The History of the Four Quintets for Brass by Victor Ewald

This post is a response to http://abelcentral.blogspot.com/ on February 13, 2017.

• What did you know about Ewald and his brass quintet before reading this article? 
• The things I knew about Victor Ewald prior to read this article were his nationalities and his Brass Quintet no. 1 to no. 3. As a horn player, I enjoy conducting and coaching brass ensemble but performing in it. My experience with brass quintet and brass ensemble of any kind were mostly during my undergraduate study and some with my master study. I only did professional brass quintet concert once after my graduation and that was it. 

• What did this article teach you about proper research?
• This might not directly answer this question but I think these three things below are important cores for research that any researchers need to keep in mind.
1. Researchers must widen their view in the larger context (rather than focus solely on music) as part of their studies. I believe that music was composed, occurred, and existed from many different reasons. These reasons need to be consider as part of research as well.
2. Author said "I know in advance that its conclusions will be examined, discussed, and replaced by others and I am glad of it. That is how history progress and must progress." This statement can't be true enough. 
3. If researchers are blessed with time, spend as much time to collect as much information as they can. If researchers have to work against deadline (like Rasmussen or Reed), try to work with material at hands and try to do as best as they could. In other word, choose to work on something according to your obligation or goal.

• What questions did this article raise?
• Whether or not Victor Ewald was the pioneer of modern brass quintet setting, his brass quintet, and its acquisition. 

• What are your thoughts on rotary vs. piston valve preferences mentioned in the article?
• It is interesting to learn the historical aspect of how rotary and piston valves were thought about back in the early 20th century. Personally, I don't think there are much differences between both valves. In the end, it is up to those who play on it and what kind of sound they are looking for. What I find more interesting is in the very first figure of this article (show below) where all instruments of the brass quintet use valves. Also, trumpets are the only instrument that have their bell pointing forward. I have a feeling that Ewald's quintets will fit really well with those instrumentation. Anybody interested to try?

• Do you agree with Forsyth who wrote, "There is in general no true legato on the trombone"
• I do not agree with this statement. Any brass instruments can play a true legato on overtone series which trombone also can. Forsyth only mentioned trombone slide position changing which is only part of trombone playing.
•  What are your thoughts about Smith's ideas on instrumentation mentioned on page 13.
• I don't think it is wrong to try to replicate Renaissance or Baroque performance practice on modern instruments. Even thought those music did not write specifically for the modern one, it has been part of the (music performance) innovation that give variety to music performances/recordings that we have today. True, performing music from those era on the instrument that was intended for would probably provide the closest sound. However, we don't know for sure how the music is supposed to be performed since those music came from 200 years ago. What we can do today is to keep music from those era survive by any means we can.

• In regards to the modern revival of Ewald's brass quintets, what roles did the following people play? Frøydis Ree Wekre, the American Brass Quintet, the Empire Brass Quintet?
• Frøydis Ree Wekre, a horn virtuoso who went to Leningrad, Russia to study, acquired a handwritten copy of two brass quintet by Victor Ewald. 
• The Empire Brass Quintet acquired above handwritten copies from Werke by exchanging it with a medley of Gershwin Tunes.
• With a program planning for 1974-75 season, American Brass Quintet added Ewald's brass quintet in their program and gave premiere of Ewald's quintets at the Carnegie Hall. 

• What has been your experience both playing and listening to the Ewald quintets?
• If my memory serves me right, I did learn and perform Ewald's quintet no. 1 when I was around 16 or 17. That was the only experience playing this piece. Since then, I have not performed nor heard of his quintet until last week Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature class. Do I like it? Yes, I find it nice and easy listening. Will I put it on my play list? Probably not. It is not kind of my go to music if I need one. 
• I have been searching through YouTube and Spotify for his quintets. Here are the two that I like
• The first one is Ewald's Quintet no. 3 by Gewaldhaus Brass Quintett which can be found on Spotify.
• The second one is CSO Brass Quintet - recorded live in 1966.

Very interesting and highly informative articles. I wish I could read the first two articles as well. There are more things that is yet to be discovered or explore than we think. What we need is just to be curious, look at things from many different angles, and to have a really strong "will" to finish it.

Horn Ensemble Series: the Vienna Horns

Less than three months after the London Horn Sound CD was released, Vienna Horns CD (yellow one) came out and it really blew the former away.

Listen to this.

Isn't it sound familiar? Yes, it is the exact same arrangement from the London Horn Sound CD but, to me, with a more refine playing in every level. Plus, it is on the Vienna horns!! 

For those who have not heard of Vienna horns, here are some information.

Photo of Vienna horn from http://www.viennahornsofscotland.com

The Vienna horn is probably the most unchanged chromatic horn since its inception in around the first half of 19th century. The vienna valve system was invented by Leopold Ullmann, an instrument maker in Vienna. The horn is basically a single horn in F which mean, even though the warmer of horn in F sound is still remain, it is actually very difficult to perfect especially in a high register where the partial of overtone series are closed together. The only orchestra that use this instrument now is the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

More information on Vienna horn can be found on http://www.viennahornsofscotland.com/history/ or http://www.cornoinf.com/pdfs/j%F6bstltrans.pdf  

With the longer horn, the darker sound it gets. If you compare the above recording between the London Horn Sound and Vienna Horns, I am sure you can hear the different between the sound. Even though I did prefer Vienna horns recording, it doesn't mean that you have to replicate their playing. It is just different style on a different context. So, be yourself!

The performers of Vienna Horns CD include member of Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Volkoper, and horn professors from music institutes in Austria. Similar to the London Horn Sound CD, all the pieces are transcriptions. The recording I like the most on this CD is not the fast and flashy one but the arrangement of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. Play it on a nice stereo to enjoy the sound of horn that probably closer to the one in 19th century!

Here is the link to the member of Vienna Horns if you are interested!

Horn Ensemble Series: the London Horn Sound

There were some original music and transcriptions for horn ensemble. (Let me add here that what I mean by Horn Ensemble here is horn ensemble that consist of 5 players or more. Horn Quartet will be dedicated in other posts.) There were even fewer recording for horn ensemble. The only recording that I could think of is Wagner: Fantasien für 8 Hörner which is a recording of transcriptions of Wagner's music for horn octet performed member of Bayreuth Festival Orchestra horn section. It was a great recording.  However, when the London Horn Sound CD was released in 2006, horn ensemble playing was set to a new height. 

The London Horn Sound project was the 5th of London Sound series by Cala record led by Geoffrey Simon. The London Horn Sound aims to (quote from Cala record website)

"The London Horn Sound builds on the extraordinary tradition of French Horn playing in London (formerly the home to the talents of Dennis Brain, Alan Civil and Barry Tuckwell) and brings together for the first time, today's generation of world-class London-based players including Richard Bissill, Nigel Black, Anthony Halstead, Frank Lloyd, David Pyatt, Hugh Seenan, Michael Thomson and Richard Watkins. From Mozart to Queen, Rossini to Ellington, with a tip of the hat to film soundtracks in the shape of James Horner's fantasy from the box office smashing epic movie Titanic, complemented by deft and sensitive arrangements this is a truly unique showcase for the cream of the London crop." 

32 London horn players, who take part in this project, include member of London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, horn professors from Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Trinity College of Music as well as studio recording players.

Since the horn ranges between 4 octaves which provide opportunity to play both high and low part plus all music are transcriptions, all the pieces are able to transcribed in a way to display their artistry to the highest level. 

Here are some examples.

Titanic Fantasy featuring Hugh Seenan (London Horn Studio player, former principal horn of LSO)

To me, it is so amazing that they are able to match everything in such a manner that everything feel at ease.

Next is one of my favorite from this recording. Tico-Tico featuring Frank Lloyd and Richard Bissill.

 

Are you able to tell who is playing which solo? I can tell you that I do but I know how Richard Bissill play since he was my teacher!

If you want to hear some more, Cala record has put everything on YouTube! 

This recording was such a success that there were more horn ensemble recording that follow suits.

Next blog I will talk about the ensemble that blew the London Horn Sound away when it came out.

University of Iowa Horn Choir Concert!

A short promo post!

Promote what?
University of Iowa Horn Choir Performance!

When?
This Sunday (February 12) at 16:00!

Wow! Where?
At the Voxman Music Building Room 2451!

What are on the programs?
Fun music of different styles! 
If you like soundtrack, we have Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Carribean.
If you like classical music, we have Wagner's Tristan and Rossini's Le Rendezvous de Chasse!
If you like some jazz, we have Micro Jazz Suite by Christopher Norton.
If you want to hear something you have never heard before, we have
- Soundpainting which is a real-time composition!
- Three Melodies from King Rama IX of Thailand. Yes! the late King Rama IX of Thailand was a composer, and a musician who played trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, and piano!
- A new composition by James Naigus - Harvest Light for Horn Octet and Horn solo (which will be played by the composer!)

It is going to be fun!

See you there!

Playlist from Today's Listening Presentation

As part of Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature class at University of Iowa, each student are asked to present a Brass Ensemble related playlist for the whole class to listen to and today was my turn.

Here we go!

Playlist

Name of the Piece: Roman Carnival Overture

Composer: Hector Berlioz arr. by Eric Crees

Performer: London Horn Players!

Album: The London Horn Sound

Where to listen: either on spotify or YouTube

Info: Even though this recording was not the first horn ensemble recording, it was the first horn ensemble recording that took horn playing to another level! This is only a glimpse of many more exciting horn playing on this CD.

Name of the Piece: Los Jaraneros

Composer: Richard Bissill

Performer: London Horn Players! - horn solos by Richard Bissill and Pip Eastop

Album: The London Horn Sound - Give it one

Where to listen: either on spotify or YouTube

Info: After the first CD was released, many other horn ensemble follow suit, especially the one made by Vienna Horns is particularly amazing. Look for it if you have not heard them!

When Hugh Seenan and Geoffrey Simon wanted to make the next CD, he was trying to find a new idea to compete in the market. They came with horn ensemble as a big band! And what a result they have got!

Name of the Piece: Three Point Turn

Composer: Timothy Jackson

Performer: London Horn Players! - horn solos by Timothy Jackson and Frank Lloyd

Album: The London Horn Sound Big Band - Give it one

Where to listen: either on spotify or YouTube

Info: This piece by Timothy Jackson (then 3rd horn with Philharmonia Orchestra and now principal at Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) that explore and extend horn playing to another level!

Name of the Piece: Four

Composer: Miles Davis arr. by Stephan Fillet

Performer: The Mallet Horn Jazz Band - horn solo Armand Dubois-Gourut and Sebastian Mitterrand

Album: The Mallet Horn Jazz Band

Where to listen: Spotify

Info: I am not entirely sure if this group was inspired by GIve it One CD. Anyhow, this French based ensemble comprise of 8 horns, mallets, and rhythm section. Their take on Miles Davis' Four is also a really cool arrangement and a nice change from normal classical playing.

Name of the Piece: Flipside

Composer: If any of you know who is this by, please let me know!

Performer: Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Album: Flipside (Hypnotic Orange)

Where to listen: Spotify and YouTube

Info: I came across this group while I was looking for a brass ensemble to do an interview for my assignment. Hypnotic Brass is a band that comprise 8 brothers from Chicago. They all learned music from their father who was the jazz trumpet player. They were on tour as a backup band with their father until 1999 when they started their own band which became Hypnotic Brass Ensemble! More information can be found at http://www.hypnoticbrassensemble.com/the-band 

Name of the Piece: O Vos Omnes

Composer: Pablo Casals arr. for Brass Ensemble by Leopold Stokowski

Performer: Philp Jones Brass Ensemble

Album: Festive Brass

Where to listen: Spotify and YouTube

Info: Name of composer and arranger alone attracted me to listen to this piece. This is recording, at that time (1979), was the only recording of this arrangement.

Name of the Piece: The Lion Sleep Tonight

Composer: Solomon Linda 

Performer: Stefan Dohr, Fergus McWilliams, Klaus Wallendorf, and Sarah Willis

Album: Four Corners!

Where to listen: Spotify and YouTube

Info: Great recording from Berlin Philharmonic horn players (I have already talked about them in previous posts!) which comprise of fun songs (but not that easy to play!). Enjoy!

Name of the Piece: Tokyo Subway Polka

Composer: Klaus Wallendorf

Performer: Stefan Dohr, Fergus McWilliams, Klaus Wallendorf, and Sarah Willis

Album: Four Corners!

Where to listen: Spotify and YouTube

Info: A little genius piece of music by Klaus Wallendorf (now retired from Berlin Philharmonic) that recites Tokyo Subway stations! Try to sing along with him!

Name of the Piece: Orpheus in the Underworld Overture

Composer: Jacque Offenbach arr. by Surak Pongchaisirikul

Performer: Chulalongkorn University (CU) Brass Ensemble conducted by Prachvith Intarasuwan

Info: This and the following piece are the arrangement of chosen music for certain number of brass instrument. Since it is a little difficult to get a hold of music as well as a good number of student to involve in an brass ensemble, arrangements or transcriptions are made to fit for that purpose (and I personally think these are good arrangements too!). Both piece were recorded live from CU Brass Ensemble Concert on August 27, 2012.

Name of the Piece: Die Flelamaus Overture

Composer: Johann Strauss II arr. by Surak Pongchaisirikul

Performer: Chulalongkorn University (CU) Brass Ensemble conducted by Poumpak Charuprakorn

Name of the Piece: Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight

Composer: Theodore A. Metz arr. by P5G (ป5ง)

Performer: P5G (ป5ง)

Info: P5G (ป5ง) comprises of musician from Thai Royal Navy music division. This recording on YouTube is one of their group promo video. Personally, what they do here is a good example of entrepreneurship as surviving solely by doing only classical music is very difficult in Thailand. Hence, they are creating or finding something that not only would promote music but to ear for their living as well. Pretty much like the older time. Enjoy!

That's all for my list! I hope you enjoy listening to them and hope to hear your thought too!

Thoughtful Monday: 12 hours without music

This post is not about horn ensemble but I find it very interesting and I would like to share with you.

Psychology of Music is an online course offer by School of Music and College of Education at University of Iowa. The reasons I found this course interesting are 1) it is an online course which I have never experienced before, and 2) I like the course name! So I registered this for my Spring 2017 semester.

All the questions and discussions online have been very interesting but the latest and the most interesting so far that I would like to share is to "Live without any music in our environment for 12 waking hours." and to Keep a brief journal of our experiences during these 12 hours, noting actions that you have to take to avoid having any music in your environment. If it can't be done, note the experiences in your journal.  

Many people in the class find this experience remind them how much they appreciate music and find it unavoidable. But I find that it is up to us who choose whether or not to listen to our surrounding. 

Anyway, below is my journal and my thought of the experience.

My first reaction to this assignment is I need to have plan ahead. I planned to stay away from music related "activities" such as intentionally listening to music, watching VDO, or practice. The original plan was to do this assignment on January, 29 from 13:30 to 1:30 since I wanted to spend my morning time for practicing and I usually sleep late anyway. But since I woke up at 8:30 and realize that my lip was swollen from ulcer (could not practice), I decided to start the 12 hours from then instead. 

I spent my morning making brunch, making food for my coming week, and talking to my girlfriend in Thailand about an orchestral memorial concert to the late King Rama IX. That was when I had some questions.

I was wondering if talking about music related include the word "music" itself count against the task? If I read some book that has composer or composition name in it (such as a novel by Haruki Murakami for example), would I be allowed? If those count as part of music environment, can we even escape music at all? But I did not have it answered.

After that I went for swimming. When I took shower after swimming, music of Nielsen came to my head instantly. Even I tried to avoid, it kept coming back. So I decided to use meditation technique to clear it out. The technique is to "be at the moment" meaning knowing and focusing on what I am doing at the exact moment such as when I walk, I know which foot is moving (it is not as easy as it sounds!). Of course the music disappeared. From that moment on I decide to use this technique for the rest of the hours. The point for using the technique is not for finding any special technique to make this experiment successful, I only use this technique just to see how my experience would be and it is a good way to train my focus as well. The rest of the day went fine without having any music in my environment. Even there might be some, I did not notice it. However, when I was on my way home on my friend's car, the radio was playing the music that I know so I reacted spontaneously to the music by humming along. That was when I realized that the music was on and I was in the music environment. After that I was busy with other stuff until I completed my 12 hours task.

How does this activity affected me? 

Even though I rarely listen to any music (I don't mind silence) except from practicing, rehearsing or going to a concert, planning in advance still needed to be done in order to complete the goal. However, I didn't have any uncomfortable feeling since I knew my day was planned and I knew what I would be doing.

What do I learned from this?

I think one can be in an environment full of music activities but might not realize that they are in it at all if they did not set their mind (intentionally) for it. Also, I am sure many of us might have this experience when our concentration was on one thing, we tend not to realize the surrounding. This was why the meditation technique as well as knowing each of my step help avoiding music. However, if the concentration was lacking, our body spontaneously reacted to the music without us realizing anyway. This prove that human system is installed with a system that response to music. Lastly, it is still all about each person perception. If to avoid having any music in our environment means music related activities, we could still read book about music, we could still watch video without sound or even with sound but decide to ignore it. However, if avoiding music mean everything include the word music itself as well as word that implied music, I don't think we can avoid it at all.

What are your thought?

Horn Ensemble Series: Berlin Philharmonic Horns

In my opinion, no orchestra in present day is as innovative as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Thanks to Herbert von Karajan, they have been a pioneer in promoting orchestra using different means of media especially in film recording. Now, their digital concert hall allows audience world wide watch their live streaming performance online as well as a huge performances and documentary video archival.

Horn section of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is also highly engaged in online media such as Sarah Willis' Horn Hangout, or check out their facebook page (for some fun stuff!) for example.

Don't get me wrong. They are not famous because of this media. They are famous and highly respected through their artistic ability in making this instrument sounds even better!

Let's check out some of their performances

Here is part 1 (out of 6) of their performance in Japan. This piece is Rossini (arr. Pritchard) La Danza.
The rest of this concert can be found on YouTube.

Performers: 

Stefan Dohr, Fergus McWilliams, Klaus Wallendorf (now retired), Norbert Hauptmann (now retired), Radek Barborak, Georg Schreckenberger, Stefan de Leval Jazierski, and Sarah Willis

Here is the funny one!

Performers: 

Stefan Dohr, Fergus McWilliams, Stefan de Leval Jazierski, and Sarah Willis

There is also a horn quartet recording performed by four members of the horn section called 'Four Corners' which was in my very first post! Even though it comprises of some fun music but it is not easy! My favorite track of this CD is Tokyo Subway Polka.

Four Corners:

Stefan Dohr, Fergus McWilliams, Klaus Wallendorf (now retired), and Sarah Willis

This should be enough for today! If you want to know more about them, click links in the post and enjoy!

Extremely Brief History of Horn: Horn in Orchestra

As you can see from the previous post, horn is and has already been in an ensemble from the very start. But due to some limitation of the instrument, there were not any pieces written for horn ensemble.

"Horn is the soul of the orchestra." - Robert Schumann

Horn joined orchestra in middle of 16th century. At the beginning, horn was only used as sound effect (hunting signal) in opera. However, once horn technique and the instrument itself was developed, horn became an integral part of any orchestral composition.

There is one last thing I want to mention. When I was in a symphonic band at school, I always wondered why 3rd horn always get to play some nice and high stuff while 2nd horn only play something low. It is obvious that 1st horn always has the best solo part and the 4th horn always play something low. Since 1 is high and 4 is low, isn't 2 supposed to be higher than 3? I only found the answer to this question about during my undergraduate studied.

The answer lies in the instrument that was first used back at that time. Horn at that time (or what we called 'natural horn' today) can only be in one key at one time and usually come in a pair. (click here for a great explanation about overtone series by Prof. Jeffrey Agrell or here for an article by Dr. John Ericson) If the composer want to change to a new key, new set of horn is needed. Instead of asking player to changed to a new horn during the performance, composer would add an additional pair of horn which will be using a different key from the first pair, for example, first pair is in a key of F, and the second pair will be in a key of C. The former became 1st and 2nd horn and the latter became 3rd and 4th horn like what we know today. This is also why there are four horn in an orchestra or band!

Now let's listen to some music.

Below are some nice excerpts from orchestra repertoire that consists of four or more horns.

Classical era
F. Haydn: Symphony no. 31 'Horn Signal' - solo horn quartet excerpts from 4:53 to 6:16 beautifully played horn section of Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Field.

(Early) Romantic era
C.M. von Weber: Der Freischutz Overture - another famous horn quartet solo featuring horn section of the Berlin Philharmonic back in the '80s!

Romantic era

Robert Schumann: Konzertstuck for four horns - this is probably the most well-known orchestra repertoire for four horns. Schumann captured essence of the horns nicely. It is challenging to play but very fun and satisfying! 

This recording is probably the closest to what it might sound like when it was first performed.  

This version performed by horn section of Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. It's an orchestra that devoted to historical performance. If you don't know them, check them out!

Romantic era
R. Wagner: Das Rheigold - excerpts from Prelude where 8 horns are playing the same thing but coming in at a different time. Stunning effect.
Performed by horn Section of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

20th Century era
Benjamin Britten: Young's Person Guide to the Orchestra - Britten wrote this piece as, the name state, a guide to the orchestra. It represents all instruments of the orchestra by giving each section a solo before combing together at the end.

Here is the horns from Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Trivia: Did you know that the highest pitch and lowest pitch for horn in orchestral literature are the same note but 4 octaves apart! Answer will be given in the next post!