Entry #5: Horn Ensemble & Moonlight Becomes You
Horn Ensemble Takeover
Portraits of the American West
Portraits of the American West" was commissioned by Greg Hustis and dedicated to Mason Jones. This piece with twelve horns and 2 percussion was meant to capture scenes from the early American West.
The first movement, ‘Santa Fe Trail – 1826’ pictures a wagon train about to embark on a westward journey over the Santa Fe Trail in 1826. This trail was very popular at the time for pioneers, but extremely dangerous. The opening chorale is meant to reflect the wonder of the journey as well as a little trepidation about the risks involved. The main Allegro theme is fanfare-like in nature representing the courage and excitement of the men and women who made this trip. The Moderato section combines the chorale theme with this main Allegro theme in a slower tempo reflecting the solitude of the landscape on this long journey. The main Allegro theme returns marked Allegro Jubiloso, now in 3/4 time instead of 6/8, and the music accelerates over time as the wagon train nears its final destination. This movement concludes with a return of the opening chorale theme, now stated as a fanfare of celebration for a successful journey.
The second movement, ‘Prairie Sunrise – 1844’ paints a musical portrait of a sunrise over the prairie during similar travels of Americans settling the west. Such a sunrise on a pretty day must have been particularly beautiful over a virgin landscape.
The third movement, ‘Colorado Vistas – 1876’ portrays a similar picture of Colorado. The opening fanfare is a tribute to the grand, majestic image of the Rocky Mountains. The Allegro that follows is a tribute to the American cowboy and the adventures that they had while herding cattle in 1876.
This work was recorded by members of the Dallas and Houston Symphonies in November of 2007 for a "Texas Horns: Dallas and Houston Horn Sections" CD released on Crystal Records.
Farewell to Red Castle
Performance by the American Horn Quartet and the NY Phil Horns
"Farewell to Red Castle (theme and variations for horn octet) was commissioned in 1995 by Soichiro Ohno and the Japanese-German Horn Ensemble. The original theme of the piece is an authentic medieval Scottish folk song. The haunting melodic strains are typical of the music of that country. There are 4 variations and a finale. Each variation is totally different in character. The theme, however, is always discernible, although sometimes cleverly hidden. Typical of Kerry Turner´s thematic and motival development style, the lyrical and sad, yet noble melody of Variation 3 can in fact be considered a completion of the development of the original theme. This is followed by a highly chromatic accompaniment in the low horns, with a subtly placed theme in the stopped high horns. The work ends with a grandiose bravura, lending the Scottish theme a Texan flair. It is interesting to note that an original version of this piece was written in 1985 for junior high school string orchestra! It has found its true home with brass instruments." - Kerry Turner
Out of Africa
From the Vienna Horn's Director's Cut album, Out of Africa originally written by John Barry is one of my favorite tracks from that album. Out of Africa (1985) is an Oscar-winning romantic drama directed by Sydney Pollack, starring Meryl Streep as author Karen Blixen and Robert Redford as Denys Finch Hatton. Based on Blixen's 1937 memoir and other biographical sources, the film chronicles her life running a Kenyan coffee plantation and her passionate, yet doomed romance.
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