After yesterday's and other recent events my blog must go on a hiatus.  For how long?  I can't say, but it must drop to the lowest point on the priority list.

As I go for more heart testing over the next week I will be taking care to push what is most important to the front of the line.  I enjoy this blog very much, but I know it will be easy to step away from given the circumstances.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all those who have followed my musings.  Thanks for all the comments and critiques.

I must gird my loins for the end of the year (juries, recordings, etc...) and look forward to a summer of vacation and teaching which is sure to renew my energy and thirst for life.

Thank you,

Bruce Richards

For those who haven't seen this on my Facebook page I share this photo of my conch shell.  After fiddling with the opening to make it more comfortable it dawned on me that I could glue a rim on it to make it easier to play.  

I got an old screw rim and using my Dremel tool I ground down the opening of the shell to take the rim.  The sound and smell of grinding conch shell is just like being at the dentist's office, which brought back some not very pleasant memories.  With some clear epoxy I attached the rim.  It works like a charm.  I can switch back and forth between my horn and the conch without any problem.

Those demonstration concerts just got a quite a bit easier.

This week in the orchestra we played Rachmaninov's Third Symphony.  Rarely performed, what is unusual about the symphony is the amount of hand stopping that is required.  That is not necessarily something of importance, but it did bring up a thought that had been stumbling around in my head for a few months.   How many students, or professionals for that matter, think about historical context when hand stopping.  I am not just talking about technique but also artistic context.  What period is the composer from?  What are this composer's knowledge of horn technique?  Was handstopping a popular technique at the time or was it a new development.

Now when I refer to handstopping I am not thinking of natural horn technique, per se, which was obviously more or less known to all classical composers through to today.  I am talking about the modern "sound effect" or "color" which is hand stopping.  That is not to say that Mozart and Beethoven didn't know very well that they were employing a note which would have to be fully stopped and the effect that note would have on the piece.   Composers such as Debussy thought of a series of color changes that a horn player could make, and his markings and the confusion they engender are a testament to the problems that even plague composers of today.

Debussy:  ouvert, sourdine, cuivré, bouchée, avec sourdine cuivrée, etc…  The best example of this is in the  "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune"

In the Rachmaninov 3rd symphony he has the idea of a series of 4 chords played by the horn section. For the first chord only the 4th horn is stopped and with each successive chord he adds a stopped horn.  So, at the end all 4 horns are stopped.  The dynamics are the same for every note "mfp", but what is obviously intended is a progressive diminuendo over the 4 chords.  Rachmaninov thought by adding stopped horn to each chord he would achieve a softer and softer chord while adding a new color.  The problem lies with the interpretation of a modern horn player. The first chord is 3 horns open and the 4th stopped.  The next chord is 3rd and 4th stopped and 1st and 2nd open, and so on…  A horn player sees the same dynamic for each note so they make sure that the stopped note sounds at the same dynamic level as the open note.  Rachmaninov assumed that stopping the notes would automatically give him a diminuendo.

The 3rd symphony was written in 1935 & 1936. Imagine, that is more than 100 years after Berlioz and his "Symphonie fantastique" with its famous stopped parts and more than 40 years after Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" (1894), and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (1893) with its famous stopped pedal notes.

This is a perfect example of context and the perpetual problem of composers understanding stopped horn.  I have met contemporary composers who don't understand how to notate stopped notes or are unaware of the difference between stopping mutes and hand stopping, or the problems of range for stopped notes.

As with many skills, todays modern horn player is probably much better at extended techniques (if you can call stopping an extended technique nowadays) than the majority of horn players even 50 years ago.  They are more commonly used and more importantly more commonly taught, which wasn't the case even 30 years ago.  The huge upsurge in new music ensembles and pieces for solo horn are responsible for that.

For me, interpreting a stopped passage, or extended technique passage, is no different than deciphering a "fp" or  articulation marking in Mozart vs. Brahms.  You study the style, the context and the technique and make an informed decision on how to interpret the phrase.

I leave you with a couple of examples of stopped solos from Rachmaninov's 3rd Symphony.  The most difficult solo comes at the start of the symphony.  It is a unison solo with the first clarinet and first cello.  Tuning is the big risk here.  I decided to use my Woodstop mute for this section and all B-flat fingerings.  I slightly cupped my hand over the bell of the mute to fine tune the tuning.  I spent a good hour practicing this little solo.  Mute vs. Hand, Tuning, Color, etc…  It was worth it because it is a devil of a little solo.

As an "aside" to this I include this video of a rehearsal/concert of Penderecki's Sextet which has a very famous stopped horn part which you hear right at the beginning of this video.  This video is of the premiere of the work.  Mr. Vlatkovic does his usual amazing job.  I can only find part 1 of this series, but the Sextet has become one of the greatest chamber music pieces with horn.

Krzysztof  Penderecki  Sextet (2002)

 

 

 

 

To those familiar with the International Horn Society Marilyn Bone Kloss is a well known figure.  She has been championing the amateur horn player in the IHS for over 20 years.  She has been the area representative for Massachussets for as long as I can remember, and unofficially for probably all of New England.

I have heard complaints by some IHS members that there is too much amateur orientened programming at workshops and that the Horn Call has too much amateur content.  I couldn't disagree more.  It is a society dedicated to horn playing and horn players and I don't believe the word "professional" in located anywhere in it's "rasion d'être".  Marilyn has shown through numerous workshops, talks and through her newsletter that the amateur horn player is the bedrock upon which the IHS continues to thrive. (especially in the US)  This amazing energy which is felt when you speak to her and read her articles seems to feed off of this desire to make information about the horn accessible to everyone.

I am a member of the "Horn People" group on Facebook and it is filled with both amateurs and professionals.  This group highlights the changing face of professional networking, enthusiastic amateurs, private teachers and horn lovers in general, and Marilyn has changed with the times.

The Cornucopia newsletter started in 1992 as a traditional form of communication for horn players in the Northeast and in particular the New England Horn Choir.  It was, and is, sent by mail 5 times a year, and communicates upcoming events, concerts and includes short articles on a variety of subjects.  At some stage Marilyn opened up the newsletter to anyone interested in receiving it.  I know because I received it by post in Belgium but I must add one amazing fact.

It is completely free.

No advertising and no postage.  She accepts donations to help pay for the venture, but more than anything else it must be her love of the horn which pays for this work.  As her readership has become more international and the world has moved more and more away from snail-mail the newsletter has moved to e-mail delivery and pdf form.  This is great because it saves everyone money.  Is this the future for the Horn Call, who knows.

To commorate 20 years of "Cornucopia" Marilyn has published a book, appropriately titled "Cornucopia:  The Book", with 20 years worth of articles.  This is great for those who have never heard of Cornucopia, or for those who want a permanent record of this resource.  The book is broken down into 13 parts (lucky for us).  They range from "People", "Recording Reviews" and "Poetry" to technical questions and serious debate (triple horn: Frøydis vs. Phil Myers).

The book is a 168 page softcover book self published by Marilyn.  It costs $30, but for IHS members it is $20. (plus postage)

What I love most about the book is that it and the newsletter that spawned it are it's quality writing, well presented and accessible.  The articles are short and concise.  Now some might ask why this newsletter hasn't moved online, or become a blog.  I don't know the answer to that, but it doesn't matter.  If you want to partake of this newsletter contact Marilyn Bone Kloss and I am sure she would be happy to add your e-mail address to her list.  It will cost you around 3 minutes of your time, and in exchange you will receive 20 minutes of pleasure 5 times a year for free and have a permanent digital copy of this great resource for future reference. 

The book is a something in which any serious lover of the horn should consider purchasing. Marilyn's contact details are available on the IHS web site. 

Look for her name under Massachusetts Area Rep. (even if Massachusetts is spelled wrong on the IHS site)

The screenshots and scanned images in this post are the exclusive property of Marilyn Bone Kloss.  I asked permission from her before publishing this post and the images associated with it.

 

I have had many seasons in my past as a horn player which were memorable for many reasons, but this year has topped them all.  My phone has been ringing off the hook with calls on a weekly basis to play some project or another.  Now, as a classical musician, you will never hear me complain about having too much money or being overpaid for a gig, but even with the relatively low salary of the Liège Philharmonic I can't imagine playing or living anywhere else. Part of that is age (almost 49) but why would I give up such great colleagues, diverse programming and the possibility of performing with such a wide range of ensembles.

This past week was the audition for the Luxembourg Philharmonic's 1st horn position. (They have two first horns)  That job is a two-hour drive from my house, it pays double my salary, there is basically no income tax in Luxembourg, etc…  Why not take a chance?  I have no, absolutely no chance of competing in an audition with horn players half my age.  I am pretty sure that my nerves couldn't take that kind of stress again.  I could do the job, of that I am sure, but I am a creature of comfort.  Liège is a comfy chair.  I have been here 20 years and am really loving being here once again.  I have had some rough times, but don't we all.  I know my colleagues, I know the hall, I know the routine, etc…

Over the past 7 months I have re-discovered my "joie de vivre".  I am teaching in the conservatory and have had the greatest opportunities to perform with some amazing friends, and ensembles.  I have met new colleagues and experienced some great concerts as a member of the public.  It hasn't all been smooth sailing, but that is what makes life so amazing.  I have never been more tired, nor more energized.  I realize that oxymoron is tough to understand, but it is sooooo true.

 

New Brass Directions  - inauguaral concert 

Filled in as first horn with the Conservatory Orchestra.

Brass Label Quintet Concert  

Played with the Brussels Philharmonic

Brass Label Quintet Demo Recording

Presented Egmont and Schubert's Unfinished to 3rd and 4th graders

Studio recording for a film in Brussels with 5 other horn friends

Belgian Horn Day in Roeselare, Belgium

New Brass Directions Masterclass and Concert

Woodwind Quintet Gig

Brussels Jazz Orchestra 

Rencontre International de Cuivres IMEP Namur, Belgium (sadly the orchestra/family schedule only allowed a brief visit to this amazing event)

Brussels Philharmonic Film Score Recording

 

And who knows what else, because there are still 3 months to go.

For most free-lancers that is not a special list, but to me it is very special.  I have never felt more alive as a horn player.  I haven't practiced enough, or slept enough but hey, you can't have everything.  The best part is that I have been able to fit all this within the orchestra schedule.  Long may it continue.

 

Living in the country of Belgium has really been a blessing.  Growing up in the USA you really don't get a true appreciation for this country and it's place in history.  The only things I remember learning were the battle of Waterloo, the trenches in WWI, and the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes forest & Bastogne) WWII.  It is sad to think that apart from housing the European Union's capitol the only things we remember this little country for is war.  But, of course, that is why the country was created in the first place.

The first thing you visit as an American, in Belgium, is Bastogne and the museum dedicated to the Battle fo the Bulge and the Ardennes forest, but nothing compares to visiting any of the many cemetaries dotted around the Liège region.

A few years ago our orchestra programmed the Berceuse héroïque by Claude Debussy.  The direct translation would be Heroic Lullaby, but that doesn't really do it justice.  I prefer:  Song of Courage.  This short piece was written by Debussy in repsonse to a request for a piece paying homage to King Albert I and the soldiers of the Belgian army.  It originally was a piece for piano, but Debussy later orchestrated it for symphony orchestra.

Albert the First is many Belgians favorite king.  Even though he seems to be in the distant past for younger generations he seems to me to have been the last warrior King of modern times.  I refer you to this quote from the Wikipedia article about him.

"World War I

At the beginning of World War I, Albert complied with a British demand that he not acquiesce to a German request to move troops through Belgium in order to attack Britain's ally, France, which Germany anticipated was about to declare war on Germany in support of Russia; Britain was the guarantor of Belgian neutrality under an 1839 treaty. King Albert refused passage of the Kaiser's soldiers through his nation. When Germany subsequently invaded Belgium, King Albert, as prescribed by theBelgian constitution, took personal command of the Belgian army, and held the Germans off long enough for Britain and Franceto prepare for the Battle of the Marne (6–9 September 1914). He led his army through the Siege of Antwerp and the Battle of the Yser, when the Belgian army was driven back to a last, tiny strip of Belgian territory, near the North Sea. Here the Belgians, in collaboration with the armies of the Triple Entente, took up a war of position, in the trenches behind the River Yser, remaining there for the next four years. During this period, King Albert fought with his troops and shared their dangers, while his wife, Queen Elisabeth, worked as a nurse at the front. The King also allowed his 14-year-old son, Prince Leopold, to enlist in the Belgian army as a private and fight in the ranks.

The war inflicted great suffering on Belgium, which was subjected to a harsh German occupation. The King, fearing the destructive results of the war for Belgium and Europe and appalled by the huge casualty rates, worked through secret diplomatic channels for a negotiated peace between Germany and the Entente based on the "no victors, no vanquished" concept. He considered that such a resolution to the conflict would best protect the interests of Belgium and the future peace and stability of Europe. Since, however, neither Germany nor the Entente were favorable to the idea, tending, instead to seek total victory, Albert's attempts to further a negotiated peace were unsuccessful. In view of his disapproval of the breadth of Allied war aims, King Albert may have considered concluding a separate peace with Germany, if Belgium's independence could be assured and the country safely extricated from the war. Germany's attitude, however, made this impossible, since Germany was using Belgium as a lever to exert pressure on the Entente, and hence was unwilling to restore its independence (Thielemans). At the end of the war, as commander of the Army Group Flanders, consisting of Belgian, British and French divisions, Albert led the final offensive of the war that liberated occupied Belgium. King Albert, Queen Elisabeth, and their children then re-entered Brussels to a hero's welcome."

Source:  Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_I_of_Belgium

Debussy included short excerpts from the Belgian National Anthem in the Berceuse.  I include a short youtube video sung in a typical 50's vocal style that I love.

Lastly I would like to include, once again, the performance of the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Louis Langrée performing this short but important historical piece.

You are in your trial period.  You are worried about messing up and not passing your trial.  You target Till and Tchaikovsky 5 as your targets for getting the job, after all, those were the audition pieces that won you the job in the first place.  What finally trips you up isn't either of those pieces it's the Mozart Piano Concerto that you have never heard of, or the Debussy Noctures that you have heard of but never played.  If you play a Beethoven Symphony and do well that counts for a lot, or it should.  They are often the most dangerous and you are on show all the time.

As you can see it is always the little things that bring you down.  Will your nerve hold?  Will your chops last?  If you won an audition then your real problem is most likely your mental strength.  I am writing about these things because mental strength is the core of what makes a professional horn player.  This past week we had two pieces by Debussy.  The "Berçeuse héroique" and the "Nocturnes".  The Nocturnes are an exercise in concentration, delicate entrances, mute skills and intonation.  I approached the concert with the attitude of a beginner not someone with 20 years of experience and there can be no excuse for that kind of attitude.  I focused primarily on the Nocturnes and chose to, more or less, ignore the Berçeuse.  I did this for two reasons: 1) The Berçeuse is easy  2)  I knew the Berçeuse pretty well and had performed it before.  My attitude didn't cost me in the first concert, but in the second I had a small chip on a solo in the middle of this 4 minute piece.

Debussy "Berçeuse héroique"  Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège Live Radio Broadcast   The 9th of March 2012

Now, in my defense I tried to make the "perfect" entrance with almost no attack.  It was great the first night, why not the second.  I was lazy about it and missed.  I remarked  to my colleague after the concert that there aren't any "easy" concerts for a first horn.  The moment that you think you know something is the moment that your goose is cooked.  Take nothing for granted.  Better that I had made a less subtle entrance and not missed.  

It is always a bit of a balancing act between:  How am I feeling tonight?  How dangerous is the entrance?  Will a stronger attack spoil the phrase?  Sometimes all these take place in a split second.  Like a tennis player, or a chess player, you have to think a few moves ahead.  What do I have to do so that when I arrive at the last page of Ein Heldenleben I will have what it takes to do my best?

I missed a note in the first piece of the concert.  I wasn't tired.  I wasn't distracted.  I didn't have a technical failure.  The little solo was easy.  Now I know that I am making this sound like the worst mistake of my life.  It wasn't that bad.  I have made worse and will probably make worse in the future.  After all, I am a horn player and more importantly a human being, but I don't want to make that mistake again.  Errors happen, but I don't need to increase the odds of their occuring by not being focused on the job at hand.

Don't let it happen to you.

I am writing a post about the "Berçeuse héroique" which will be posted in the next couple of days.

Recently I stumbled upon the Spanish web site "Classical Planet". (www.classicalplanet.com)  This is an amazing web site with enormous potential and ambition.  The site is already available in multiple languages so the fact that it is Spanish in origin should not put you off.  The link I have included above is for the english version, but you will find a button in the top right-hand corner to select from the other choices (spanish, german, japanese, etc...)

After browsing around the site I began to wonder if it was too good to be true.  The "Magisters" or "Masters" section is full of master class videos from some of the greatest teachers and performers of the last 50 years.  For horn players we are talking from Frøydis to Baborak to Clevenger just to name a few.  Now, the reason for my apprehension was that this is a pay site, and there are no freebies/trial periods for the master class videos, and I was concerned that all these famous names might not have wanted their teaching to be available  in such a manner.  I was wrong.

I contacted Frøydis Ree Werke and asked her if she was aware of the site and what it offered.  Her reply made it very clear that everything is above board and that they do receive money when their teaching is accessed through the internet.  The following is an excerpt from her response to my inquiry.

"...They have been in contact with each of the teachers in question, there is a contract, and I even have recieved some money. Also, one needs an official password to get access to all the master classes. Schools can sign up and pay for this service, for a month, or for half a year or for a year, something like that.

 Their pedagogical visions are impressive. All the classes have been edited for bad language or other stuff that should not be public. Lots of people have been working on this enormous project.

 The president of the school, Paloma O’Shea, thought the following: My teachers (she was a pianist) are all well documented as performers, recordings etc. but their teaching is not documented. Let us do something about that.

 The students at this school do check in the library, I must say. I was there not too long ago, and heard Radovan give a lesson on the Berge Hornlokk. He had really good information, and the student played very well. Later I realised they had both been checking on my master class, available in the library, on the same piece (which was written for me) some years ago. Actually time saving!..."

This means that for €4 a day, €16 a month or even €96 a year ($5,$22 or$129) you can have unlimited access to some of the greatest teachers/players in the world.  Clevenger giving a master class on Beethoven 6 or Mahler 9.  Frøydis teaching Berge's "Hornlokk" (written for her) or Baborak working with a student preparing the Gliere Concerto.  The amount of material here is quite amazing, and the variety of styles represented is also very interesting.  The pricing is okay because  the cost for 1 year of $129 is very high (not too far from a season ticket for Berlin's Digital Concert Hall), but the daily cost is better.  Imagine a student wants to study Beethoven's Sonata. For $5 they can follow a master class with Michel Garcin-Marrou or Richard Watkins.  How long would a student have to wait to have the chance to participate in a Master Class with one of these amazing teachers.  To see discussion of breathing with Frøydis is priceless.

Now the annual fee is certainly going to be beyond most students, but they have taken that into consideration.  It is possible for institutions to purchase access for all their students.  I am not aware of the costs but each conservatory or university will have to contact the web site to find out. I have paid the 1 day membership and browsed quite a few videos.  The one day fee is worth every penny and more.

There is some free content on the site and you only need to register to have access. (e-mail address and password of your choice)

There were some issues.  Not all the videos would work for me and some are only available in HD which is great if you have a fast enough connection. (a problem in Europe)  Most, however, are available in both HD and lower definition.  It is a relatively new site so I am sure that they have some bugs to work out, but to have an archived resource of master classes from teachers of this quality is priceless.  The concept is very ambitious because the scope that they are attempting to cover is mind-blowing.  I presume that over time they will add instruments, teachers and repertoire so it will have to be something to follow for the future.

I have included a few screen shots to give you an idea of what the site looks like.  It is very easy to navigate and the translations are excellent.  An wonderful project with unlimited potential.  I am sure that some of you have heard of Skype lessons and other such ideas.  The internet is loaded with great content.  Everyday I scratch the surface and find some new amazing tidbit.  Check this site out.  You won't regret it. $5 and you can spend 24 hours with Frøydis Ree Werke's teaching. Imagine!

All the images and screenshots are the copyrighted material of the Albéniz Foundation and are included in this blog post for the purposes of this review.

 

Until recently I hadn't truly realized how much I have come to depend on my smartphone (iPhone 4).  I have gotten into the habit of recording/videoing practice sessions and lessons.  The power of a 10 second video is amazing compared to a mirror.  I use both, but a video seems to have more impact on some people.  Recording a short excerpt, even on the pathetic iPhone microphone can be very eye-opening.

A couple of weeks ago I forgot my iPhone at home.  Not only have I come to count on the recording capabilities on my iPhone, but the apps as well.  Teaching without a metronome or tuner is crippling. I have been so happy to be able to carry an all-in-one device that when I forgot it I was really mad at myself.  

The video aspect of a smartphone, or any phone with this capability, is something that I have begun to truly appreciate as I have gotten back into teaching.  Instant "proof" or instant reminder of how the embouchure should look.  The front/back facing cameras of most smartphones means that you can film yourself quite easily from your own music stand.  I have noticed some habits that are hard to see in a mirror unless you have memorized the passage in question.

By e-mailing the short videos to students they have clear reminder of what they need to do, and more importantly what they need to reproduce the results of the lesson.  How do you replicate the jaw movement without be able to clearly see the change for yourself?  How do you replicate the embouchure change without seeing that you are doing it the right way?  Seeing is believing.  In today's society we want video proof. 24 news television (CNN), Youtube, etc...

I still have a metronome and tuner but they stay at home on my music stand. My all in one iPhone is proving, more and more, to be an essential tool.  Isn't modern technology wonderful.