Playing the Horn in Small Ensembles

The most important aspect of ensemble performance is togetherness. A fine group will sound amateurish with out-of-rhythm playing. And, a mediocre group can sound professional if all members are in the same rhythmic groove. Hint - the best way to get in the groove is to practice with a metronome loud enough to be heard by the entire group. A Second Hint - think subdivisions at all Times, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif.
Playing in tune with a woodwind or brass group presents different challenges. It is easier to hear the correct pitch with the brass instruments than with the woodwinds because the brass tone qualities are more similar. Nevertheless, play to the center of the pitch. Hint - Warm up with a chorale , then check the first and last chord by tuning the fifth of the chord so it has no beats. Then, add the third. If it is a minor third, it should be placed a little high. If it is a major third, it should be placed a little low. This will make the chords resonate.
Projecting and balancing the horn sound with the rest of the ensemble is of prime importance. The forte will be louder with a brass quintet than with a woodwind quintet. Even the pianos may be a little louder when playing with a brass ensemble. Hint - Consider placing the horn stage-left with a brass ensemble, and center-stage with a woodwind ensemble. Realizing that the horn bell points the wrong way, it is helpful to have someone listen in the performance space to help with balance issues.
Be sure to practice regularly. After several detailed rehearsals, which will involve many stops and starts, make an effort play through the piece completely three or four Times, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif before the performance. Hint - it is very helpful to have a dress rehearsal as close to the performance date as possible, but not so close that the performers have tired embouchures.
Deal with nerves by thinking about the "musical game plan." That is, force yourself to think about rhythm, tempos, intonation, tone quality, phrasing, breathing, crescendos and decrescendos, balancing with other instruments, etc. Hint - think about peaceful words and pleasant thoughts. How can one get nervous if one is thinking about so many things?

The following list of horn ensembles is but a small portion of the music available. However, I have played or conducted all of this music and can attest to its value for hornists of all ages and abilities. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Pieces are listed as follows: Composer / Title / Publisher / Comments / Difficulty

Duets

W.F. Bach / Brass Duet Notebook / Southern / Good for teaching Classical style / MD
Brahms/Reynolds / Horn Songs / Southern / Great fun, hard piano part / M
Coscia, Sylvio / Coscia's Col. of 27 Duets, 3 vols. / Robert King / Transcriptions of piano music / M-D
Dauprat, Louis / 22 Duos for Horns in Different keys / McCoy's / Teaches transposition / M-D
Duvernoy / 20 Horn Duets / Southern / Good music, idiomatic for horn / M-MD
Handel / Concerto for Two Horns / Shawnee / Same as Water Music / MD
Heiden / Five Canons / Assoc. Music Pub. / Good Contemporary Music / MD
Mozart / 12 Pieces / International / Good Music / D
Niccolai / Duets for horn, 3 vols. / Musica Rara / Nice melodies with brilliant flourishes / MD
Pottag / 60 Duets / Belwin / Fun to play / M-MD
Rosetti / Concerto for 2 Horns / International / Very long but rewarding, in E flat / D
Shaw / Bipperies / Hornists Nest / Jazz inspired, good rhythmic challenge / M
Schenk / 6 Sonatas / MCA Music / Good music / M
Smith / Rivival, Adoration, Worship / Smith Pub. / Sacred music / M-MD
Telemann / Concerto for 2 Horns / KaWa / D-horn transposition / M
Telemann / Suite for 2 Horns / International / Teaches Baroque style / M-MD
Voxman / Selected Duets, 2 vols. / Voxman / Great resource / M-MD

Trios

Avril / Perpetual Motion / Draco Press / Fun, really moves / MD
Buchtel / Horn Trio Book / Kjos / A good starter book / Easy
Dauprat / Grand Trio / Carl Fischer / Beautiful, yet taxing / D
Pottag / Trio Album / Belwin / Music of Dauprat, Reicha, Beethoven / MD
Reicha / Six Horn Trios / Southern / Idiomatic horn writing / MD
Wekre / Fugue / McCoy / Fun to play / MD

Quartets

Bach/McCoy / 8 Chorales / McCoy / Good Bach transcriptions / 4th part in bass clef / M
Bizet / Agnus Dei / Sam Fox / Good tuning exercise / M
Bruckner / Andante / McCoy In A Flat / very beautiful / M
Handel / Hallelujah Chorus / ProArt / Good for festive occasions / M
Hindemith / Sonata for 4 Horns / Schott / A masterpiece, needs 4 superior hornists / D
Hubler / Concerto for 4 Horns, with piano accompaniment / KaWa / Well known Romantic-era Quartet / MD
McCoy / Three Songs / McCoy / Especially good for Solo and Ensemble / M
Pottag / Quartet Album / Belwin / Fine collection / M-MD
Rossini/Howe / Quando Corpus / McCoy / Exploits full range / MD
Schubert/Reynolds / Six Quartets / Southern / Beautiful arrangements / M
Schumann/Reynolds / Six Quartets / Southern / Also beautiful / M
Schumann / Concertstücke / International / One of the most difficult quartets / D
Shaw / Fripperies, 6 vols. / Hornists Nest / Every horn player should play these quartets / M-D

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