Horn Matters | A French Horn and Brass Site and Resource | John Ericson and Bruce Hembd

Reviews of some of my favorite things.

Over the years, a handful of French horn music collections and editions have gotten my repeated attention; these are materials that I still go back to and continue to learn from. Being a fan of top ten lists, here is a “my favorites” list in no particular order.

Please note, this is not a comprehensive list nor is it intended to be.

To keep in line with the “top ten” restriction, I had to pick-and-choose; in the process had to leave a few behind. While this list does not include instructional or text books like span style=”font-style: italic;”>The Art of French Horn Playing or Doug Hill’s book or The Breathing Gym (which will be topics for future posts), it does include a hodgepodge of my favorite method, etude and solo collections.

1.) Music Minus One Series

Since my high school days I have been a big fan of this series. I grew up in a lower middle-class household and playing solo repertoire with a pianist was something that could only be afforded a few times a year. After my college days were over, I gave semi-annual recitals for quite a few years. Recently, my outlets for performing solo repertoire have waned and so I look again to satisfy that urge with Music Minus One.

Each volume comes complete with the solo horn and piano sheet music and a CD recording of well-known musicians performing the pieces. Each selection is recorded with the horn playing and without – piano accompaniment only. While not as cool and high-tech as computer tools like SmartMusic, it is infinitely more affordable and practical for students on a limited budget. And they are a lot of fun!

2.) Verne Reynolds: 48 Etudes

Many of the etudes in this book are worthy of public performance, some are quite profound. Each etude is composed as a specific interval study – one slow and one fast etude for each interval within the octave. They are cleverly written and are a worthy challenge for the advanced college student or seasoned professional looking for a mental and physical workout.

3.) Kopprasch: 90 Etudes (Wind Music Edition)

While other editions may be more historically accurate, the Schantl edition of the classic Kopprasch studies (reprinted by Wind Music) remains my favorite edition for several reasons.

First, it is one volume. Second, the etudes are arranged as a “school of transposition”; half of the book is devoted to the “down” transpositions, and the other half to “up” transpositions. Third, it contains a few bonus etudes by Schantl and Gallay. Finally, it has many articulation and note changes, which to my ear are more musically interesting than other editions.

…and it only costs $15.00!

4.) Melodious Etudes for Trombone (Three volumes available)

An superb series of bass clef studies that may be read in either concert or “horn” pitch. Each volume gets progressively more challenging.

I tend to revert to the First Volume as the etudes in the later volumes get a little long-winded and repetitive in their musical language.

5.) 335 Selected Melodious Progressive and Technical Studies for French Horn (Two volumes available)

This two volume set is an excellent value. It offers the a good “bang for your buck.” For the nominal price, you get a wide variety of etudes and solos that will keep you busy for many years.

6.) Gallay: Non-measured Preludes

These preludes never get old – they are unlike anything in the etude repertoire. The performer is free to shape and pace each etude as they see fit making musical decisions “on the fly,” based on personal experience and instinct, or based on a predetermined plan, or a little of each.

John Ericson has blogged on these preludes and his post is worth a read.

7.) Arban: Complete Conservatory Method

Another excellent value. For a relatively nominal price you get a lot of music. This method includes all the basic drills and techniques necessary for performing.

The only shortfalls are the key limitations (it only goes up to 3 sharps or flats) and range (being a trumpet method, it does not go into the lower register for horn). For the enterprising hornist however, these limitations are negligible if transposition skills are utilized.

8.) Ward Fearn: Exercises for Flexible Horn Playing

For many years I used this book for All-State and Regional auditions. On the surface the etudes look easy, but many a careless student has been tripped up by etudes from this book. It specializes in the lower-middle register and on embouchure flexibility in that range.

There is something about the musical language in this volume too that I find very appealing. I utilize the first etude as a flow study on a regular basis.

9.) Milan Yancich: A Practical Guide for French Horn Playing

As a former student of Milan Yancich, this choice for my top-ten list is a biased one. While this volume could be argued as a text book, I am including it here for the simple reason that there is more music than text.

Mr. Yancich was adamant that a student must learn the fundamentals before attempting orchestral excerpts or detailed solo repertoire. While the music notation is rendered with a dated music typewriter (which sometimes produces clumsy-looking notation) the content remains fresh and relevant.

10.) Mason Jones: Solos for Horn Player

If I were to name one solo collection that I have gotten the most use from, this would probably be it. Greg Miller has recorded a CD of this entire collection.