Horn Works

Hermann Baumann is easily one of the finest horn players of the second half of the 20th century. He came to prominence as a soloist in the 1960s and in 1964 won the prestigious ARD International Music Competition in Munich, beating out Jessye Norman for first place

HORN TRIOS from MOZART to PIAZZOLLA and beyond (Volume 1) is the first installment of a 2-volume compendium of horn trios from the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries - an amazing "anthology" of original and arranged repertoire for the trio ensemble of horn, violin and piano. This is not the kind of recording project consisting of the obligatory Brahms Trio Op. 40 in the company of two or three other much-recorded works. Presenting a 4-centuries double-disc album with just this First Volume, the artists explore a strikingly-interesting collection of diverse styles and genres, where even the sheer number of different nationalities of the composers (from 12 different countries) brings instant awe. Yes, the Brahms Horn Trio is included, as well as works by Mozart and Piazzolla (as the album's title proclaims), but we also hear trios by composers from the United States, Canada, England, France, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria and Morocco. Presenting no less than 8 world-premiere recordings in just this Volume 1, the album brims with rarities and contrasts, showcasing many works written specifically for these artists.

A repertoire of absolute rarity is the one presented in this discographic work, given the peculiarity represented by the organic (horn and piano) that in the history of music cannot boast large quantities of original compositions. The programme presented here by Nilo Caracristi and Giancarlo Guarino (v. TC 882480) covers various centuries and changing styles: the music, the performers and the listeners are involved in a constant transformation that is proposed, experienced and perceived on several levels. This musical journey begins with Gustavo Rossari’s Fantasia on motifs by Verdi, passes through the Italian twentieth century with the brilliant Sonata by Giorgio Ferrari, proceeds with Aleksandr Skrjabin’s wonderful, romantic Romanza, an early work of his, plunges into the contemporary age with the nostalgia and rhythmic vigour of Fabián Pérez Tedesco’s Fantasia and with the soft swing of Donato Semeraro’s Ballad and Salsa, and ends with the thrilling main theme of the soundtrack of The Godfather 2, by Nino Rota, presented in a further, final metamorphosis that this time directly involves the musicians, surprising the listeners with an unexpected effect.