Not only is this technically flawless as a stand-alone solo performance, but it is whimsical and comically written to show off the range, the dynamics, and tone colors of the instrument that can only be displayed with such insouciance by a great musician and horn player with superlative technique. Simply delightful Jennifer.
Too much 'bwaahh' in your sound. Work on trusting your chops to get to the next note without having to 'bwaaahh'. I said it. You may not like it, but it's the real deal.
An inspiring performance! Whether Hindemith imagined a different alto tuba sound or not, the two of you made so much music out of this neglected piece! I'm working on it now on 4 valve flugelhorn, which is probably against the will of Hindemith, God, and civil decency, but it's satisfying to learn.
Where's the Eb horn? This work was written for an oddball Eb horn that I've never been able to find, except in photos of Hindemith holding the instrument in question. I think it may have been a one-off. There was a horrible rendition of this work on LP many years ago by a "French" horn player playing a Saxhorn using a "French" horn mouthpiece with an adaptor. Horn players used to gush about it, but it was an awful-sounding mess. There were plenty of alto/tenor Eb Saxhorn players around who could have done a far superior job. Regardless, this work wasn't written for the althorn or the alto Saxhorn or the Horn. It had been performed a number of times on an Eb Cernvey "circular alto horn", an instrument designed by a Frenchman named M. Ligner in the 19th century, often mistaken for a mellophone. The Horn unfortunately doesn't capture the sound Hindemith was aiming for through an Eb althorn. The closest you're going to get is an Eb alto/tenor Saxhorn. The "French" horn's range characteristics aren't suited to this piece.
@@montonej An acquaintance and I were finally able to identify the horn Hindemith specified for this sonata. Here's a photo of Hindemith playing the horn in question: www.hindemith.info/fileadmin/_processed_/csm_W-5-3-1-Fluegelhorn-New-Haven_4015ea32cb.jpg As a collector I've never once come across one like it. But thanks to an acquaintance we've identified the horn as a bell-forward Eb alto tuba which was manufactured in the 1920's and 1930's. They were only made for a short time (the photo was taken in the 1950's), the only ones in existence are in the hands of collectors (sadly not me). Not all is lost! There are plenty of Eb alto tubas around, including those made by Cerveny (who patented the design in 1853) and St Petersburg (the monopoly under the USSR that appropriated the design). Today they're made by too many companies to list. www.jimlaabsmusicstore.com/store/v-f-cerveny-model-cah-511-eb-alto-horn/ There are plenty of these horns, new and old, on eBay. I picked up a pair of old USSR St Petersburgs for $75 each. These horns are easy to play . . . badly. You can't approach them from an Eb alto horn standpoint (Eb alto/tenor Saxhorn). They're a tuba, not a Saxhorn, and play and perform differently. The original 1850's horns came with a much larger mouthpiece than is used today. I had one custom made (22.00 mm cup diameter), with the result that the horn performs like a high Eb euphonium, which it essentially is. There's really no such thing as a euphonium. It's really a large-bore Bb tenor tuba. "Euphonium" is really just a layman's term. The workers at both the Cerveny and St Petersburg factories call these instruments "tubas".
Took a little searching to find a great recording of this on RU-vid, but the search is definitely over. This is FANTASTIC! Such authority and passion, well done!!
I agree, stunning performance, absolutely flawless and great full sound. The piece is also recorded on an album by David Pyatt (I think it’s called Horn Recital) which also has the Koechlin sonata which is beautiful.
Just happened to run into this and it was a lifesaver, as I occasionally have shoulder and neck pain, especially in winter when the weather is changing. Thank you very much for sharing Mrs. Montone! I have a totally random (and a bit silly) question, not related to the theme of the video: Are those earplugs placed between the first slides? Do you place them there for a particular reason, or just to keep them near you when you need them? I am very sorry for the inconvenience, thank you very much!!
Starting a minute into the video, you will hear a marvelous performance by a superb Horn player and a very musical pianist. Hindemith's writing is so well crafted and dynamic! Listen with both ears and all of your musical curiosity; you will be rewarded!
