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The Music Room => General Classical Music Discussion => Topic started by: Carlo Gesualdo on December 16, 2019, 10:43:01 AM

Title: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Carlo Gesualdo on December 16, 2019, 10:43:01 AM
Beside mister Penderecki Horns concerto, that I find prodigiously a great work of his overview...

So please tell me what are the best the most ethereal horns concerto ever done so far from renaissance to ours moderns time, the bleakest, stuff pitch dark, kinda scary If I'm accurate, Giacinto Scelsi done this so far, but my memory lack for now to given you an I.e whatsoever perhaps Huactutum ?

Beside these example I know f*ck all, anyway please be my guest expert of Horns, for some dude like me whit past esoteric & symbolism observer, something tell me well horns have always being associated whit thee devil, I seen numerous ancient painting of the wicked one(the devil) and it seem to be his favorite instrument, has, I could be wrong , but he depicted playing one?

What about it it folks Horns trough history and orchestrations for multiple Horns nothing more  or some vocal work whit it?

Please subject me good horns work either renaissance era or 20 ct please por favor, and that about it for now have a nice day to all I say whit a smile!
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: pjme on December 16, 2019, 01:16:23 PM
Interesting questions.
But alas, I never associated the devil with a (French) horn. Sure enough, horns can bray, yelp, bark, howl and roar heroically...but they are also excellent as a most gentle, soft voice.
Anyway, since I don't know any horn work that is inspired by the devil, I'll stick with a few works that I know and enjoy:

Belgian composer Robert Herberigs very robust and quasi Straussian "Cyrano de Bergerac"
https://youtu.be/jaNzoida8iI

Charles Koechlin's gorgeous Poème for horn and orchestra
https://youtu.be/QzvnHwAklYM

Michael Tippett : Sonata for four horns
https://youtu.be/XKVIT774-_0

Tippett: symphony nr 2 (plenty of work for the horns)
https://youtu.be/pNwRVL-rZFc

Roy Harris: symphony 5 (lots of horns in the brass section)
https://youtu.be/rJ9wCjXzmhs

Carl Ruggles: Sun treader
https://youtu.be/6soFlEZAMYw

Ruggles: "Men", Rhapsodic Proclamations For Horns And Orchestra and "Mountains"
https://youtu.be/7ig5Ql2iNQk

Henri Tomasi: Symphonie du tiers monde (finale)
https://youtu.be/E6LLEbrKlOA

Oliver Knussen hornconcerto!!!
https://youtu.be/i_TDXk0VV5M

And some hunting horns à la Française: Jean baptiste Morin
https://youtu.be/OtpTrhAuyq8

But the devil...alas, no.

Alberto Ginastera is another composer who has a knack for wild and loud horn sounds (the Bomarzo suite, Jubilum: https://youtu.be/1sj24knek6M).

Janacek's Symphonietta has some terryfying (to play) horn parts.
Tansy Davies: https://youtu.be/6i7o5cCBFMk
Messiaen's Appel interstellaire...
https://youtu.be/SIaYI5gq4jo


Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Christo on December 16, 2019, 02:44:39 PM
Quote from: pjme on December 16, 2019, 01:16:23 PM
Interesting questions.
But alas, I never associated the devil with a (French) horn. Sure enough, horns can bray, yelp, bark, howl and roar heroically...but they are also excellent as a most gentle, soft voice.
Anyway, since I don't know any horn work that is inspired by the devil, I'll stick with a few works that I know and enjoy:

Belgian composer Robert Herberigs very robust and quasi Straussian "Cyrano de Bergerac"
https://youtu.be/jaNzoida8iI

Charles Koechlin's gorgeous Poème for horn and orchestra
https://youtu.be/QzvnHwAklYM

Michael Tippett : Sonata for four horns
https://youtu.be/XKVIT774-_0

Tippett: symphony nr 2 (plenty of work for the horns)
https://youtu.be/pNwRVL-rZFc

Roy Harris: symphony 5 (lots of horns in the brass section)
https://youtu.be/rJ9wCjXzmhs

Carl Ruggles: Sun treader
https://youtu.be/6soFlEZAMYw

Ruggles: "Men", Rhapsodic Proclamations For Horns And Orchestra and "Mountains"
https://youtu.be/7ig5Ql2iNQk

Henri Tomasi: Symphonie du tiers monde (finale)
https://youtu.be/E6LLEbrKlOA

Oliver Knussen hornconcerto!!!
https://youtu.be/i_TDXk0VV5M

And some hunting horns à la Française: Jean baptiste Morin
https://youtu.be/OtpTrhAuyq8

But the devil...alas, no.

Alberto Ginastera is another composer who has a knack for wild and loud horn sounds (the Bomarzo suite, Jubilum: https://youtu.be/1sj24knek6M).

Janacek's Symphonietta has some terryfying (to play) horn parts.
Tansy Davies: https://youtu.be/6i7o5cCBFMk
Messiaen's Appel interstellaire...
https://youtu.be/SIaYI5gq4jo

Superb post. As we could expect from you.  :)
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Carlo Gesualdo on December 16, 2019, 02:50:51 PM
thank you so much I really appreciate  8)
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Symphonic Addict on December 16, 2019, 02:53:52 PM
Penderecki's Horn Concerto has those features.
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 16, 2019, 03:46:43 PM
One of the most remarkable horn parts ever written, IMHO, comes from Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings. I'm not sure if 'bleak' would be the right adjective for the horn part, but it certainly inhabits some darkness for sure.
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: pjme on December 16, 2019, 11:34:20 PM
Indeed, a magical work!
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Roasted Swan on December 16, 2019, 11:38:35 PM
Surely the best example....... Bernard Herrmann's "The Death Hunt" from the film "On Dangerous Ground"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq1Uy2OZ1ug



Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Mandryka on December 17, 2019, 12:19:57 AM
Quote from: Carlo Gesualdo on December 16, 2019, 10:43:01 AM
Beside mister Penderecki Horns concerto, that I find prodigiously a great work of his overview...

So please tell me what are the best the most ethereal horns concerto ever done so far from renaissance to ours moderns time, the bleakest, stuff pitch dark, kinda scary If I'm accurate, Giacinto Scelsi done this so far, but my memory lack for now to given you an I.e whatsoever perhaps Huactutum ?

Beside these example I know f*ck all, anyway please be my guest expert of Horns, for some dude like me whit past esoteric & symbolism observer, something tell me well horns have always being associated whit thee devil, I seen numerous ancient painting of the wicked one(the devil) and it seem to be his favorite instrument, has, I could be wrong , but he depicted playing one?

What about it it folks Horns trough history and orchestrations for multiple Horns nothing more  or some vocal work whit it?

Please subject me good horns work either renaissance era or 20 ct please por favor, and that about it for now have a nice day to all I say whit a smile!

Geoffrey Webber, River Erne Horn Duet, in In Praise of St Columba. You will like this CD.
Gérard Grisey, epilogue from Les Espaces Acoustiques
Dandrieu Messe solonelle de St. Hubert.


(https://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/81-TdNPWhzL._SL1500_.jpg)
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Biffo on December 17, 2019, 01:05:03 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 16, 2019, 03:46:43 PM
One of the most remarkable horn parts ever written, IMHO, comes from Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings. I'm not sure if 'bleak' would be the right adjective for the horn part, but it certainly inhabits some darkness for sure.

Second that, a remarkable horn part. The setting of 'O Rose thou art sick' is unsettling but the Dirge is definitely bleak, rising to near terror and hysteria - Britten and Pears are unsurpassed in this movement.
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 17, 2019, 04:13:27 AM
Quote from: Biffo on December 17, 2019, 01:05:03 AM
Second that, a remarkable horn part. The setting of 'O Rose thou art sick' is unsettling but the Dirge is definitely bleak, rising to near terror and hysteria - Britten and Pears are unsurpassed in this movement.

I can only nod my head in agreement. :)
Title: Re: Best composer for dark & bleak Horns concerto?
Post by: vandermolen on January 10, 2020, 02:17:27 PM
Quote from: Roasted Swan on December 16, 2019, 11:38:35 PM
Surely the best example....... Bernard Herrmann's "The Death Hunt" from the film "On Dangerous Ground"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq1Uy2OZ1ug

Interesting choice. I like that as well.