Martin Owen - Brahms, Ligeti, Mozart, Schumann: Horn Trios - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The renowned horn player Martin Owen is joined by the violinist Francesca Dego and pianist Alessandro Taverna in this varied and compelling programme. Mozart's Horn Quintet, KV 407 is one of the earliest examples of the horn in chamber music - although this partnership was embraced by Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and Schumann among many others. The Quintet is unusually scored for horn, violin, two violas, and cello, but the majority of the melodic interplay in the work occurs between the horn and the violin, so replacing the lower strings with piano works very well. Brahms's Horn Trio was the first major work for this instrumentation, and remains one of the finest in the repertoire. The horn is often seen as symbolic of the forest - an important entity in German culture - and Brahms commented that his inspiration for the piece came to him whilst out walking though woodland. Ligeti's Hommage à Brahms was very much inspired by Brahms's Trio, although influences of Bartok and Hungarian folk music also play their part. In the final piece, Schumann's 'Duet' from Phantasiestucke, the horn simply replaces the original cello part in this ultra-romantic miniature. Album Tracks 1. Trio, Op. 40 in E flat major for Piano, Violin, and Horn~I. Andante - Poco più animato - Tempo I - Poco piu animato - Tempo I - Un poco animato poi a poi 2. Trio, Op. 40 in E flat major for Piano, Violin, and Horn~II. Scherzo. Allegro - Molto meno Allegro - Scherzo da capo 3. Trio, Op. 40 in E flat major for Piano, Violin, and Horn~III. Adagio mesto 4. Trio, Op. 40 in E flat major for Piano, Violin, and Horn~IV. Finale. Allegro con brio 5. Trio 'Hommage à Brahms' for Violin, Horn, and Piano~I. Andante con tenerezza - 6. Trio 'Hommage à Brahms' for Violin, Horn, and Piano~II. Vivacissimo molto ritmico 7. Trio 'Hommage à Brahms' for Violin, Horn, and Piano~III. Alla marcia - Più mosso