Home Blog Page 81

Fun with Internet memes

Bruce Hembd
-
0

This week on Horn Matters I will be having some fun with two popular Internet memes and of course, Photoshopping French horns into them.

What on earth is a meme, you ask?

In short it is a tidbit of humor that gets spread around and catches on, like a fad. In this case it is propagated on the Internet and in particular among community sharing groups.

Fans of LOLcats for example, understand the use of intentionally misspelled words like “moar” and “kitteh.”

For memes based on photographs, the humor might revolve around the digital manipulation of a photo – inserting one image into another of an entirely different context. Two popular memes of this type known as “Sad Keanu” and “Strutting Leo,” refer to the famous Hollywood actors Keanu Reeves and Leonardo DiCaprio.

In Mr. DiCaprio’s example it is a snapshot taken from the set of his recent movie Inception. For Mr. Reeves, it was a picture taken in 2010 from the streets of New York City while he was eating a sandwich.

The original photographs

This week at Horn Matters, Keanu and Leo will be sporting French horns and in the spirit of Internet memes, they will be superimposed into a variety of odd scenarios – just for fun.

Leonardo’s hold on the horn by the way, reminds me of something called the “Eastman grip.” I will remain vague on what this is exactly, but students from the Eastman School of Music may know what this is.

[Extracted 2021 from a “Random Monday” post, JE. With a brief JE note below]

* * *

Verne Reynolds had a vey distinctive way he wanted you to hold your horn when bowing in a performance situation. That was the “Eastman grip.” Occasionally I will bow that same way, but normally intentionally hold the horn differently….

Ask Dave: So, you’ve decided to cut your bell. Now what?

Bruce Hembd
-
0

You’ve asked dozens of people IF you should cut your bell, gotten all that contradictory advice, and finally decided to go for it.   Now what?

Decide who should do it

You probably shouldn’t cut your own bell, so you’ll have to find someone to do it.  How do you know who is competent to do it?  Ask others who’ve had their bells cut whom they have gone to and whether they were satisfied.  There is a somewhat short list of competent repair technicians who have done this work before.

Don’t trust it to someone who “has always wanted to cut a bell.”

Talk to the technician and feel comfortable about giving your horn to him or her before you hand it over.  Ask how long they need to do the work, and whether the price includes the bell ring set.  You may have to ship your horn, so feel comfortable about doing this as well.

You have other decisions besides the technician

The next decision you must make is which bell ring set to use.  You may be surprised to learn it (maybe not) but you actually have choices as to the ring set, and there is no such thing as a “standard” ring.

A ring set consists of male and female threaded sections.  The main variables among rings are (a) the threading convention, including thread pitch and diameter, (b) the inside diameter of the opening between the two sections, and (c) the taper of the opening.

For example, Gebr. Alexander make several rings all of which have the same threading convention, but vary the inside diameter and taper.  Englebert Schmid makes rings which have the same threading and inside diameter conventions so that all his various-sized flares will fit on all his horns.  Yamaha makes a different ring set for each type of horn.   Paxman makes the largest ring inside diameter, allowing them to fit the horn body and bell in an extremely flat case.  And the list goes on.

This will be a dizzying decision, but a competent tech can help guide you as to which ring set makes sense for you.

Cutting the bell costs more than the price of the work

You must also buy a case to hold your newly cut horn.  The array of case choices eclipses the range of ring choices.  There are so many cases for detachable bell horns that a survey cannot be made here.

Again, consider all the choices and your needs.  Do you need to fly on an airplane with it, and if so what kind of airplane?  Do you need to carry extras, such as mutes, a music stand, etc.?  And, how much do you want to spend on this case?   A top-notch cut bell case can double the cost of getting the work done.

Converting a fixed bell horn to a detachable bell horn is pricey, but it should increase the value of your horn if done properly.

A Photo-Review of Abalone Valve Caps from Ion Balu

Bruce Hembd
-
0
A Photo-Review of Abalone Valve Caps from Ion Balu

Once a year or so I like to send off a horn to different technicians for cleaning or custom work, coordinating this with taking a break from the horn.

This year, I wanted to do something about my boring valve caps. It is something that I have been thinking about for a long while and while there was nothing wrong with them, I just wanted to do something decorative to make the entire horn feel more personalized and look more distinctive.

Over the top?

Some might call this upgrade decadent, self-indulgent and perhaps even somewhat sacrilegious. I am guessing that personality types like Professor Corno and Archibald Noodlefish would not approve.

Maybe they are right. There are no performance benefits to speak of; it really is just an act of adding some bling to the horn.

The three main options I considered were:

  • Decorative engraving
  • Embedded abalone shell
  • Moonie caps – customized and jeweled

Ultimately I decided on sending my valve caps to Ion Balu for his abalone treatment.

(By the way, I was only kidding about those jeweled Moonie caps – but seriously, could you imagine…?)

From a mollusk to a French horn

The shimmering, translucent effect of abalone comes from its properties as a sea shell. It is a natural product, although some of the colors – like the pink and purple options – are created using artificial dyes. With his patent-pending process Balu adds a special glaze on top which, he asserts, adds strength and more color depth to the shell.

Of the ten colors available I chose Option Three, a pearl-white abalone.

This is probably the least exciting color choice but I was looking for something subtle that would catch the eye by surprise, or that might even go unnoticed. Other color options include intense purples, reds, greens, and yellows.

Speedy service

The entire process, including mailing the caps from door-to-door, took about a week. In my particular case I hit the July 4th holiday weekend.  Balu turned them around in 24 hours on the first business day.

I was impressed with this speedy service.

Will it feel the same as before?

My biggest concern with the modified caps was tactile – would I be able to grip the cap for screwing it on the horn?

The short answer is yes. The precision and expertise of Ion Balu’s work really shows in this low-angle, closeup shot.

Looking here like a squadron of flying saucers from a 1950’s science fiction movie, the caps appear slightly more dome-shaped than before the conversion.

I imagine that the thicker gradations of abalone allow for deeper colors and more light refraction, which I will get into later. This has had no effect on the notched, outer edging or on being able to hold a grip on the cap.

Skilled craftsmanship

This closeup picture frankly blew my mind when I opened it up on the computer. When looked at from above at a normal angle and distance the dome-shape profile is not noticeable, but it does have a subtle effect on how the caps look on the horn.

The transitions between the brass and abalone are smooth and seamless. I am guessing that the abalone is inset, but it is hard to tell by either sight or touch – a strong testament to the quality of the craftsmanship.

Different light, different colors

Since this material reflects and refracts light, a rainbow of effects appear under different lighting conditions.

At a distance the abalone appears as off-white or a burnished silver. Up close, streaks and blushes of color can be seen within the natural grain – subtle hues of red, blue and yellow.

It is difficult to photograph and perhaps even harder to describe. In the picture below a strong light shines on the 2nd and 3rd valve caps. Under this bright light they both look flat and stark-white.

Meanwhile the first valve cap (in shadow) shimmers like a pearl. Pink and blue/green hues shine through.

Under a completely different light the abalone shines with a different effect, appearing off-white, but bright and glossy.

Before and after

The last picture in this review is of same valve caps before the abalone treatment. This was the only good picture I had of my old valve caps and in it, the 4th valve cap is removed in order to reveal the special disc inside it.

The 3rd cap in its original condition can be seen in the background.

(That 4th-valve disc is a Patterson device. As mentioned before I am not sure what it does, so I leave it alone and trust in its magic. )

Final thoughts

Ion Balu has delivered a high quality product. For about $150 the abalone cap upgrade was affordable and quick, and it added the perfect sparkle I was looking for.

Also, at this particular time of the year while I am taking a break, it has sparked a stronger interest in resuming practice sessions sooner rather than later.

One serious consideration to keep in mind: the abalone valve cap treatment is a commitment, comparable to getting a permanent tattoo on your skin. There are no do-overs, short of getting brand new caps or a different type of abalone.

This caveat aside, if you are looking to add pizazz to your horn this could be the perfect thing. Balu gets a perfect score from me – on a scale of one-to-five, 5 horn-stars.

star ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar rating

DISCLAIMER: Ion Balu is an advertiser on the Horn Matters site. This review however was not a paid advertisement or endorsement. This review was not written under any kind of quid pro quo or other like/kind arrangement. For more information, please see our Terms.

Of Standing Horses and the Horns of Interlochen [UPDATED]

John Ericson
-
0

This summer I was honored to join the horn faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan. Founded in 1928 and known for many years as the National Music Camp, the Interlochen Arts Camp is the summer home of some 2,000 arts students.

This past Friday the full brass faculty was featured in a recital that included small and large brass ensemble works in a great concert. Horn faculty Bruce Henniss (Ohio State), Kelly Drifmeyer (SUNY Potsdam), Gustavo Camacho (Interlochen Arts Academy), and myself performed together in brass ensemble works by John Cheetham, Brian Balmages, and Eric Ewazen and we also performed a horn quartet with a special Interlochen connection, Someone’s Horse is Standing There arranged by Marvin Howe.

howe2.jpgHowe was an Interlochen institution, having joined the Interlochen horn faculty in the summer of 1957. Over his years on the faculty he worked with many hundreds of horn students, retired to Interlochen in 1979, and lived in the area until his passing in 1994. This arrangement (published by The Hornists’ Nest) is beautiful and it was particularly meaningful to play it with the full horn faculty for this part of the summer. As his wife Arline Howe relates in the published program note,

Marvin heard a recording of this beautiful Russian folk song, performed by the Russian Army Chorus. There was no printed text, but he was fascinated by its haunting melody. He painstakingly transcribed it by ear and then arranged it for four horns.

He finished it the summer before his death, and it was performed by the faculty and staff horns of the Interlochen Arts Camp. Then, as it happens, the horns of the IAC performed it at Marvin’s church the Sunday before he died. He was too ill to be there, so the players held their dress rehearsal for him at our home.

To speak a bit more of the students I have heard and worked with this summer, I teach a portion of the horn studio, coach the horn sections of three wind groups, and coach brass chamber music. Last night I greatly enjoyed hearing the two high school age bands perform a concert featuring conductors Jerry Junkin of UT Austin, John Lynch of the University of Georgia, and music by guest composer John Mackey. The horns have been doing great work in the bands and orchestras and have great rep and experiences spread over the summer.

This week will be my last one of the summer at Interlochen, as two of the faculty lines in horn at this time are split in half. Brad Gemeinhardt (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) and Lisa Bontrager (Penn State) will replace Henniss and Ericson for the remainder of the six week program, with Camacho and Drifmeyer continuing for the full summer. It has been great to experience and become a part of the tradition of horn at Interlochen and I have greatly enjoyed the interaction with a great group of horn students. I wish them all well in their future endeavors!

This is certainly a program that advanced high school and junior high age horn students should consider for summer study, may it keep going for many years to come.

UPDATE 2021: I do love that Howe arrangement. Seeing this post pop up recently inspired me to search on YouTube, and I found the original recording that inspired Howe. Enjoy!

Parody: The Oath of the Triple Horn

Bruce Hembd
-
0

Learning to play a musical instrument takes a lot of work, dedication and perseverance. Looking at a parallel example from Western art, there is the story of the Oath of the Horatii (1784). 

In this scenario, a father is swearing in his sons for a contest that will end a long-standing war – between ancient Rome and Alba. The father holds three swords and recites an oath while the sons raise their arms in a pledge of allegiance. Women and family weep in the background.

As a side note, it is worth mentioning that this French work was made just a few years before the storming of the Bastille and the French Revolution.

The painter of the work, Jacques-Louis David, structured the scene using a traditional classic theme and classical divisions, grouping objects into sets of twos and threes.

At the top level for example we see two groups of people – men and women. They are divided and grouped on the canvas by location and contrasting emotional states.

The rule of three

Looking at it in more detail, sets of three objects grouped together are found throughout (a fairly common grouping in Classical music too).

  • Three sons
  • Three swords
  • Three women
  • Three arches (in the background) that divide the painting into three panels

Having a little fun with the opening statement about dedication and adding a triple horn – which fits into the “rule of three” – the work takes on an entirely new meaning.

(Click on the image for a larger view.)

 

10 Things I Learned From Verne Reynolds

John Ericson
-
0

Those that follow Horn Matters on Facebook already know that Verne Reynolds, Professor Emeritus at the Eastman School of Music, passed away last week. His obituary may be found here, very worth reading for the quotes and insights from several former students; this photo is linked from the Eastman article. He was 84.

Regular Horn Matters readers know as well that site co-author Bruce Hembd and I both count Reynolds among our teachers. That study left its mark in many ways on our teaching and playing and lives.

I studied with Reynolds as a Master’s degree student, having attended a small school in Kansas (Emporia State) as an undergrad. The below are among the ten things from my studies that I reference the most often in my teaching and playing to this day.

1. A balanced approach between etudes, excerpts, and solos. He was looking I believe, before the term became popular, to cross train our technique. More on that below.

2. Ability to play very literally. Reynolds was also a composer and he spent a lot of time putting all those markings in the music! He really wanted you to be able to play music from the 20th century exactly as printed. MP and MF and F are all different dynamics; tempo markings needed to be exactly followed. This insight is a big key into how to play his music. In music from earlier eras, where the markings are more editorial in nature, he would tell you exactly how he wanted it played and it was your job to do it.

3. Short Staccatos. You have to have the ability to play very short staccatos and really every flavor of articulation distinctly in every register. More on why in a moment.

4. Extremely soft dynamics must be mastered. PPP is softer than PP! “That was a nice mezzo-piano” was not a phase offered by Reynolds in praise of your playing.

5. Extremely loud dynamics must also be mastered. FFF is louder than FF! Mezzo-something was not OK with Reynolds; you needed to be capable of playing exactly the printed dynamics in a very academic way.

6. Developing an attitude about conductors. This related to working on the extremes above, because as he would say, “You never know how loud/soft/short/fast some idiot, I mean conductor, will ask you to play.” Another classic, related line: “Does it seem a little warm in here today? Somebody must have thrown another conductor on the fire.”

7. Perfect rhythm. “Even my dog can hear it if the rhythm is wrong.”

8. Punching out the sixteenth notes. “Can hardly hear the sixteenth notes.” Especially in dotted figures, there was a way he really wanted them to sound and to master the skill of playing them that way had a purpose, the ultimate goal and result being:

9. Total technical control. Even if students did not have it all down they still certainly sounded very much the same in ensembles due to the elements drilled above, which I think was what he was looking for. He clearly aimed to be tough on us and pushed us hard technically with a final point being,

10. Are you up to the standard? This is where being an old school/conservatory teacher as he was he could push an envelope further than most teachers would ever do today. Which was probably why, in retrospect, the horn studio actually had a Chaplin assigned to the studio to befriend younger students in our era there, Canon Roberts. In my teaching I have tried to find more positive ways to push that envelope but still be honest with students. Honest feedback is the key. There are many ways to express what needs worked on and how to fix what needs fixed, an ongoing topic for any teacher to evaluate carefully. I know I will reevaluate this with his passing.

Some of the ten points above may seem to those who did not study with Reynolds to contrast with the points made in his later publication, The Horn Handbook. I am told that in his later teaching he mellowed somewhat. Ultimately any study experience with any teacher will be individual and perceived differently by different people.

For those who own The Horn Handbook, I would suggest that the Verne Reynolds I studied with comes through the most strongly in the two page appendix at the back where he has tips that are effectively quotes of himself. Two favorites of mine:

“In the catalog of musical sins, boring is on the same page as lazy.”

“No attack may be considered successful if it is not accurate.”

In many ways Reynolds was and remains an enigmatic figure. He was brilliant but also difficult to know even if you studied with him. One bottom line for me though was I learned a lot while working with him and certainly never worked harder on horn playing than I did in lessons for him. While not a totally accurate old saying, an old saying states that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It was a tough two years for me but elements of the study experience certainly prepared me for the real world of playing and teaching and influence what I do on practically a daily basis.

An era has ended. RIP Mr. Reynolds.

From the Mailbag: What is the Full Range of a Descant Horn?

John Ericson
-
0

A question came in that wondered if the descant horn can play an octave higher than a standard double horn, with the implication that maybe it would easily play higher than a standard horn.

Unfortunately, a descant horn has basically the same range as a standard double horn. You can play just as high and just as low on a double descant as on a standard double horn. The primary advantage of the descant is better accuracy in the high range. I have more on the descant horn here. It is a great instrument for works of a lighter character in the high range.

I have had this type of question come in from composers several times actually. My note to them would be that if you want to write an octave above a standard horn please consider trumpet or Flugelhorn instead of horn. I would not suggest writing above written high C (horn in F) for any type of horn unless you are working with a specific player who is able to play higher with ease. Most professional hornists can play a note or two above high C but that range is quite difficult to produce for many players, especially in a concert situation. The highest note in any standard work is a written E above the staff (horn in F) and the vast majority of pros would I am sure rather not play that high in a public performance.

Uncle Sam Says ‘Go Practice’

Bruce Hembd
-
0

Happy 4th!

[Extracted from a “Random Monday” post, JE, 2021]

Hornmasters: Tips on How to Practice

John Ericson
-
0

Several sources have some specific tips on how to practice the horn.

Practice the extremes

An initial suggestion made by Farkas in The Art of French Horn Playing is to make a chart and plan your practice day. But the bigger picture is to practice what you need to practice to extremes.

Get in the habit of practicing “extremes”…. Practice that which is just beyond your ability and progress will soon be evident. By practicing “extremes” I mean the difficult phases of playing: extremely high or extremely low notes, extremely loud or extremely soft notes, very fast or very slow passages, etc.

Fred Fox has a similar thought as he introduces a “practicing routine” in Essentials of Brass Playing.

A well rounded practice routine should cover every note on the instrument from the highest to the lowest, playing each one of these notes from loud to soft, and in varied combinations. The routine should be so complete, so demanding, that after going through it, any written piece of music should be comparatively easier.

Cross-train for success

One interesting aspect of A Creative Approach to the French Horn by Harry Berv is he concludes many sections of his book with a list of recommended exercises, solos, and orchestral excerpts that relate to the topic just covered. To borrow more modern terminology, he advocates for a type of “cross-training” to learn technical skills well by means of practice of etudes, solos, and excerpts.

Instead of a warmup have a practice plan

While Barry Tuckwell in Playing the Horn was not in favor of a set warm-up routine, he was in favor of a “practice plan.”

My recommendations are to practise the following things—not necessarily in the order given:

1. Long notes.
2. Flexibility exercises.
3. Scales and arpeggios.
4. Lip trills.
5. Control exercises.

These five main divisions cover the whole gamut of brass playing and each can be broken down into an infinite number of different exercises which, if pursued, could go on all day, leaving no time to practise études and solos. Therefore it is necessary to plan each day carefully, taking into consideration all the factors already referred to….

And even more quick tips

In more recent publications that we have from time to time featured in this series there are several with extended sections on how to practice well worth reading but with more content than can be quoted easily here. For example,

  • Frøydis Ree Wekre proposes that there is a distinction between “studying” and “practising” in Thoughts on Playing the Horn Well
  • For David Kaslow in Living Dangerously with the Horn a principal aspect of how to practice effectively was that of problem solving
  • Verne Reynolds in The Horn Handbook suggests and describes a practice space (“seek practicing space in which it is possible to feel isolated,” to allow better concentration–and vary the space used) and
  • Douglas Hill recommends long tones as an important exercise in Collected Thoughts on Teaching and Learning, Creativity, and Horn Performance.

On making long tones less boring

To close this installment of this series we will close with this quote from Hill on long tones.

There is no one single type of exercise that receives more praise from one group of players and more distain from the other than long tones. “Long tones are boring!” “Long tones solved all of my problems!” Extremes perhaps, but both are true to an extent.

To solve the boredom issue, I suggest that the player have a plan to follow that provides a maximum result from the minimum amount of time. Beyond that, the bored student should become more focused on the results of the exercise. Focus on the future results not the boredom of the moment.

Continue in Hornmasters Series

Anatomical Update: Summer 2011

Bruce Hembd
-
0

Since I am taking time off from playing the French horn, the practice space in my home office has morphed quite a bit since I posted pictures last September in “Anatomy of a Practice Space.”

This post from last September spawned two more posts – “Anatomy of a Mouthpiece Pouch” and “Anatomy of a Music Stand (Spring 2011)” – and today’s article will update all three photo-essays.

The desk

The office desk has changed a bit since last year, most noticeable is the addition of a gigantic HD screen.

It’s so I can see all those tiny pixels better. At least that is what I tell my wife. Click on any image to see a larger view.

The horn

As it turns out I did not lock away my horn into a hall closet. It’s skeletal remains haunt the usual space on my desk. It serves as a reminder that in a few weeks I need to get back into it again.

I was sure to follow Dave Weiner’s advice on long-term storage and gave it a good cleaning and oiling before leaving it in this state.

Like a scene from a bad horror movie, the horn’s guts shine lifelessly in a metallic bowl on the opposite side of the desk, near the new monitor.

Because the climate in Phoenix is so dusty, I will probably run water through the horn and slides before re-assembling the patient in a few weeks.

Stuff

In the corner between the two monitors are the contents of my mouthpiece pouch and some odds and ends – including lubricants, thumb drives and a mute.

The large bottle of Marvel oil was something I bought many years ago and as a heavy oil it works great at one-third the price of specialty instrument oils. I like Fat Cat oil simply because there is a kitty on the bottle and it mixes well enough with the Marvel oil to produce a good medium-grade oil.

The music stand

In the far corner is the music stand. I have it packed with materials that I want to start working on in a few weeks.

Those include:

1...808182...157Page 81 of 157
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv