Dennis Brain plays Richard Strauss Horn Concerto No. 2 in E Flat (1/2)

[jamesmb444]

Almost Neoclassical. I was checking to see if I had the right piece. But no, can't miss those Wagnerian chords. (Yes, he was the Reichsmussikamer. At the same time he refused to use the Nazi greetings, used his position to perform the works of "Decadent" composers like Mahler and Debussy, and went to bat numerous times for his Jewish relatives.)

[Argyll9846]

Truly one of the worlds greatest musicians and still the greatest French horn player of all time - there is Dennis Brain then... fresh air.

[bobwertman]

Such a wonderful composer. It's a shame he was a Nazi.

[3sweetthings]

@bobwertman Definitely not. Just because he lived in that era means nothing.

[shib340]

This is on an early single horn model..amazing

[Vladimir83131]

Музыка супер. Спасибо

[Humanitable]

formidable

[DylanHornVillain]

Can you play this on a double horn?

[DylanHornVillain]

Is their a piano accompanist version for this?

[dunka001]

@DylanHornVillain

Yes there is. It's a Boosey & Hawkes publication and is quite difficult.

[dunka001]

@DylanHornVillain

Yes there is. It's a Boosey & Hawkes publication and is quite difficult.

[piliage]

@DylanHornVillain Yes, but it is quite difficult. A great concerto though, but really challenging. Difficult for the orchestra too when you play the full thing.

[ajhhoefman]

Een groot hoornist zo niet de beste jan hoefman

[Vladimir83131]

@ajhhoefman Super

[majordelema]

beautiful song:D. I might rename my french horn Dennis! or Brain! or.....DB! right now its named linus.

[patrickdcyau]

How many movements are there in this concerto? And can you tell me what is the tempo for each movement? Thank you!

[ttlms]

@patrickdcyau There are three movement; however, the first movement leads into the second movement with no pause. I don't know if Strauss indicated metronome markings or not, but the tempi of this recording are correct (it's Dennis Brain, so it's the gold standard!). The orchestral parts are very challenging (this is the composer who wrote Also Sprach Zarathustra, after all). and the horn parts especially so.

[16elcl]

I'd like to know what sort of horn it is in the picture and what kind in the recording. Sounds like a single F horn but played really well with spot on intonation but the vibrant tone of an F horn. Anyone know?

[Redcorn84]

@16elcl , the first horn is a french piston valve single horn in F. The second is a single Bb horn. It is most likely the single Bb that is being used in this recording. Although I may be wrong.

[GermanOperaSinger]

@Redcorn84 He's playing the Bb rotary horn here. The piston F horn had a higher placed register and was not as warm in timbre.

[Redcorn84]

@GermanOperaSinger I agree. The time period that this recording was made he was using an Alexander single Bb horn. I ended up doing some research on him after I had commented. The only reason I was unsure at the time I originally posted was because I was going strictly off of the tone of the horn. Thank you though.

[piliage]

@Redcorn84 Brain's instrument of choice was the Raoux, a French made horn. The Alex was an easier 'modern' horn later, but he saw it as a compromise. Most players in 19th century London were German (Adolf Bosdorf et al). Thus, a unique situation of German/Bohemian technique applied to a light French instrument giving the distinctive sound of all the Brian's, a true horn dynasty. This is also why we say French horn in English; the Brits played "French" made horns. Everywhere else it's just Horn

[Redcorn84]

@piliage Yes, his instrument of choice was the Raoux, in which was a French made piston valve horn. but at the time period of this recording he was using an Alexander single Bb "French" Horn. In 1951 he switched to the Alexander Horn, which he played until his untimely death in 1957. This definitely sounds to be a Bb Alexander Horn.

[drumskilldotro]

bella bellisimo

[papoocanada]

another nerd in here, Rebofan, who calls this a " song " ewwwwwwwwwww

[kmeboard]

to hraje na trubku vod záchoda ne?

[Repofan1]

Where could I find the score for this song?

[ClassicFrenchHorn]

@Repofan1 International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) has the full score for free, along with tons of other great public domain music! Just google search it. Happy Playing!

[EuphDude10]

@ClassicFrenchHorn I just checked the IMSLP and this piece is blocked for copyright issues. Do you know another way of finding this piece?

[ClassicFrenchHorn]

@EuphDude10 Sorry, that's how I got it. There might be a copyright issue with it in your country or they recently updated the copyright. You can try J.W. Pepper for sheet music, but I'm not sure if they have it.

[EuphDude10]

@ClassicFrenchHorn Do you still have the PDF of it still? If so maybe you could email it to me. If not I guess I'll go buy it

[piliage]

@EuphDude10 The copyright is (was) held by Boosey & Hawkes. I'm sure you can order it online from any decent horn shop. Osmuns in Boston, Paxman in the UK, Witchita Band, Anaheim Band in California.

[ChaunceytheGardener]

@Repofan1 West Valley Music. They have a Facebook page.

[Abbotthallz]

I think you will find the first picture is his old Raoux horn and the last picture is the Alexander

[jorgevalencia1975]

Hi! Do you know wich is tha brand of the horn he´s having on this picture? Thanks.

[jorgevalencia1975]

Check out his live La Basque I´ve posted. You´ll enjoy it!

[analogjim]

It is probably an Alexander.

[waldinussmann]

mein horn lehrer hatte bei ihm unterricht,

der erzählt viel von dennis brain. er is bei einem rennen von ka wo nach london gegen einen baum gefahren und gestorben. jop so is das.

der hat auch ein bild von ihm. das dritte bild 5.13

[aldooffline]

@Skushee oh I don't always listen to his music on youtube. I'm a musician myself and bought many of his recordings. I just wished he would've made even more than what he already created. I understand it may seem like i'm asking a bit much, but you gotta agree, he was good.

[aldooffline]

he shoulve lived and recorded lots of more things...

[erstehorniste]

Of course Dennis Brain set the standard of horn solo playing for the 20th century. He brought the horn into prominence as a recognized solo instrument. Then as we horn players know, Barry Tuckwell took up the solo mantle and became the most recorded horn soloist (classical) of all. As an aside, the most recorded brass player in history so far is Vince DeRosa, but sadly he did not record many classical horn pieces. If he had, I'm sure we'd all be blown away!

[ipmoic]

ttims

As I mentioned earlier, there is an incomplete performance of the Strauss 2nd here on YouTube with Mr. Allegrini playing. Although different in many ways from Mr. Brain, it is a technically dazzling and very musical interpretation.

I've always believed that the "sound" of an artist is a very personal thing. I'll bet if Brain played on a Conn 8D, he would in many ways sound the same.

[2010till]

Fabuloso!! las técnicas de respiración que tiene el Sr Brain en este video son perfectas. Gracias por el Video.

[ipmoic]

This is the benchmark recording for this concerto. I've loved it for over 40 years. However, I think that Alessio Allegrini's effort--seen here on YouTube--is also superb. Too bad he is not playing with such a superior orchestra as Mr. Brain had.

Does anyone know if Mr. Allegrini ever released a commercial recording of this?

[ttlms]

@ipmoic I don't know of an Allegrini recording. But it seems every other recording of the Strauss concerti are reviewed according to how well they measured up to Brain's recordings. And to think he got such a wonderful sound out of a Raoux piston horn.

[univocalic]

@ttlms Like you I hope Allegrini makes a recording of this great work. Brain is his hero and having heard him live giving masterclasses, I can honestly say that I think he is (along with Baumann) the finest horn player since Brain. You doubtless know this but others might not: this recording was made with him playing his B flat/ A Alexander horn.

[balexito]

I think this is the more dificult concert for french horn

[happiness1sawarmgun]

what a bro

[BjoernKarlsson]

And with no effort... geez this man should've had another car than an MG and maybe lived on...

[dlocke911]

I like what he did with the triplet in the beginning of the exposition. Sometimes you hear other horn players kind of rush through it. I like to take it slow like Mr. Brain does here.

Thank you for posting this! You really can't listen to enough different performers' interpretations.

[ericbelify]

absolutely. One should OWN that triplet; do it with authority and Place those notes!

[BjoernKarlsson]

10 stars if I had been able to!!!

[Laanen]

Yes, a HERO !

[Finners1551]

what a hero

[amcmahonirl]

Thank you so much for posting.