Emma Gregan (*1993, Australia) • Rose-Coloured Glasses for horn and piano

Emma Gregan, a talented young horn player, performs as a Tutti Horn player with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in Australia. She has also gained recognition as a composer, particularly for her horn ensemble compositions. Notably, she won a prize for a piece she composed for the Twin Cities Horn Club in Minnesota, USA. In addition to her accomplishments, Emma holds a PhD from the Elder Conservatorium at the University of Adelaide. She currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Adelaide Horn Jam, a community horn ensemble.

Describing her music, Emma defines it as "highly tonal with an active and cinematic/programmatic quality." She draws inspiration from Baroque and Classical structures, although her musical language has stronger ties to the pop world.

For one of her compositions, titled Rose-Coloured Glasses, Emma aimed to create an optimistic and innocent atmosphere, encouraging a vibrant and colorful sound from the horn. The piece begins with a fanfare-like opening theme that transitions in and out of a more lyrical theme, which undergoes transformation throughout the composition.

The title of the piece, Rose-Coloured Glasses, reflects the optimism that Emma wanted to convey. This title is connected to a place she and I visited when we first met in the Twin Cities. Our encounter occurred when I approached Emma regarding the possibility of composing a piece for my doctoral research. Coincidentally, both of us had separately submitted applications for the Twin Cities Horn Club Composition Contest. Surprisingly, both of our pieces were awarded prizes. Consequently, in September 2017, we met for the premieres of our compositions in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, collectively known as the Twin Cities.

During our stay, we had a delightful dinner at the Commodore, an old hotel where the esteemed writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940), the author of The Great Gatsby, used to stay. Fitzgerald was known for his optimism, and people often say that optimistic individuals see the world through rose-coloured glasses. This anecdote served as the starting point for Emma's composition, Rose-Coloured Glasses. As a performer, I find the piece to be truly optimistic, presenting a few challenges while remaining joyous to play. If you're interested, the sheet music is available directly from the composer.

Kerry Turner (*1960, USA) • Abide With Me for horn and piano

Kerry Turner, originally from the USA but now residing in Europe, has had an illustrious career as an orchestral musician. He has been associated with esteemed chamber groups such as the American Horn Quartet and the Virtuoso Horn Duo. Turner has made significant contributions as a soloist and composer across various genres and instrumentations, with many of his works prominently featuring the horn.

One of Turner's notable compositions, commissioned for my research, is Abide with Me. The title of this piece establishes a connection with a hymn penned by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847), a British priest who endured a life of suffering and achieved immortality through his hymn. Lyte, who was born in Scotland and became an orphan at a young age, lived in relative poverty. Although he aspired to become a doctor, he ultimately followed the path of priesthood. Lyte composed the hymn "Abide with Me" in 1847, just weeks before succumbing to tuberculosis. In this hymn, Lyte implores for divine guidance to help him overcome his illness, concluding each stanza with the poignant plea "abide with me." 

The title of the hymn is derived from the biblical phrase "Abide with us" (Luke 24:29), but Lyte substituted "us" with "me," thus infusing the hymn with a more intimate character.

While 1847, the year of Lyte's death, is often cited as the year of composition for the hymn, there exist earlier versions as well. It is believed that Lyte finalized the hymn and entrusted it to one of his relatives before embarking on a journey to northern Italy, hoping that the sun and warmer climate might aid in his recovery. Unfortunately, Lyte never reached his intended destination and passed away in Nice, France, on November 20, 1847.

Abide with Me soon became Lyte's most renowned hymn, and numerous composers have written at least seven melodies to accompany its lyrics. Among these melodies, the one composed by organist William Henry Monk (1823-1889), titled Eventide, eventually became closely associated with the hymn. The tragic tale of how Monk conceived the melody is recounted by one of his daughters, Florence Monk. Shortly after the passing of his three-year-old daughter, Monk was gazing at a sunset when the words from Lyte's hymn resounded in his mind: "Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee." Within those ten minutes, the melody for Eventide materialized in Monk's thoughts without the aid of a piano, leaving an indelible imprint.

Since then, this version of the hymn has been performed on several significant occasions, including the 1927 FA Cup Final, the oldest Football Association competition. It was also a favored hymn of King George V and Queen Mary, and it was played at the funeral of American President Richard Nixon (1913–1994). According to a survivor of the Titanic, the hymn was continuously played as the ship was sinking in 1911 until the musicians were silenced forever by the engulfing water.

In a personal interview, Kerry Turner disclosed that he was raised Christian and has been singing "Abide with Me," an age-old Protestant hymn, since his early years. It appears that all the composers associated with this hymn drew inspiration from similar circumstances to create their own versions. Lyte composed it just before his final journey, while Monk crafted the "Eventide" melody following the loss of his young daughter. As a performer, I sense that this composition exudes a more introspective and intimate atmosphere compared to most of Turner's other works. Turner himself revealed that he was undergoing a challenging period during the creation of this piece, describing it as a personal, spiritual, and tumultuous battle within his mind and soul that delves into the depths of his faith and existence. Interestingly, Lyte embarked on a journey to Italy but unfortunately passed away in Nice, France, just one day away from his destination. Coincidentally, and perhaps unknowingly, Turner continued Lyte's unfinished journey by composing his piece in Chieri, Italy, between November 21-25, 2017.

In his composition, Kerry Turner quotes the Eventide melody several times, employing it as a soothing element within the overarching theme of an inner battle. Each eruption in the composition intensifies, with the final one being calmed by the presentation of the Eventide melody as a majestic choral passage on the piano, interrupted by the horn in each phrase section. Finally, akin to Lyte's failure to reach his Italian destination, the piano only presents half of the melody, concluding with a musical fade-out of the hymn.

As a performer, I find that this piece is masterfully tailored for the horn, providing immense joy in its execution. It reveals a more introspective mood, distinct from the customary heroic character often found in Turner's compositions. I am confident that it will soon find its place in the standard repertoire of horn repertoire. The sheet music for this piece is available from Phoenix Music Publications.

Ricardo Matosinhos (*1982, Portugal) •  Pastoral, op.81 for horn solo 
I was born in Portugal, and I divide my musical activities between teaching, performing, and composing. The so-called "triangle of musical wholeness," as described by Douglas Hill, is complemented by research as well. Consequently, several of my compositions are inspired by pedagogical aspects. I am also the author of several articles, books, including a children's book that I have adapted into a musical. Creativity is always present, and ultimately, my activities are supported by a polygon with a multitude of sides.
The following six pieces were composed by me. Playing my own music is always special. As a student, when I first started playing the horn, I began composing, but only for other instruments, mainly for the piano. It took ten years until I had the courage to compose an original piece for the horn (my 12 jazzy etudes), and since then, it has been a fantastic journey.

The solo pieces included on this CD present different approaches, despite being consecutive opuses. For this reason, they fit really well within the scope of this program. Pastoral, Op.81 was composed for the Portuguese horn player João Gaspar, as a token of gratitude for the horn solo piece titled Pasteleira that he composed for my research. The horn's origins are linked to nature, and in various civilizations, animal horns are used in pastoral work. Therefore, I sought to evoke the countryside by using melodies based on harmonic series, which could mostly be played using animal horns or alpine horns. Of course, this is just the initial idea, as the work itself couldn't effectively be fully played in a single harmonic series. Furthermore, the melodies give special emphasis to the 7th and 11th harmonics, with their characteristic tuning. It has an introduction where the motifs forming the theme gradually emerge, as if carried by the wind, with unusual effects, until the sound of the horn is finally heard. In practice, it brings back the idea of the omnitonic horn from the 19th century and is written for natural horns, utilizing the full potential of the modern horn.
It is available at AvA Musical Editions.

Ricardo Matosinhos (*1982, Portugal) • Mirage, op.83 for horn solo
Mirage, Op. 83 for solo horn is written in the form of a fantasy.
In this piece, you can hear the influence of the Arab world, as I appreciate all the mysticism and sounds that characterize it and, in fact, are not distant from us at all. Portugal was conquered by the Moors, but the peoples mixed. Their traditions, way of life, and culture are still present among us, and it is undeniable that fado, in some way, has also undergone these influences. Therefore, in my music, the Phrygian dominant mode sometimes emerges as well. This is a virtuosic piece, with a series of effects that have been carefully chosen to take advantage of the horn. In most situations, it can be played simply by moving the second finger. There are some quite fast passages, and here, the mechanics of the Schmid horns prove to be a great help. It is available at AvA Musical Editions.

Ricardo Matosinhos (*1982, Portugal) • Improviso, op.82 for horn solo

As the name itself indicates, this piece is written as a large written improvisation. The work Improviso, Op. 82, for solo horn, was born from truly improvised passages that served as the basis for its construction. In this composition, you can hear some influence from the world of jazz, something that began in the studies I wrote for the horn. The multiphonic sounds, which are also quite common in my works, give this piece a magical character. When listening to this work, we can say that the horn is an all-terrain instrument and that there is no musical style where the horn cannot be present with its charming sound. 

It is available at AvA Musical Editions.

Ricardo Matosinhos (*1982, Portugal) • Siegfried & Fafnir, Op.77a  for wagner tuba and piano

In 2016, I received a request to write a piece for Wagner tuba, but at that time, I couldn't accept it because I was very busy with commissioned works. In late August 2018, right after the birth of my son, while organizing the repertoire for my 2019 doctoral recital, the idea of including the Wagner tuba came up. I contacted the horn player who had previously asked me to write a piece for Wagner tuba and asked if there were any composers among the ones who had written for Wagner tuba as part of her project. She said there weren't any, so that same night I wrote the piece Siegfried & Fafnir, Op.77a for tenor Wagner tuba and piano in one go. This piece was named after the battle between Siegfried and the dragon Fafnir (Fafner in Wagner's operas), as the work is directly influenced by Norse mythology and not by Wagner's operas. When horn players think of a Wagner tuba, they tend to believe that there is no repertoire for this instrument outside of the orchestral context. I wrote an article for the February 2022 edition of The Horn Call magazine, where I gathered information on Wagner tuba repertoire outside of the orchestral setting. I expected to find some works, but I wasn't prepared for the astronomical number of 100 solo, piano, or chamber music works for Wagner tuba. It is undoubtedly a fantastic instrument, but it has a bad reputation for intonation issues. In this recording, I used a Schmid double Wagner tuba. The intonation is fantastic, and the rotor mechanism is the same as can be found in Schmid horns. May these two works serve as an incentive for more horn players to play the Wagner tuba, and after the article I wrote, there is no longer an excuse for the lack of repertoire! This piece is available at AvA Musical Editions.

Ricardo Matosinhos (*1982, Portugal) • Song without words, op.80a  for wagner tuba and piano

The story of this piece is very curious, with coincidences that lead me to think they were the work of the gods of Valhalla... A week after writing the piece Siegfried & Fafnir, I received a message from Robert Palmer, an American horn player who is also a composer, asking me for a work to perform at the IHS51 congress the following year in Belgium. I told him that, coincidentally, I had just finished writing a piece for Wagner tuba. He liked the piece but told me he wanted a work with jazz influence. That's when Song without words emerged, combining the German Lied ohne Wörte with jazz influence, giving a new voice to this instrument of the past.

This piece is written in the form of a fantasy, with a song that is repeated slowly with variations, followed by a virtuosic cadenza. When you think of a Wagner tuba, jazz certainly doesn't come to mind. This virtuosic cadenza clearly tells the audience that this old instrument, created at Wagner's request, is alive and well and can also explore other paths beyond opera. It is available at Golden River Music.

Ricardo Matosinhos (*1982, Portugal) •  Song for Emma, op.75 for horn and piano

This work was written for the Australian horn player and composer, Emma Gregan, as a token of appreciation for her acceptance to write the piece Rose-Colored Glasses. It is inspired by the characteristics of the dedicatee herself, as she plays low horn in the orchestra, has a good high range, and often composes music with a strong rhythmic component. The piece begins in the low range, gradually ascends to the high register, and in the second part, switches to a 5/4 time signature with swing and an improvised character. This piece was written shortly after completing the article To Stop or Not to Stop: That is the Question, which was published in The Horn Call magazine, where I explored the issues of the right hand in the bell. The beginning of the piece was inspired by an example found in the extraordinary book of extended techniques by Douglas Hill. The example in question consists of spaced glissandos produced with the stopped horn technique. This small excerpt left me wondering how to create a work based on it. Thus, for the beginning of this piece, I envisioned something mysterious so that it could gradually take shape. The glissandos emerged as a good option, especially because a horn typically does not produce such wide and smooth glissandos, which is something commonly associated with the trombone. The result was a work from Matosinhos inspired by So What and Take Five. The sheet music is available at AvA Musical Editions.

Jeffrey Agrell (*1948, USA) • Gallimaufry Suite for low horn and piano

Jeffrey Agrell was born in the state of Minnesota, USA, and had a successful career as a horn player in Switzerland, as well as a horn professor at the University of Iowa. He is the author of several published books, over 100 articles, an unpublished romance, a musical libretto, song lyrics, and numerous music pieces. For many years, he served as the editor of the creativity column in The Horn Call, the Journal of the International Horn Society.

He describes his music style as classical with strong influences from jazz, Latin rhythms, and theatrical performance art. Without a doubt, his music is enjoyable to both play and listen to, often containing elements of humor and surprise.

Specifically, his piece "Gallimaufry" can be defined as a "hodgepodge," "jumble," or "assortment" of movements with varying characters. Musically, it translates to "an assortment of movements with very different characteristics."

The story behind this piece and my connection with Jeffrey Agrell dates back to 2007 when I composed my first book of etudes. Interestingly, when I initially approached music publishers, they showed no interest, and I even received a response stating that they only published music composed for humans. However, my music is now played worldwide, ranging from beginners to professionals, and to this day, I have no records of extraterrestrials playing my music. Returning to the story... everything changed when Jeffrey wrote a fantastic review about my 12 jazzy etudes. This opened doors for my music. As a creative and open-minded individual, Jeffrey believed in my music. Ten years later, when I visited the USA, I drove five hours to meet him in person and express my gratitude. Two years after that, I asked him if he would be interested in writing for my doctoral research, to which he agreed, and thus this amazing piece was born. In return, I composed 3 Miniatures for horn quartet, dedicated to him and his students at the University of Iowa.

The first movement of the Gallimaufry Suite, titled Odd March, begins in an unexpected 7/8 time signature for a march. It even incorporates percussion on the piano, includes a cadenza, and incorporates several funky and blues elements.

The second movement, Quirky Waltz, utilizes passages in natural overtones, creating a contrast with whole-tone scales and augmented arpeggios. I personally composed the cadenza for this movement.

Next, the third movement, Angular Variations, features a theme and five small variations. Jeffrey describes this theme as ominous, almost angry, reminiscent of the low horn line in Shostakovich's 5^th symphony. It also includes a cadenza, which I composed as well.

Finally, Blue Caccia presents a traditional Rondo using the blues scale. Towards the end, there is room for a short improvisation, where I chose to venture into higher registers. I’m not a typical low horn player, this piece was a real challenge for me. I requested a low horn piece from Jeffrey because I believe that challenges help us evolve. Who better than Jeffrey Agrell to compose such an extraordinary piece? This composition truly deserves to be included in the standard low horn repertoire. I'm confident that, thanks to this piece, many high horn players will choose to explore and have fun in the low range. Don't you agree? The sheet music for this piece is available from Phoenix Music Publications.