Notes and Editorial Reviews
FRENCH MUSIC FOR HORN AND PIANO
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Guglielmo Pellarin (hn); Federico Lovato (pn)
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AUDITE 97.538 (51:33)
SAINT-SAËNS
Romances
: op 36,
op. 67.
DAMASE
Sonata.
DEFAYE
Alpha.
POULENC
Élégie.
DUKAS
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Villanelle
Here are two more horn recitals, one by an Italian, one by a Finn, to add to the bounty I have accumulated recently. Most of these have been highly commendable; so too is one of the above. The intent of both programs is to demonstrate the development of the horn from its roots as a valveless instrument (the “natural” horn) to its present-day incarnations. Both contain excellent historical overviews as well as annotations on each work on the program.
Guglielmo Pellarin, principal horn in the Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra in Rome, turns in a program of six works by five French composers. Some of these are well known to horn players, others less so. Collectively they span the period from the late 19th to the late 20th centuries. Though some were written for the natural horn, Pellarin plays everything on a Paxman model 20M. The most substantial work on his program is Jean-Michel Damase’s three-movement sonata, music that continuously engages the ear with lyricism, harmonic piquancy, forward thrust, and idiomatic exploitation of the horn’s assets. The eight-minute
Alpha
by Jean-Michael Defaye was written in 1973 as a final exam piece for students at the Paris Conservatory. It too makes a worthy contribution to the literature, demonstrating the full range of the instrument and running the gamut of styles from moody Impressionism to jazzy virtuosity.
The Romance was a favorite genre of Saint-Saëns, and he wrote nearly a dozen of them for various instrumental and vocal combinations. Op. 36 is the well-known one for horn and piano; op. 67 is an arrangement of the fourth movement of the Suite for Cello and Piano, op. 16 (a fact not mentioned in the otherwise excellent program notes).
I particularly like the spirit of adventure Pellerin brings to his playing. It is always imaginative, full of ideas, and demands the listener’s full attention. Coupled with what appears to be an innate capacity for lyricism plus technical facility and a pleasing tone, this CD can be added to my growing pile of heartily recommended horn recitals on CD.
FANFARE: Robert Markow
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Works on This Recording
1.
Romance for Cello and Piano in F major, Op. 36 by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Guglielmo Pellarin (French Horn),
Federico Lovato (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1874; France
2.
Sonata for Horn and Piano by Jean-Michel Damase
Performer:
Guglielmo Pellarin (French Horn),
Federico Lovato (Piano)
3.
Romance for Horn and Piano in E major, Op. 67 by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Guglielmo Pellarin (French Horn),
Federico Lovato (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1885; France
4.
Alpha by Jean-Michel Defaye
Performer:
Guglielmo Pellarin (French Horn),
Federico Lovato (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1973; France
5.
Elégie for Horn and Piano by Francis Poulenc
Performer:
Guglielmo Pellarin (French Horn),
Federico Lovato (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1957; France
6.
Villanelle for Horn and Piano by Paul Dukas
Performer:
Guglielmo Pellarin (French Horn),
Federico Lovato (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1911; France
Sound Samples
Romance in F major, Op. 36 (arr. for horn and piano)
Horn Sonata: III. Allegro vivo
Romance in E major, Op. 67 (arr. for horn and piano)
Elegie for Horn and Piano, FP 168
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 1 Customer Review )
The Dreaded Double Horn January 9, 2012
By T. Bryant (Paris, TX) See All My Reviews
"Most accomplished Horn players do not really like the natural "blatty" sound of the B-flat (double) Horn. They therefore try to make the device unnoticed, and try for the
F (single) Horn sound. This player seems unaware of this.
TFB "
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