Horn Concerto
Instrumentation: 2 (I = picc, II = afl). 2 (II = ca). 2 (II = bcl). 2 (II = cbsn). - 4.2.3.1. - timp. - 3 prc. - solo hn. - strings.
Percussion:
1.) Tuned Nipple/Thai gongs*, several sets of Wooded Wind Chimes, Crotales (shared with perc. 2), Temple Blocks, Almglocken†, Vibraphone,Medium Tam-tam, Log Drum (2 pitches – high), Bongos, Tambourine
2.) Marimba (5 octaves), Tubular Bells, Tam-tam, Crotales (shared with perc. 1), Water Gong (shared with perc. 3), Log Drum (2 pitches –medium)
3.) Water Gong (shared with perc. 2), Bass Drum, several sets of Wooden Wind Chimes, Tambourine, Maracas, Log Drum (2 pitches – low)
PROGRAMME NOTE
Having been a horn player my whole life, it's perhaps surprising it has taken me so long to write a piece for my instrument. But in my 40th yearI felt finally ready to write a horn concerto. When thinking about this piece I went back to my roots. I grew up surrounded by trees in theForest of Dean, at the borderland between England and Wales, and have been fascinated by woodlands ever since. Though abstract, this piece– in three movements – is an exploration of forests and trees and the undergrowth.
The first movement entitled Understorey (pertaining to life on the forest floor) begins slowly in the key of E♭ – a nod to the opening of the RingCycle's evocation of nature; but also a reference to some of the most famous horn concertos by Strauss and Mozart. The horns begin at thevery bottom of their register, slowly moving upwards to the highest notes on the instrument. After a series of cadenzas and fanfares from thesoloist we move into something more playful with a new thematic idea introduced, the solo horn and orchestral horns conversing in musicaldialogue. The middle section sees the return of the fanfares from the opening, though this time muted and set against wooden sounds in theorchestra, before five horns are heard ‘ff’ in unison melody. After a return to the expansive cadenzas of the opening an upwards insect-likescurry of woodwind ends the movement.
The second movement Overstorey (life in the canopy) begins ‘like falling leaves’ and features expressive horn solos against sparseorchestration. The music slowly builds towards an expansive climax where the orchestral horns make their presence known, before once againreturning to something more intimate, with the solo horn line moving increasingly higher to the top of its range. The falling motif returns atthe end, descending through the orchestra until we are once again in the earth and roots, back in E♭.
The third and final movement is entitled Mycelium Rondo (the network of fungal hyphae – affectionately known as the Wood Wide Web – thatconnects all forest plant life). Like all good horn concertos – and as the title suggests – this movement takes the form of a rondo. Playful motifsare shared between horn and orchestra, before all five horns are heard con forza with rollocking temple blocks and brass interjections. A briefcalming in the middle of the movement sees the fanfares and melodic motif from the first movement return, before building to a climax wherethe full orchestra is heard in organ-like chorale. A final rush to the end and we finish with the five horns blazing.
- Understorey
- Overstorey
- Mycelium Rondo
