A foreign website once did such a survey: In your eyes, which brass instrument do you think is the most difficult to play? At that time, the horn lived up to expectations and was elected with a large number of votes.
On the stage, the horn is extremely recognizable, the golden arc is full of several valve keys, and the pipe body with a very geometric aesthetic stretches between the mouth and the horn, it is said that "the pipe is all stretched more than 3 meters", the range and timbre of the horn are wide and rich, but it also poses a great challenge to the breath control and skill of the player, and if you are not careful, you will be on the verge of losing control.
Yes, the difficulty of the horn is almost unanimous in the classical music world, and it is also an indispensable brass instrument for an orchestra. Its magnificent tone has fascinated countless people.
The British horn player Dennis Brain is widely praised as "one of the most amazing figures in the British music scene of the 20th century" with his exquisite playing skills and youthful vitality, and in the European music scene at that time, he and the conductor Cantelli and the pianist Li Paddy belonged to the most dynamic new generation, but unfortunately, all three of them died young, which is regrettable. In 1957, at the height of his artistic career, he died in an unexpected car accident at the age of 36.
Dennis Brian
Dennis Brain (17 May 1921 – 1 September 1957) came from a family full of French trumpet players, who began practicing the French horn at the age of fifteen, appeared on stage two years later to perform the Brandenburg Concerto, became principal of the British National Symphony Orchestra at the age of twenty-one, was immediately after the war by Stowski into the Philadelphia Orchestra, then by the composer Britton, and in the same year by the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic. He also served as the chief French trumpeter of the two regiments. His short fifteen-year musical career made the French horn an emerging solo instrument in Europe at that time, and many composers were attracted by him to start writing new pieces for the French horn. Bi Qin called Hsu Bryan's French horn playing "the blowing of the eagle" the most apt description.
At the age of 16, Brian was discovered by walter Riger, the legendary EMI record producer at the time, and when Riger founded the Philharmonic Orchestra in 1945, he appointed him as the orchestra's French principal. Ligg praised him: "The problem of skill is completely absent in him, and in the field of his instrument (French horn), he is fully proficient in tone, legato, broken tone, dynamic amplitude, etc., on top of which no other horn player can match the expressiveness." ”
In a warm, calm appearance, he broke the traditional rules and regulations with great musical talent, tamed the horn, an instrument known for its "difficulty", creating emotional lines and rich colors, making it his subservient servant, letting it sing at his own will, showing the world that the horn was completely comparable to any other solo instrument. His mastery of the horn, his strong expressiveness, and his accumulated experience are enough to make him a "miracle" in the world of horn playing.
The tragic death is the most difficult to accept. Fortunately, his music is frozen in the record, and through many high-tech recordings and republishments, people can re-appreciate his wonderful music world.
Among them, it must be mentioned that he played the highest level of Mozart interpretation, boyd Neel has repeatedly called Brian the most perfect Mozart of his generation (on any instrument). This version of Mozart's four Horn Concertos was recorded in collaboration with karajan's Philharmonic Orchestra, and Mozart's Piano and Wind Quintet was completed in collaboration with pianist Colin Hosley. This recording was selected as one of EMI's great recording series and one of the 300 famous discs of The Art of Recording in Japan.
The legendary horn master and the "commanding emperor" Karajan created a recorded version of this legend. The technicality and musicality of Brian's horn is unparalleled, beyond doubt! Karajan conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra to give an excellent concerto, fresh and unworldly, unlike the later gorgeous and heavy, and the coordination with the horn was seamless, the degree of completion was extremely high, the entire recording made the sound quality of the horn full of the echo of Kingsway Hall, the sound quality of the strings was not damaged at all, and the effect was unusually plump and open.
Beethoven's Piano and Wind Quintet is another of Brian's best plays, in which he shows himself as a perfect chamber musician, with no intention of stealing the limelight or overriding other performers. The solemn and perfect cooperation with the companions, the naturalness and balance of the recordings are excellent, the sound is very realistic, and you can even imagine the spatial position of the five instruments behind the speakers, with a fascinating ensemble, a charming recording effect, and the whole performance makes you feel as if you are in paradise.
Tribute to horn player Dennis Brian EMI recordings
Tribute to Horn Player Dennis Brian EMI Recordings Complete (German Version 11CD) ¥315 Purchase
In 2021, Warner Classics released a special 11CD set of 11 CDs in honor of the great horn player who died young, including concertos, chamber music, and chamber orchestral works, including concertos, chamber music, and chamber orchestras, and more rarely, opera repertoire and symphonies he participated in.
This 11CD series showcases his significant contributions as a concerto soloist, chamber musician and ensemble player, in addition to the works of Mozart and Beethoven mentioned above, as well as masterpieces by Dvořák, Haydn, Schumann, Bach, Mendelssohn and others.
Some of the recordings were released on CD for the first time, such as Handel, Richard Strauss, Richard Arnell, Norman Fober Kay, and included The World's First Release of Dandy: Chansons and Dances, Op. 50.
Over the years, Brian has left us with many treasures of works, and other horn players such as Barry Tuckwell and Alan Civil may be able to get close to him, but few people can still have the spiritual youth and unique musical literacy like him.
【Original Import Limited Collection】
German version 11CD