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With the beginning of ensemble rehearsals after the long break for COVID, it is great time to revisit some of the challenges for horn players. [NOTE: Episode 48 of the Horn Notes Podcast expands on the topics below, and more.]
A great place to start is this quotation from Verne Reynolds on preparing for a first rehearsal. I have quoted this before in Horn Matters, but hidden somewhat in a longer post related to performance anxiety. His comments (found in The Horn Handbook) could be read a couple different ways, but are a good starting point in looking again at large ensemble rehearsals.
Our performance at the first rehearsal for a concert reflects the thoroughness of preparation. The first rehearsal also sets the psychological framework for the remaining rehearsals and concerts. If we do not have a good first rehearsal of the Beethoven Seventh Symphony for example, we are left with a wound that probably will not heal completely before the concert. This wound becomes a scar that can affect future performances. For the Beethoven Seventh Symphony, horn players, before the first rehearsal, must have worked out the dotted rhythm, soft high attacks, loud high attacks, A-horn transposition and intonation, breathing places in the loud passages, and the endurance necessary to do all of this. To arrive at a rehearsal with doubts about any of these components is the first step toward a long battle with performance nerves. Conversely, confidence is the manifestation of the expectation of playing well. A bad first rehearsal cannot lead to a justifiable expectation of playing well at the second rehearsal. Better to be thoroughly prepared at the first rehearsal. This thoroughness is the link to the practice room.
There is one particularly positive comment in the quote – “confidence is the manifestation of the expectation of playing well.” Which leads me to a few pro tips to ponder freshly as you start into rehearsals again.
Prepare before the first rehearsal
One is a point stated by Reynolds, that one job you have is to practice and have your music prepared before the first rehearsal. With a reminder that some skills take time to develop, and if you do not for example practice double-tonguing, when it comes up on a work you need to perform, you will not be able to play it like you should.
Metronomes are really great tools
To other more specific things, practice your music with a metronome, get it all up to tempo and all the notes worked out. It might also be worth playing along with a recording some of the key passages to be sure you have the correct flow of time.
Practice with real volumes
Another item is that you must practice playing the appropriate spots with volume. Playing and sounding confident! This may be difficult after your COVID era personal practice mostly at low volumes. It helps you somewhat that you don’t need to feel confident to sound confident, but you must sound like you are playing like you mean it, playing in time, on top of the beat, confidently.
Crisp notes when needed!
Related to that, the short notes must be short and crisp. I hammer away on this in lessons with my students because you need to play short and crisp at appropriate times, or the perception from the conductor is that you are dragging. Play on top of the beat. Do not drag! Conductors, speaking generally, think horns drag.
Follow the conductor
Do not follow what you hear — follow what you see. This can be a huge challenge at first, as our tendency is to play with what we hear. Unfortunately, in your large ensemble rehearsal you may not be able to hear very well from where you are. This means you need to add two things to help your focus.
- Practice following what you see and stay on top of that beat. If you follow what you hear there is a ripple effect across all that distance, you will end up feeling very insecure and behind what is actually happening. (This is why conductors always want you looking up).
- This will sound like bad advice, but tap your foot with the beat. This helps you stay on top of the visual beat better.
Tuning tips
Another large topic to revisit is who do you tune to? The horns have to — must! — tune to the woodwinds. Inside the horn section, you all need to tune to the first horn, with some attention also to the principal woodwinds. The first horn needs to tune carefully to the principal oboe and clarinet. If the horns are in tune with each other and the woodwinds this helps everyone. You provide a core of sound that is central to the entire orchestra and intonation. You must be in tune with yourself and in tune with the horn section.
Related to that, do not tune to the strings at all — they need to tune to you! — and only tune to the brass (mainly the principal trumpet) when necessary. I know that band directors tell you to tune to the bottom voices, but my professional experience is that you must tune primarily to the principal woodwind players. FYI, the string section will be sharp. Do not let it throw you off.
Match volumes
I mentioned earlier a topic of sounding confident. This involves playing dynamics! Which means matching the trumpets and trombones in the loud passages with them. Practice playing too loud, or what you think is too loud, with plenty of edge, it might be about right for the actual context in a large hall. Horns do not tend to project well; you can and should dare to be a bit aggressive with the dynamics. This is a challenge after the year of COVID, but you must overcome it. If the conductor never tells you that you are too loud, take that as a sign that maybe you could play a bit louder.
Don’t sound “woofy”
I also mentioned earlier the topic of short articulations. There is much music, especially in the lower voices, where you need to play the articulations shorter and with more “front” on the notes. Woofy articulations will not cut it. You may need to tongue further forward in the mouth.
Watch the conductor
A final item to expand on is this. Watch the conductor! Conductors have a lot more faith in you if you look at them. They perceive you to be more on top of their beat and “with them” musically. This however is very difficult if you do not know your music well. You need to know your music well enough to look up often. This all goes back to your job is to learn individual parts as well as you possibly can. Memorize the exposed and easily audible passages. Play your part with a confident sound. The conductor will stop worrying about the horns, and will find other sections to put their attention on.
