Philip Fowke, Piano Thomas Frederick Dunhill, Composer |
Sea Eagle |
Peter Maxwell Davies, Composer
Michael Thompson, Horn Peter Maxwell Davies, Composer |
Alla caccia |
Alan Abbott, Composer
Alan Abbott, Composer Michael Thompson, Horn Philip Fowke, Piano |
Author: Christopher Headington
Not all the music is so distinguished. To judge from his Nocturno (sic.), Franz Strauss (a professional horn player himself) was no genius and seemingly not too good at spelling either, since the Italian word is notturno! But his son Richard inherited from him a love for the horn and wrote finely for it, as we hear in the Andante played here, as well as his two concertos and orchestral music. Schumann's piece is recognizable as such, but musically unremarkable—I see that in her book on the composer (Dent: 1977), JOC groups it among his ''pleasing miniatures'', though at eight and a half minutes it is not that short.
The Poulenc Elegie was written in memory of Dennis Brain (for whom Alan Abbott wrote his tuneful and brilliant Alla caccia) and makes a stronger impression. So does Maxwell Davies's three-movement Sea Eagle for solo horn, a work short on melodic charm but possessing imaginative sweep—there are some angry squawks! Thomas Dunhill's name may be familiar to readers as a composer of well-crafted educational piano music: the six miniatures of his Cornucopia are delightfully written for both instruments, and I'm sure it would have pleased him to hear them played as charmingly as this. The recording of all this music was made in a Bristol church and sounds natural and faithful.'
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