Following on from our previous blog where our trombone specialist shared his favourite publications added to the Brass 2024 repertoire list, this week we are focusing on the new repertoire to be found for the French horn.
One of the key additions to the French horn repertoire lists is the introduction of duets at Grades 1-3, bringing it in line with other brass instruments. French horn consultant and composer, John Humphries, says of this exciting development:
'It has allowed me to share some of the duets I have written to play with my younger students. They have loved playing them and, actually, so do I! The Grade 1 syllabus now features one of my favourites - a slightly spooky duet called 'Things That Go Bump...' - which does everything a Grade 1 piece needs to and, at the same time, keeps the performers smiling!'
The Trinity Brass syllabus has long had a reputation for including the best in original music for brass instruments, alongside the finest arrangements of music in popular styles, and the new additions to the horn lists are no exceptions. Robert Ramskill's arrangement of the Stevie Wonder classic, Sir Duke, - long since a favourite with trumpet players - has now been made available for horn players to enjoy at Grade 5.
At Grade 6 comes something very different but just as absorbing. Villanelle, which Paul Dukas composed as a test piece for the Paris Conservatoire in 1906, is one of the classics of the horn player's repertoire; but the Morceau de Lecture, a piece he wrote as the sight-reading test for the same competition, has lain unpublished until very recently. This mysterious and slightly impressionistic little gem is something which serious Grade 6 players will want to get their teeth into.
The Group B (unaccompanied) pieces have also been refreshed. Newly edited and more stylistically aware versions of Bach's Cello Suite movements have been included across Grades 5-8, which give an optional alternative to the traditional Wendell Hoss arrangements. Other, less well-known studies have also been introduced and, of these, our French horn consultant has particularly highlighted his fondness for a Study in E Major by the Venetian bandmaster Vincenz Ranieri. He adds:
'Rest assured, favourite studies by Maxime Alphonse, Kopprasch and Oscar Franz remain on the syllabus, but Ranieri's piece makes a delightful and worthwhile addition to the choices available at Grade 8.'
As for the four new pieces added to Group A (the accompanied pieces) at Grade 8, all are technically challenging, intelligently written, and hugely accessible. Jean Vignery's gorgeous Horn Sonata, Wayne Lu's Romance and Edith Borroff's Sonata all make stand-out additions to the syllabus, but I have been specifically asked to highlight the Rondo from Gina Gillie's 2018 Horn Sonata:
'This is music which should not just be on a horn player's bookshelf, but which should also find its way onto their music stands on a regular basis!'
To take a look at the French horn repertoire list in full, please see our website.
With special thanks to John Humphries for his contribution to this post.
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