Richard Strauss (1864-1949), Konzert nr. 1 für Waldhorn und Orchester Es-dur, op.11. Philarmonia Orchestra - Aleco Galliera, conductor. Soloist : Dennis Brain. recorded in 1947.
My horn teacher was Alfred Cursue 4th horn along with Brain in the Philharmonia Orchestra and in 1964 and 1965 I was instructed on this instrument as his pupil.student. In the 1980s on a visit to see Alfred at Kneller Hall RMSM he asked me to apply for his position there at RMSM as he was about to retire!! david Wilde OP (Now in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA) 2018
Not sure how much I like this conductor... the orchestra seemed to be skipping past a few important rhythms in the first movements. But I must confess my absolute admiration for Brain's playing. Outstanding for such a difficult instrument! Many thanks for this upload.
Oh, my goodness! Mr. Marillier, you must, absolutly must put Dennis Brain in the title of your upload. You will receive many more viewing that way, and many horn players will be thankful for it! For your personal edification, wikipedia "Dennis Brain" so you may see what a treasure you have! With many thanks for the upload!
Strauss's father was a Horn player. You can hear his love for the instrument in his writing, or perhaps is was a concession to his father. The melodies are original and memorable. You can judge a composition and composer by how well he utilizes the limited instruments, and the Horn is definitely starting with multiple handicaps, not the least of which is the ridiculous length of tubing, bunching all those overtones together, allowing a player to hit a googolplex adjacent notes with the same "fingering". Either way, this Concerto ranks up there with the absolute best in the repertoire, and is way more interesting than Mozart (no, I really don't like the Classical period). It's a shame the lamebrains that program classical music radio won't pull their violins out of their asses and start playing more winds.
Herman Bratcher Mozart's Horn Concertos are quite beautiful tho. Give them a chance. Strauss Eb Concerto is one of the best out there, I agree. It's stunning. As a flute player, I also quite agree with your point that wind concertos need to be played on the radio more often.
This recording will always be the one that introduced me to both Dennis Brain and the Strauss 1. It speaks well to the range that quality hornists are capable of, especially with Dennis playing on a B-flat single horn (my horn professor gave me that tidbit).
This is a real gem, with remarkably good sound for the date. The bass is rather tubby, but I will try adjusting it in my Audacity audio editing software. It doesn't have the harshness of the later recording with Sawallisch that I grew up with in high school back in the 1960s. That one was not one of EMI's better efforts in sonic quality control. From the date and the information from the album The Art of Dennis Brain, it appears that he was playing on the old French Raoux horn, crooked in B flat. That horn was originally a natural horn made in 1818, with a valve assembly made a century later inserted in place of the original crooks. His virtuosity just blows my mind. I got a superior rating in a school solo festival as a high school senior, but I could hold a candle to what he did.
Brain was the consummate horn player. It's only too bad he did not live to really put out a huge volume of recordings. I also find it interesting that anyone would ever suggest that Dennis Brain would ever crack a note (which on the horn is pretty easy to do). Reportedly, once during a rehearsal he did semi-crack a note and the conductor stopped the orchestra and said that this was the only time in their lifetimes that they would ever hear that. Brain, reportedly, was embarrassed.
Every time I listen to this I hear that one giant crack at 13:05 lol. Also I checked Dennis' tempo at the end a while ago, I think it was about 180-185, when the actual tempo is 132.
+twothousandcookies The tempo indication is for the first part of the movement. The last section is marked for the tempo to move faster. Wonderful performance. (You give the impression that the crack is Brain's. Not fair.)
+Kevin Kennedy if you listen to where i linked the crack is heard clearly in a section where brain isnt even playing. As for the tempo, ive never heard anyone take it faster than dennis (and do it so well)
+twothousandcookies I did listen. That's how I found out it wasn't Brain. Reading your comment, I assumed you meant it was his mishap. The tempo of the movement is marked 132, and they stay pretty close to that. As for the ending, there is no "actual tempo." It is marked "a little faster." I agree he takes it more than a little faster. He was brilliant.
My ears are having a celebration! So how can anyone not like this? Is that even legal?!?
Wow!! A miracle of cleanliness and well-formed phrasing. Long live the memory of Dennis Brain!
My horn teacher was Alfred Cursue 4th horn along with Brain in the Philharmonia Orchestra and in 1964 and 1965 I was instructed on this instrument as his pupil.student. In the 1980s on a visit to see Alfred at Kneller Hall RMSM he asked me to apply for his position there at RMSM as he was about to retire!! david Wilde OP (Now in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA) 2018
Still my all-time favorite! Thank you for posting it.
Not sure how much I like this conductor... the orchestra seemed to be skipping past a few important rhythms in the first movements.
But I must confess my absolute admiration for Brain's playing. Outstanding for such a difficult instrument! Many thanks for this upload.
It is truly miraculous playing. When I heard it as a teen ager in the '70s I thought the ending always went that fast...
Oh, my goodness! Mr. Marillier, you must, absolutly must put Dennis Brain in the title of your upload. You will receive many more viewing that way, and many horn players will be thankful for it! For your personal edification, wikipedia "Dennis Brain" so you may see what a treasure you have! With many thanks for the upload!
Strauss's father was a Horn player. You can hear his love for the instrument in his writing, or perhaps is was a concession to his father. The melodies are original and memorable. You can judge a composition and composer by how well he utilizes the limited instruments, and the Horn is definitely starting with multiple handicaps, not the least of which is the ridiculous length of tubing, bunching all those overtones together, allowing a player to hit a googolplex adjacent notes with the same "fingering".
Either way, this Concerto ranks up there with the absolute best in the repertoire, and is way more interesting than Mozart (no, I really don't like the Classical period). It's a shame the lamebrains that program classical music radio won't pull their violins out of their asses and start playing more winds.
I think the last sentence is one of the best things I've ever read.
Herman Bratcher Mozart's Horn Concertos are quite beautiful tho. Give them a chance. Strauss Eb Concerto is one of the best out there, I agree. It's stunning. As a flute player, I also quite agree with your point that wind concertos need to be played on the radio more often.
So damn true, although I am partial to Mozart horn concertos.
Beautiful performance ! Thank you very much :)
RIP Dennis Brain (died #otd in 1957) 🌺🌺🌺
This recording will always be the one that introduced me to both Dennis Brain and the Strauss 1. It speaks well to the range that quality hornists are capable of, especially with Dennis playing on a B-flat single horn (my horn professor gave me that tidbit).
This is a real gem, with remarkably good sound for the date. The bass is rather tubby, but I will try adjusting it in my Audacity audio editing software. It doesn't have the harshness of the later recording with Sawallisch that I grew up with in high school back in the 1960s. That one was not one of EMI's better efforts in sonic quality control.
From the date and the information from the album The Art of Dennis Brain, it appears that he was playing on the old French Raoux horn, crooked in B flat. That horn was originally a natural horn made in 1818, with a valve assembly made a century later inserted in place of the original crooks. His virtuosity just blows my mind. I got a superior rating in a school solo festival as a high school senior, but I could hold a candle to what he did.
Correction: I could not hold a candle to what he did.
@@keithbrescia9893 that is what I had read even before your correction 😊 👍
Maravellous!
@bevaconme Modified! Thank you very much and happy new year.
Here he is playing his small piston valved horn!
you're very welocome, and the same to you.
Who the hell disliked this?!?!
the "unknown" soloist is dennis brain.
Brain was the consummate horn player. It's only too bad he did not live to really put out a huge volume of recordings. I also find it interesting that anyone would ever suggest that Dennis Brain would ever crack a note (which on the horn is pretty easy to do). Reportedly, once during a rehearsal he did semi-crack a note and the conductor stopped the orchestra and said that this was the only time in their lifetimes that they would ever hear that. Brain, reportedly, was embarrassed.
Just ithink. Alan Civil and Dennis were both in the Philharmonia's horn section at the same time ...
No, a CZcams member told me who was playing.
the oboe at 13:08 though
Every time I listen to this I hear that one giant crack at 13:05 lol. Also I checked Dennis' tempo at the end a while ago, I think it was about 180-185, when the actual tempo is 132.
+twothousandcookies The tempo indication is for the first part of the movement. The last section is marked for the tempo to move faster. Wonderful performance. (You give the impression that the crack is Brain's. Not fair.)
+Kevin Kennedy if you listen to where i linked the crack is heard clearly in a section where brain isnt even playing. As for the tempo, ive never heard anyone take it faster than dennis (and do it so well)
+twothousandcookies I did listen. That's how I found out it wasn't Brain. Reading your comment, I assumed you meant it was his mishap. The tempo of the movement is marked 132, and they stay pretty close to that. As for the ending, there is no "actual tempo." It is marked "a little faster." I agree he takes it more than a little faster. He was brilliant.
The cracked note sounded like an oboe.
I HAVE CONCERTO COMPETITION IN FOUR DAYS AND IM PLAYING THIS AT 170 LORD HELP ME IM AN EIGHTH GRADER WHY DID I DO THIS
1:57 RIP HEADPHONE USERS
Bruuuh🤣
I HAVE CONCERTO COMPETITION IN FOUR DAYS AND IM PLAYING THE END PART AT 170 BPM LORD HELP ME IM AN EIGHTH GRADER WHY DID I DO THIS
my brother in christ thats insane, how are you doing four years later i need an update lol
@@noahrecknagel7142 i play bass with funkadelic now HAHA damn
1 person plays saxophone
13:07
Il Mozart cornista
🤮