Schumann / Strauss / Owen- Martin Owen Plays Strauss Schumann & Weber (CD)
Regarded as one of Europe's leading horn players, Martin Owen appears as a soloist and chamber musician around the world. Currently principal horn at the BBC Symphony Orchestra, he has previously served as principal horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and as solo horn of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Weber's Concertino was written for the old, valveless 'natural horn'; it's limited range of notes (tied to the harmonic series) was extended mechanically with additional tubing ('crooks') and, more artfully, by virtuoso players bending notes, and varied hand stopping. The technical demands of the Concertino are testament to the extraordinary facility of the hornists of the period. The first Horn Concerto by Richard Strauss, written at the age of nineteen, whilst a student, is widely considered his first uncontested masterpiece. Although the influence of Brahms and Schumann are evident, his own compositional voice is unmistakable. Strauss would continue to write significant parts for horn in all of his orchestral scores (possibly an influence of his father, who was a virtuoso hornist), but the second Concerto was not composed until 1942 - some sixty years later. The style is much more neo-classical, even 'Mozartian'. Schumann's riotous Concertstück for four horns opens the programme, and features three more outstanding soloists: Christopher Parkes (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia of London), Alec Frank-Gemmill (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra), and Sarah Willis (Berliner Philharmoniker).
Tracklist:
- Concertstück in F major, Op. 86 for Four Horns and Large Orchestra~Lebhaft -
- Concertstück in F major, Op. 86 for Four Horns and Large Orchestra~Romanze. Ziemlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend -
- Concertstück in F major, Op. 86 for Four Horns and Large Orchestra~Sehr lebhaft
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Adagio - Andante -
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Andante con moto. Semplice e con anima - Con fuoco - Dolce assai -
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Recitativo - Cadenza - Recitativo. Adagio -
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Polacca
- Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11, TrV 117 for Horn and Orchestra~Allegro -
- Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11, TrV 117 for Horn and Orchestra~Andante -
- Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11, TrV 117 for Horn and Orchestra~Allegro - Rondo. Allegro - [ ] - Tempo I - Lento - Tempo
- Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, TrV 283 for Horn and Orchestra~Allegro - Etwas gemächlich - Poco meno - Etwas breit - Tempo I (
- Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, TrV 283 for Horn and Orchestra~Andante con moto - Più mosso - Calando - Tempo I - Calando
- Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, TrV 283 for Horn and Orchestra~Rondo. Allegro molto - Etwas ruhiger - Tempo I
Regarded as one of Europe's leading horn players, Martin Owen appears as a soloist and chamber musician around the world. Currently principal horn at the BBC Symphony Orchestra, he has previously served as principal horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and as solo horn of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Weber's Concertino was written for the old, valveless 'natural horn'; it's limited range of notes (tied to the harmonic series) was extended mechanically with additional tubing ('crooks') and, more artfully, by virtuoso players bending notes, and varied hand stopping. The technical demands of the Concertino are testament to the extraordinary facility of the hornists of the period. The first Horn Concerto by Richard Strauss, written at the age of nineteen, whilst a student, is widely considered his first uncontested masterpiece. Although the influence of Brahms and Schumann are evident, his own compositional voice is unmistakable. Strauss would continue to write significant parts for horn in all of his orchestral scores (possibly an influence of his father, who was a virtuoso hornist), but the second Concerto was not composed until 1942 - some sixty years later. The style is much more neo-classical, even 'Mozartian'. Schumann's riotous Concertstück for four horns opens the programme, and features three more outstanding soloists: Christopher Parkes (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia of London), Alec Frank-Gemmill (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra), and Sarah Willis (Berliner Philharmoniker).
Tracklist:
- Concertstück in F major, Op. 86 for Four Horns and Large Orchestra~Lebhaft -
- Concertstück in F major, Op. 86 for Four Horns and Large Orchestra~Romanze. Ziemlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend -
- Concertstück in F major, Op. 86 for Four Horns and Large Orchestra~Sehr lebhaft
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Adagio - Andante -
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Andante con moto. Semplice e con anima - Con fuoco - Dolce assai -
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Recitativo - Cadenza - Recitativo. Adagio -
- Concertino in E minor, Op. 45, J 188 for Horn and Orchestra~Polacca
- Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11, TrV 117 for Horn and Orchestra~Allegro -
- Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11, TrV 117 for Horn and Orchestra~Andante -
- Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 11, TrV 117 for Horn and Orchestra~Allegro - Rondo. Allegro - [ ] - Tempo I - Lento - Tempo
- Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, TrV 283 for Horn and Orchestra~Allegro - Etwas gemächlich - Poco meno - Etwas breit - Tempo I (
- Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, TrV 283 for Horn and Orchestra~Andante con moto - Più mosso - Calando - Tempo I - Calando
- Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, TrV 283 for Horn and Orchestra~Rondo. Allegro molto - Etwas ruhiger - Tempo I