The British Horn Society

Lisa Cooper has recently been appointed Principal Horn of the Aarhus Symfoniorkester, Denmark. Lisa studied with Derek Taylor and Richard Watkins at the Royal Academy of Music . A former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Lisa took a study exchange to Germany with lessons with Frank Lloyd and Prof. Erich Penzel which led to appointments with Deutsche Oper am Rhein,Nürnberger Symphoniker and Essener Philharmoniker.

Roger Argente, Bass Trombonist at the RPO, a Past President of the BTS and Head of Brass at Trinity College of Music earlier this year had a motorcycle accident which resulted in him breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle. He is well and truly on the mend and has started back at work, but during his enforced home recuperation Roger decided to start a project to track down past brass players at Trinity College of Music.

"A lot of friends and visitors suggested I write a book, but I decided my pet project would be to try and locate as many ex TCM students as possible. SMS texting, the power of the internet, Google, Facebook and good old fashioned word of mouth have all helped immensely and I am now pleased to say I have now made contact with over 350 people. I've had replies from all over the world - USA, Mexico, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Africa, Europe and Scandinavia. It's very pleasing to hear from so many of our students, still heavily involved in music, either professionally or just for fun, and hearing how their careers developed. My idea is to invite everyone along to our next annual brass festival in the Spring of 2011. It's a real shame that there are no real records of all the past students, or even the staff, but I do intend doing my best to contact as many as possible."

If you studied or know someone who studied brass at Trinity College of Music, whether it was 1st or 2nd study, an Undergraduate or Post Graduate course, were a recipient of the sorely missed Archers Big Band Scholarship, or maybe you didn't even finish your course, Roger would love to hear from you. Please drop him a line at roger@rogerargente.com

Richard Bissill has been appointed principal horn of the Royal Opera House>, Covent Garden. The Royal Opera House now has another exceptional horn player to share the principal horn position with the brilliant Simon Rayner. Roll on Götterdämmerung!
Hugh Seenan

Obituary
Aileen Way was born in Glasgow on 13th November 1931, the youngest of three children. Her parents were Ernest and Marjory Way. Ernest Way was well in known in Scotland as a pioneer of alternative medicine; Marjory Way had been secretary to Andrew Bonar Law, who was Prime Minister between 1922-1923. She grew up in a very musical family – her brother Alan became Principal Bassoon in the Scottish Orchestra (now the Royal Scottish National Orchestra). Her older brother, Kenneth, is a flautist, although he chose to study at agricultural college rather than pursue a musical career, subsequently running a farm on the Isle of Mull for many years.

In Glasgow she attended Jordanhill Primary School and Woodside Secondary School. During the Second World War Aileen and her family were evacuated to the country near Drymen in Stirlingshire. As a 12-year-old already playing both the piano and the violin, she took up the horn, initially encouraged by Laurence Dunn - at that time Musical Director of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and who also obtained her first instrument for her. Aileen studied the horn at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow and, subsequently, at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she had lessons from Aubrey Brain and then Charles Gregory. In 1949 she joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in its first year thus qualifying as a founder member. There was only one other Scottish player in that year.

After leaving the RAM in 1953, Aileen was appointed second horn in the Scottish National Orchestra, joining the section of Farquharson Cousins, Barry Tuckwell and Derrick Lisney. She undertook further lessons with Heinrich Keller, Principal Horn of the Hamburg Opera, remaining friends with his family until her death. He was a member of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and, as his student, Aileen was allowed to sit in the orchestral pit with the horn section, giving her the opportunity to meet many of the leading German horn players of the day.

Throughout her life she had a keen interest in the outdoors, particularly in mountain climbing and in 1961 this culminated in her ascent of the Matterhorn. In 1963 she left the SNO and married the bassoon player Andrew Hunter. Their two boys, David and Gordon, were born in 1965 and 1967 respectively. She took part in recitals organised by the Scottish Arts Council, deputised in the BBC Scottish Orchestra, played with the John Currie singers, and in theatres in the Glasgow area. In the late 1970s she and her husband were heavily involved in setting up and running a wind band in the South Side of Glasgow, comprising largely their own pupils. Despite these many commitments, she also found the time and energy to develop a wide range of interests. Besides enjoying gardening she was an enthusiastic member of Learning in Later Life at the University of Strathclyde, taking part in activities including Computing, the German language, Genealogy and Cartoon Drawing.

Aileen died on November 1st 2009 at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow after a long struggle with cancer. She is survived by her husband and two sons.
John Brownlee

There are two releases of British Music which may be of special interest to BHS Members. The first is of music by the 86 year old British composer Arthur Butterworth, who over the last few years he has been attending the BHS Festivals, since he has been learning to play the horn. Butterworth had served in the Second World War after which he had been offered the post of second trumpet in the Scottish Orchestra (the forerunner of the SNO), by the then principal conductor Walter Susskind. He also had studied composition and had some lessons from Ralph Vaughan Williams. RVW impressed on him the importance of individuality in style rather than innovation for its own sake. His music is heavily influenced by British composers of the early 20th century. However at the end of the war, whilst still in Germany, he had been exposed to northern European composers particularly Sibelius. His music reflects all these influences and his beloved northern Britain.

He eventually left the Scottish Orchestra take up a trumpet post with the Hallé Orchestra and there he gave the score of his First Symphony to Sir John Barbirolli. The next year he found that Barbirolli had programmed its first performance at the Cheltenham Festival.

Dutton Digital has issued a double CD of Butterworth’s works (CDLX 7212) at the bargain price of £9.99. It includes new recordings of his 4th Symphony Op 72 and Viola Concerto Op 82 played the Scottish National Orchestra with himself conducting. The release also includes a Dutton re-mastering of a live performance of his 1st Symphony Op 15 given at the 1958 Proms by the Hallé conducted by Barbirolli. This performance has tremendous energy and is well worth hearing.

The other recent re-issue is of David Pyatt’s performance of the Ruth Gipps Horn Concerto with the LPO conduced by Nicholas Braithwaite. It is part of a four CD set ‘Celebrating 50 Years Devoted to British Music’ on Lyrita SRDC 2337.

Vienna Horns of Scotland in Edinburgh: Third Annual Workshop,November 2009
The continuing search for illumination of the many mysteries surrounding the playing of the Vienna horn has taken our regular VHOS quartet to Vienna for tuition from Professor Franz Söllner on various occasions during 2009. We therefore felt it appropriate to respond with some Scottish hospitality, and planned a third autumn workshop in Edinburgh. Throughout the four days of the workshop our regular quartet was reinforced by Shirley Hopkins and Christopher Greening from the south, and Marian Kirton from Edinburgh itself. From Vienna came three superb players, Oliver Gilg, Hannes Marehard and Peter Putzer, all members of the Wiener Waldhorn Verein and good friends since their first visit to Scotland in the spring of 2008. The ensemble was directed with zeal and total commitment by Franz Söllner.

The work - two full days of six hours on the Thursday and Friday - was hard but rewarding and the presence of the Viennese players encouraged us not simply to raise our game but also to try to emulate the distinctively Viennese sound - round and soft, with a rich harmonic spectrum - which comes so naturally to them. On Saturday 15 November, we moved to Edinburgh’s West End, where we rehearsed and performed our prepared programme, including pieces by Liftl, Erich Pizka, Schantl, Anton Wunderer, Humperdinck and Florian Janezic, in the beautifully renovated St. John’s Church. The concert went well, and our enthusiastic audience (drawn from as far afield as Bridge of Allan, Bavaria, Vienna and even North Berwick!) seemed well satisfied after our encore, Hermes’ Trinklied für Jäger, had shaken the rafters.
Norman Macdougall

David Pyatt recently gave a fascinating illustrated interview about playing the horn playing in film music to Tim Burden of the magazine Film Score Monthly. To download a copy go to http://www.sendspace.com/file/rhs53s
Film Score Monthly is at http://www.screenarchives.com/fsmonline/main.cfm

The Ealing Music festival will take place during May. Full details are at www.ealingfestival.org.uk/index.htm

Roger Montgomery has been elected Honorary Chairman of the British Horn Society. Roger, who is both a horn player and conductor, studied at the University of York and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Anthony Halstead. Interested in contemporary music and period instrument performance he plays horn with many of the leading groups in both fields, and is third horn of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, London.

As a founder member and conductor of Jane's Minstrels he has given many premieres and performed at leading festivals in the UK and in the USA, Scandinavia and Europe, directing three compact disc recordings for the NMC label and frequently broadcasting for the BBC. He has also directed Avanti!, BBC Singers, Endymion, Capricorn, Park Lane Group Ensemble, Ondine (in several series of Contemporary classics and new works) and Orchestra 18/20. Roger is a council member of the Society for the Promotion of New Music and teaches at Trinity College of Music.

In March 2008 Jenni Wright won the Solent Symphony Orchestra Concerto Award to perform a concerto with the Orchestra. Jenni, a Horn player in her 2nd year of study at the Royal Welsh College of Music, performed Strauss' 1st Horn Concerto on 21st February in St Thomas Cathedral, High Street, Old Portsmouth, on the horn that she bought with assistance from the BHS Sue and Freddie Walding Bursary Fund.

Christopher Parkes has been appointed Principal Horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, sharing the position of Principal with another recent appointment, Lawrence Davies. Christopher studied horn with Lizzie Davis at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Hugh Seenan, Richard Bissill and Jeffrey Bryant. A former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain Chris joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra as third horn in 2004. Chris is also the horn player for Fine Arts Brass Ensemble. He recently performed at the Wigmore Hall in London a new Sonata for horn and piano specially written for him by Gwilym Simcock.

Alec Frank-Gemmill has been appointed Principal Horn of the Tiroler Sinfonie Orchestra in Innsbruck Austria. Alec studied horn with Marcus Bates and Hugh Seenan before going on to Cambridge University where he received a first class honours degree in Music. A former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and a former Principal Horn of the European Union Youth Orchestra Alec took a post-graduate year of study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Hugh Seenan, Jeffrey Bryant and Richard Bissill. In 2007 he won an audition to be at the Zurich Opera Orchestra Academy which gave him regular work with the Zurich Opera Orchestra and horn lessons with Radovan Vlatkovic.

Day Out to Dunham
The annual outing of students and staff of the Royal Northern College of Music to Dunham Massey house and gardens had beautiful sunshine in June 2008 and an audience of some 2500. Students take a collection of hand horns, baroque horns, piston and modern, to play hunting horn calls in the grounds, courtesy of the National Trust. (Luckily for us, when first tentative calls were made re disturbing the peace there, the head gardener had a horn-playing brother!)

Trios disappear into the undergrowth, a distance apart, and hidden from view - behind the orangerie, across the lake, on the mound, in the trees, by the bridge, and listen for the signal to begin playing sequences of calls, just able to hear the round of groups in the distance. It is a magical experience. Distant horns have an ethereal quality, and close-up (as many Japanese tourists and brave toddlers were) there is the excitement of hearing your heroic sound carry far over fields and trees.

Whilst Dunham is a great day out, (even in the rain in previous trips - well done the noble few!) it is also invaluable as a teaching/learning tool. Playing outside produces an interesting reaction in a player!
Air control instinctively responds to the echo, to support and really project the sound.
Tone resonates freely with strength, pure sound, and release.
Articulation becomes clearer and cleaner.
Self-conscious inhibitions disappear .
Fun replaces fear!

Somehow, getting back to our musical roots as hornists, alongside the grounding of being outside, many barefoot in the grass, brings out the wicked glee of our power as players, and improves natural technique. This playing experience can be called upon when an "outdoor" , more free approach is needed in a piece( maybe a Mozart rondo) and a grey concrete music college doesn't inspire. "Think Dunham Massey" immediately conjures up leafy countyside, picnicking with friends, and, best of all, BRAVURA!!

Beccy Goldberg

The Horn Orchestra of Russia

Russian Horn Orchestra

In February 2008 Paul Sawbridge met Sergei Polyanichko to hear about his remarkable reconstruction of the Russian horn capella which were extremely fashionable in Russia from about 1750 to 1830. This meeting stimulated research into these remarkable bands where each player generally played but a single note. The result is an article in the Spring 2008 edition of The Horn Player (published in mid May) entitled The History of Russian Horn Bands and their historical reconstruction by the Horn Orchestra of Russia

On hearing one of the finest horn bands Louis Spohr commented '"An overture by Gluck…. with a velocity and an accuracy which would be difficult for stringed instruments; how much more, then, for the hornists, of whom each player plays only one note. It is hardly to be believed that they bring out the fastest passages with great clarity, and I would not think it possible, had I not heard it with my own ears.'''

With Sergei Polyanichko's permission we are pleased to be able to let you hear this unique sound in an arrangement of the William Tell Overture by Rossini, recorded in 2008 by The Horn Orchestra of Russia conducted by Sergei. To listen to the track, click on this link William Tell track (or right click to download it) - NB file size 5MB.

Composer Andrew Downes's new Sonata for Violin, Horn and Piano opus 93 was premiered on February 5th 2008 in the Suk Hall, Rudolfinum, Prague, Czech Republic, and broadcast on Czech Radio. The players were:
Monika Vrabková (violin)
Ondrej Vrabek (horn) - Ondrej is principal horn in the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Daniel Wiesner (piano)
They are together known as Brahms Trio Prague.

In addition, during the summer of 2007, the horn players of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra recorded for CD and internet distribution three horn ensemble works by Andrew Downes. The works are 5 Dramatic Pieces for 8 Wagner Tubas, given its world premiere at the Dvorak Hall, Rudolfinum, Prague in October 2005 by the CPO hornists; Suite for 6 Horns, commissioned in 1999 by James Lowe, Roland Horvath and the Vienna Horn Society (The 'Wiener Waldhornverein') and Sonata for 4 Horns, commissioned by James Lowe and the British Horn Society in 1981.

The Czech Philharmonic horn section has already recorded Andrew Downes' Sonata for 8 Horns on a CD entitled 'Czech Philharmonic Horns' on the Classicprint label CPVP12CD.

Triple Grammy nominee and French horn virtuoso Barry Tuckwell is featured in conversation in a recent episode of the University of Melbourne’s Up Close audio podcast. Upclose is a fortnightly talk show featuring in-depth discussions with prominent personalities from or connected to the University of Melbourne. Listeners can download or subscribe to Up Close at: http://upclose.unimelb.edu.au/
In the 30 minute audiocast, Barry Tuckwell discusses his art and current endeavors, as well as a musical career spanning more than 50 years. The interview was conducted by Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC) presenter and musician Sian Prior.

Barry Tuckwell has been a French horn player since joining the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at age 15. He has been nominated for three Grammy awards and is honorary president of the British Horn Society. He currently lives in Australia and is an honorary professorial fellow in the University’s Faculty of Music. Geoff Collinson, head of brass at the University’s Faculty of Music, says Mr Tuckwell has provided students with a vast knowledge bank through his involvement with the University. “Professor Tuckwell is without doubt one of Australia’s most important and internationally respected musicians”, he says. “He has made an enormous difference to the brass department and made us an exemplar in the Australian education scene.”

For four days in November the normally quiet residential district of Marchmont in Edinburgh resounded to the thrilling sound of Vienna horns, playing at every conceivable dynamic, in a wide range of ensemble music. The occasion was the visit to Edinburgh of Franz Söllner, for twenty five years a distinguished member of the Vienna Philharmonic horn section, now a superb teacher and ensemble coach, to conduct a workshop in the excellent facilities provided by Marchmont St. Giles’ Church and Centre.

Armed with local goodwill, a number of spare Vienna horns, and generous financial assistance from BHS and other patrons, BHS members Marshall Halliday, Norman Macdougall and Martin Prowse adopted the name Vienna Horns of Scotland and invited anyone from the society who could make it to come to Edinburgh for a long weekend to investigate, or renew acquaintance with, the charismatic if treacherous instrument which even Wolfgang Tomböck of the Vienna Philharmonic has described as the “beloved enemy“.

An encouraging number, coming from as far afield as Kent, the Welsh Marches, Yorkshire, and the hills of Angus, proved equal to the challenge. Among them we were fortunate to have Shirley Hopkins and Bob Ashworth with us for the entire weekend, while Harry Johnstone of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra promised to look in for half an hour and stayed for three. All our professionals entered wholly into the spirit of the enterprise, and long before the end a cheerful collegiality had been established, aided and abetted by sustaining intakes of liquid refreshment, some of it alcoholic.

Over the four days, a huge amount of work on ensemble, breathing, intonation and musical style was undertaken, with Franz showing himself a first-class ensemble leader, exhibiting a kind of supercharged exhoratory zeal. While never settling for less than he believed we could achieve, he was always conscious of the wide range of ability amongst us, with the result that everyone learned a great deal, not least about Viennese teaching methods( about which Bob Ashworth has more to say elsewhere in this issue).

As for music, we played a large variety of pieces, ranging from Austrian marches to “Tristan” and “Parsifal”. A novelty was Klaus Wallendorf’s superb if highly demanding arrangement of “ Der Freischütz”, which was made available to us at the last moment by Erwin Zsaitsits of Heavy Brass. Incidentally his website www.heavybrass.com is well worth exploring for groups on the lookout for horn ensemble music.

On the Sunday morning, we gave our first performance as Vienna Horns of Scotland, taking part under Franz’s direction in the morning service at Marchmont St. Giles, performing pieces by Kolin, Stiegler, Lorenz and Fauré. It turned out that a baptism was taking place that morning, and it must be reported that Findlay Alexander Pringle not only behaved himself impeccably but received the best possible musical start in life - the mellow sound of nine Vienna horns. It should be added that the congregation’s spontaneous applause at the end of the service was also very gratifying!

So thanks to all who came and made the workshop the success which it certainly was. For the future, Vienna Horns of Scotland will continue to rehearse in Edinburgh, and amongst our objectives will be the organisation of further open events and the forging of closer links with Franz Söllner and members of the Wiener Waldhorn Verein. Do try to join us some time if you can - apart from anything else, it’s fun! (Norman Macdougall)

Calling All Horn Teachers. The BHS committee has been supporting a number of initiatives to try to halt the decline in numbers of children taking up the horn and perhaps more importantly to sustain that interest during the teenage years when many children give up.

The BHS Executive committee approved a plan in December 2005 to create junior membership for players up to the age of 18 which will provide the complete BHS package, including the Horn Player Magazine and CD at cost of only £10 per Annum. This is an extremely good deal and we hope it will contribute to sustaining young players' interest. We also plan that the magazine will have more articles which relate to technique, youth orchestras and amateur music making.

We need the assistance of all horn teachers to promote BHS Junior Membership amongst pupils, and we plan to develop a network with the Music Services throughout the UK.

Calling all Yorkshire Horn Players! The Yorkshire Wind Orchestra is a registered charity striving to promote the performance of quality British wind music in the Yorkshire region. We are currently welcoming new players, especially brass and percussion players and therefore if you are a horn player and able to commit to fortnightly rehearsals in Wakefield on a Monday night from 7.15 - 9.15 and perform up to five concerts a year around Yorkshire please register your interest on the website www.yorkshirewinds.co.uk

And all west London Horn Players! The Kew Wind Orchestra is looking to recruit horn players to complete its section following the departure of key players. KWO is one of the leading wind ensembles in the UK, regularly receiving Gold awards at the NCBF events, including the only Gold Award in the Open Class at the 2006 finals in Glasgow. Our rehearsal base is in Richmond, SW London.
See www.kewwindorchestra.org.uk for details and contact info.

There have been several appointments to the horn sections of British orchestras over recent months. Hugh Seenan reports:

Etienne Cutajar has been appointed 3rd horn of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Born in 1983 in Malta, Etienne started playing the horn at the age of ten in Malta under the tuition of Baul Borg. Etienne was appointed 3rd horn of the Malta National Orchestra aged 18; he resigned the post after 2 years in order to pursue a 2 year postgraduate course as an ABRSM scholarship student at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Michael Thompson and Richard Watkins.

His solo appearances have won him great critical acclaim, and he has appeared as a soloist in Malta, at the Royal Academy of Music, major London venues the Purcell Room (where he performed Sir Peter Maxwell Davies's "Sea Eagle") and the Wigmore Hall and very recently with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.

Etienne was for consecutive years 1st horn of the European Union Youth Orchestra, including in the summer of 2005 playing Mahler’s 7th symphony for Bernard Haitink. Etienne has appeared as a guest 1st and 3rd horn with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and London Brass.

Etienne has had the recently composed ‘Fantasie Sonata for Horn & Piano’ by Charles Camilleri, also from Malta, dedicated to him and he premiered it in April 2004.

Timothy Jackson has been appointed 3rd horn of the Philharmonia orchestra. Prior to his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, Tim had several teachers who influenced him including Bob Aspden, Barbara Maclaren, Roy Nuttall, Simon Twigge, Derek Taylor and Lizzie Davies. He studied the horn with David Cripps at the RNCM. Tim is a former Principal horn of the European Union Youth Orchestra and a former 3rd horn of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has performed as a soloist at BHS festivals and is very active as a composer; the BHS premiered his Symphony for Horns at last year's 25th Anniversary Horn Festival.

Rebecca Hill has been appointed 3rd horn of the Scottish Opera Orchestra. Rebecca is the daughter of Robert Hill, Principal clarinet of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Rebecca's first horn teacher was Simon Holroyd. She was also a Junior Exhibitioner at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying the horn with Raul Diaz and David Bentley.
She was Principal horn of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and a former member of the European Union Youth Orchestra. In 1999, she won second prize in the Shell/LSO competition, then went on to study horn with Jeffrey Bryant, Richard Bissill and Hugh Seenan at the Senior GSMD. Rebecca is also a member of the Lancier Brass Quintet which won the 2006 Royal Over-Seas League Competition.

Huw Evans has been appointed 3rd horn of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Huw first studied the horn in Wales with trumpet player Tony Small before having lessons with Bill Davies, formerly of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. During this time he was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. Huw went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music with another Welshman, Terry Johns, before embarking on an extensive freelance career over a period of 15 years. He was fifth horn of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1998 -2006.

Simon Griffiths has been appointed 2nd horn with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Simon's first horn teacher in Wales was David Ewrof Parry and then he had lessons with Bob Clayton, formerly of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Simon went on to study at the Royal College of Music with Julian Baker and Jonathan Lipton. He taught the horn and freelanced in Wales prior to his appointment to the RLPO. His wife Katie is also a horn player.

Bethan Watkeys has been appointed 3rd horn of the RTE National Orchestra of Ireland in Dublin. Bethan first studied with Roberta Amos in Bristol and then went to study at the Royal College of Music with Julian Baker, Philip Eastop, Simon Rayner and Nigel Black. She freelanced in London for a few years before taking up her position in Dublin.

Timothy Nicholson has been appointed 4th horn of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Tim is the son of David Nicholson who was for many years Principal flute of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Tim had his first horn lessons with Harry Chessman in Edinburgh and then studied with Fiona Elliot and Harry Johnstone; he also had some lessons with Ifor James. He was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, and went on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Hugh Potts and Bob Ashworth. On leaving the RNCM, Tim freelanced as a horn player for nine years before his appointment at the RLPO.

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