Horn chamber music
These works are newly tangible or newly composed, allowing the horn to perform with piano and other sound partners.
The Romance for horn and piano by Alexander Scriabin, a rarity in the composer's oeuvre, has, as far as I know, only been printed in a complete edition of the piano works, so a new edition of this simple, lyrical piece is only to be welcomed. Scriabin is said to have composed it for the horn virtuoso Louis Savart (1871-1923), a top-class soloist who, according to Arnold Schoenberg, even played the solo part of Goldmark's Violin Concerto at the time. Equally technically demanding is Scriabin's Romance however; it is probably intended more as an occasional or encore piece.
Born in 1976, the British pianist and composer Huw Watkins already has a rich oeuvre of solo, orchestral and chamber music works to his name. His compositions with piano bear witness to his extensive concert experience as a partner to renowned soloists. The Horn trio is, like many others, dedicated to the renowned Nash Ensemble and was premiered by them in 2009. In this work, wild, animated parts alternate with calm, expressive ones. With a playing time of 13 minutes, it would complement a program with the horn trios by Brahms and Ligeti.
Of similar length is the one-movement, virtuoso Ballad by the British composer Roger Steptoe, born in 1953. Written for horn and classical orchestra, it can be played well as a horn-piano duo thanks to the skillfully crafted piano reduction.
For the same instrumentation, Richard Lane has written a short piece in the middle register of the horn, which is relatively pleasant to play: Theme and Variations on Sweet Adelinea romantic, old American melody. The latter two booklets were published by Editions Bim. The publishing house, founded by Jean-Pierre Mathez around 40 years ago, is committed to the interests of the brass guild. A glance at the catalog reveals chamber music in all possible instrumentations, solo works and various teaching materials.
Alexander Scriabin, Romance for horn and piano, Urtext edited by Dominik Rahmer, HN 576, € 7.50, G. Henle-Verlag, Munich
Huw Watkins, Horn Trio, for horn in F, violin and piano, score and parts, ED 13251, € 29.99, Schott, Mainz
Roger Steptoe , Ballade for horn and chamber orchestra, piano reduction, CO87a, Fr. 22.00, Editions Bim, Vuarmarens
Richard Lane, Theme and Variations, for horn and piano, Bim CO74, Fr. 15.00
