Horn Recital Preparation and

Performance; An Interview Project

by Bruce Atwell

O ne of tbe most interesting aspects of born playing is tbe

relatively small number of truly great recital players. Most
born players focus tbeir energy and attention on orcbestral lit-
Jobn Cerminaro (JC) bas served as Principal Horn of tbe
New York and LA Pbilbarmonics; guest Principal Horn of
Houston, Dallas, Milwaukee, and Seattle Sympbony Orcbes-
erature, since tbis is bow we make our living. String players tras; and Principal Horn Aspen Eestival Orchestra. He bas bad
and pianists begin playing solo recitals at a very early age, usu- solo engagements at witb Bernstein, Boulez, Leinsdorf, Mebta,
ally mucb earlier tban many bornists bave even started playing Giulini, Scbwarz, Spano, been on tbe faculty of tbe Juilliard
tbe born. By tbe time string players and pianists bave gradu- Scbool, California Institute of tbe Art, and Aspen Music Scbool,
ated from bigb scbool, tbey bave played many recitals, often in and was Landsdowne Lecturer at Victoria College in 1991. He
a very nurturing and supportive environment (for family and bas recorded witb Crystal Records, Deutcbe Grammopbon,
friends). Tbeir preparation for tbese recitals often takes place and Angel EMI and bas been Principal Hom of the Seattle Sym-
over tbe course of a year, and tbe pieces are most often memo- pbony Orcbestra since 1995.
rized. Ereydis Ree Wekre (ERW) served in several positions witb
In contrast to tbis, tbe average bornist does not play in a tbe Oslo Pbilbarmonic Orcbestra and is now Professor at tbe
solo setting until tbe first or second year of bigb scbool. Most Norwegian Academy of Music. Sbe is a renowned teacber witb
often tbis first experience comes at Solo and Ensemble Eestival. worldwide appearances, performing frequently as a soloist,
Since tbis is only one of many duties for bigb scbool band di- cbamber musician, and recording artist, giving master classes
rectors, it does not always receive tbe attention it deserves. and lectures and adjudicating international competitions. Sbe is
Many times tbe music is learned, not over montbs witb a pri- also a past president and an Honorary Member of tbe IHS.
vate teacber, but over a few weeks witb an occasional coacbing Eric Ruske (ER) graduated from Nortbwestern University.
from tbe band director. Tbe performances are rarely polisbed Previously a member of Cleveland Orcbestra and Empire Brass,
and almost never prepared to tbe point of memorization. Of be is currently a born soloist and faculty member of Boston
course, tbere are exceptions to tbis: students wbo start studying University. He bas soloed witb Cleveland Orcbestra, Baltimore,
witb a private teacber early on and spend a great deal of time Indianapolis, and Milwaukee Sympbonies and recorded tbe
preparing tbeir solos - but in my experience tbis is tbe excep- Strauss and Gliére Horn Concerti, transcriptions for born and
tion. piano, solo born repertoire (all on tbe Albany Records label)
At tbe college level, tbis lack of early preparation and per- and tbe Mozart concerti for Telare.
formance experience often leads to less tban positive experi- David Obanian (DO) bas been a member of Boston Sym-
ences at juries and at tbe junior and senior recitals. Wbile tbe pbony Orcbestra, Boston Pops Orcbestra, Empire Brass, Cana-
pianists and string players bave a wbole cbildbood of positive dian Brass, and TransAtlantic Horn Quartet. He bas been on
performance memories to belp tbem along, tbe average bornist tbe faculty of tbe New England Conservatory, Boston Univer-
does not. sity, and University of Soutb Elorida and is currently on tbe fac-
Once we become professionals, most bornists are so busy ulty of tbe Boston Conservatory. He bas soloed witb Mostly
witb learning upcoming literature, studying scores, and listen- Mozart, Boston Pops, Tobo Gakkuen Orcbestra and appeared
ing to recordings, tbat tbe time to develop tbese bigb level witb tbe Saito-Kinen Orcbestra, Super World Orcbestra, and
recital skills falls away. Amazingly, tbey are still a number of Grand Teton Eestival. He bas recorded for Pbillips, BMG, Sony,
very successful born recitalists. I was fascinated by tbis topic, Columbia, and otbers.
and decided to ask some of tbe best bow tbey do it. William (Bill) VerMeulen (BV) enjoys equal success as
Erom Eebruary to May 2007, I interviewed six bornists soloist, master teacber, cbamber musician, and orcbestral Prin-
wbom I bave admired over tbe course of my career. Obviously, cipal Horn. He is currently Professor of Horn at Rice Univer-
tbere are many more tban six great recital players in tbe world. sity's Sbepberd School of Music and Principal Horn of the
My cboices centered on players wbo sbaped my view of born Houston Symphony.
sound and style. Eacb represents a very different style of play- Gail Williams (GW) was a member of tbe Cbicago Sym-
ing and approacb to tbe horn, but eacb bas made an impact on pbony Orcbestra and Principal born of tbe Lyric Opera of
tbe bistory of tbe instrument and on current playing and teacb- Cbicago and tbe Grand Teton Music Eestival Orcbestra. Sbe is
ing tecbniques. a founding member of Cbicago Cbamber Musicians and Sum-
I asked eacb a set of questions about bow tbey prepare for mit Brass. Sbe is currently a faculty member of Nortbwestern
and perform solo recitals. I found tbeir answers enligbtening University and Swiss Brass Week. Itbaca College bas awarded
and inspiring, and I bope you wül as well. I would like to tbank ber an Honorary Doctor of Eine Arts degree.
all wbo agreed to sbare tbeir tbougbts for tbis article and wbo
gave so generously of tbeir time and talent: Jobn Cerminaro, How do you select recital repertoire?
Eroydis Ree Wekre, Eric Ruske, David Obanian, William Ver-
Meulen, and Gail Williams. FRW: Location is a consideration. Is it a master class and/or
recital at a university? Wbat would be interesting to tbat audi-

TJie Jiom CaCC- 9day 2008 49

 Recital Preparation & Performance
ence? You could play standard repertoire, but I like to play you want to warm people. You will probably notice a big dif-
tbings tbey wouldn't bear all the time. If you commission a ference in my outlook from, say, Jeff Nelson, wbo's balf my age.
piece, if you want it to be beard, you'll bave to play it yourself He's back where I used to be. Or Bill (VerMeulen) wbo still Ukes
enougb times so tbat enougb people will bave heard it. People to do sometbing flasby. Tbere's notbing wrong with that. Peo-
may get tbe sheet music of tbe composition in tbeir bands, but ple tend to come to expect certain things from you.
it's more powerful to actually bear it. Live performance is more But witb recitals, a lot of it depends on wbat music you like
powerful tban a recording. I like to present new tbings. to play and in wbat order you like to play it. Tbere is no player
If a recital is given in my bome, I may pick a piece I've tbat can do everytbing one bundred per cent. Notbing is more
never performed before. I tbink it's very important for tbe agonizing for me tban listening to a player trying to prove a
teacber to have performed most of tbe pieces they are teaching. point by playing a piece tbat's really not there, struggling witb
Start witb one piece and build from tbere. a piece tbat's too bigh because tbey need to prove tbat tbey can
You may consider music of one nationality: all Erencb play in tbe bigb range, because tben it sounds labored. So I see
music, for example, or geographic considerations: a musical notbing wrong witb arranging your recital around tbe kinds of
tour of Europe, or time-ordered. You could start with Haydn, styles tbat best suit you.
tben a Romantic piece, tben Modern, tben some dessert at tbe
end. Normally I'm so tired by the end, I prefer to do whistling DO: Eirst I want to say, I cboose pieces tbat I like. If I'm work-
as an encore. I can wbistle two notes at once. ing on pieces tbat I like, it's easier to spend time on tbem and
I also like music witb a sense of humor. And I take en- prepare tbem. As long as I'm not being influenced externally, I
durance into consideration, at least wben it comes to bard tend to program tbe pieces tbat I like to play.
music. I like to use at least one pbysically difficult piece, and I think that as a sort of a general comment that you want to
then I need to be particular about performance order. have the usual pieces representing different periods. I am not
adverse to transcriptions. My background as a player would
ER: Eirst of all, I look at tbe series on wbicb I'm playing, tben tend to make me look like a bypocrite if I'm too mucb of a
at tbe particular venue, and finally I have to take into account purist. By and large, I've found tbat if it's good music, it will
the audience. If I'm playing for a horn conference, I can pick transcribe well. Tbis is true of most composers except I've
more music that's geared toward academics and horn purists. found tbat Mozart tended to write so much for the sound of the
If I'm going to be playing at a community concert series, I bave instrument that he was writing for, that sometimes it doesn't
to go a little beavier on tbe Méndez tunes. Carnival of Venice, translate well.
Mozart Sonatas, sborter accessible works tbat tbe audience will
enjoy. If it's a little more serious, like a formal recital in New GW: It depends on wbom I'm playing for. I do a recital every
York, tben I keep the fluff to a minimum...perhaps one year bere. Sometimes it depends on what the kids need to hear,
Mendez-type piece or maybe a virtuoso showpiece at the end wbat repertoire has and hasn't been played by students; if it's
of the recital, but I try to stick to real meat and potatoes com- some standard piece tbat they should be bearing and tbey
positions. Because we do bave a ratber limited recital reper- haven't. If I have three students playing Hindemith, I won't
toire, tbougb, I still will include transcriptions. play Hindemitb. And over the years, this has cbanged. I don't
Wben I put together a recital program, I make a conscious bave a pattern. It just depends on, if tbere is a piece I really
choice between tbe two different kinds of programs: a sym- want to play and I can develop a program around tbat.
pbony paced program or a traditional recital program. A sym- Eor example, I'm going to Denver in 2008 for tbe born
pbony program typically begins with the overture, then a worksbop. So I try to tbink about wbat basn't been played at a
concerto and tben tbe larger sympbony (more serious works) worksbop recently, tbat's wbat I look at. I bet I know a piece
on tbe second half. Tbe traditional recital program usually bas that people should know and they don't know and I probably
tbe more substantial Beetboven, Mozart, Brahms sonatas on tbe will play tbat piece. I also premiered a piece at tbis last recital
first balf, and tbe ligbter stuff on tbe second balf - Kreisler, Pa- (at Nortbwestern) from Doug Hill tbat needs to be done. That's
ganini, and otber pieces of that genre. how this recital became an all chamber music recital, but it was
witb different instruments. Doug's was witb clarinet, percus-
JC: Eor recitals, the key things are: where, what are tbe sion, and bass, kind of jazzy.
acoustics, wbat is tbe situation? How big is tbe ball, bow many
people are going to be tbere and wbo are tbey? Are tbey all BV: I bave a formula tbat I use. I want to use sometbing as my
horn players? opening piece tbat is going to command tbe audience's atten-
Of course I haven't played a recital in years, but I play tion and make tbem excited about wbat tbe evening is going
pieces I know and love and I play tbem all by memory, so for to be. In addition to tbat, I prefer tbe piece to be sometbing I'm
me it's a little bit difficult to take on sometbing new and com- comfortable witb so that I don't have to worry about an added
plex and commit it to memory. pressure of sometbing tbat's just so new or so difficult tbat it's
Wben I was younger, I used to like to dazzle an audience freaking me out before I get my stage legs. After that, I want a
witb all kinds of flasby, powerful stuff. Now, I tbink it's also substantial piece. A serious, piece tbat makes tbe audience
like sound: wben you're young it's all about power and over- think a little bit, not just about tbe horn, but tbe music, and
wbelming people and you want your sound to be piercing. leaves tbem something to talk about during the intermission.
Wben you get to be older, you want it to be more of a glow and Tben you bring tbem back and you get them going again for
tbe second balf. I want sometbing on tbe beginning of tbe sec-

50 Tlie Horn CaCC- May 2008

 Recital Preparation & Performance
ond balf tbat again commands attention. Similar to the first balf JC: It's interesting because a recital is like an elongated version
opening piece. Tben I usually program sometbing quieter and of an audition. You bave to play contrasting repertoire and you
more introspective as a break in the middle. Unless I'm doing bave to play it very accurately and very in tempo. So it's inter-
a recital tbat's supposed to be all Romantic or all Classical, I esting because tbe preparation is just a little different, en-
like mixing up music styles. And tben, I end witb a bang, a big durance-wise. But you bave to look at similar concepts.
impressive work, almost always. I used to want a student to try to play a piece that was a
I generally try to include only two, maybe tbree, new (for little beyond them to get them to it and to expand them a little
me) pieces on a recital. I don't like to do the whole recital witb bit. But tbese days tbe recital tends to be a little bit like tbe au-
all new works. It's just a little too overwhelming for me. I am dition, it turns out to be important. Tbey're getting graded, or
always in search of new and exciting works to play in recital. they're being watched by potential employers. So it seems like
Since I'm on tbe road over a quarter of tbe year concertizing it's so important that the recital go well, that I no longer ask
above and beyond my duties here at Rice and with the Hous- them to do sometbing tbat's going to be a close call. On the con-
ton Symphony, I stop in a music store everywhere I go. New trary, it's always better to do an easy piece well, tban a really
York, Europe, anywhere - I'm looking for music stores and I bard piece not so well. I tbink tbat's the best strategy: to play
browse tbe stacks. And if you come over bere you'll see (point- tbe pieces you know, really know well. If I wake you up at one
ing out in office) tbat's all solo repertoire. I've got probably 800 morning, you sbould be able to bop out of bed and play a cer-
solo pieces tbat I've collected in 35 years. Anytbing tbat looks tain piece tbat's yours. You know it so well, you don't even
interesting to me by sigbt, I just buy. And then wben I go to have to be warmed up. Tbat's tbe one you're going to start tbe
cboose a recital, I come in here on an afternoon, and pick a pro- recital witb. So I've become a lot more conservative in my out-
gram based on tbe basic template of wbat I want to do. I know look tbere.
tbe kind of recitals I like to play.
DO: I like to get tbem to play sometbing tbat tbey've played
What are your recommendations for for a long time so tbey bave a certain comfort level. I also ask
college-level recital repertoire? tbem to play sometbing new to tbem tbat will cballenge tbem.
It is a requirement from tbe scbool tbat they include diversity
FRW: Eor master's level students, about tbe same as for me, but in terms of style periods. Also, it is a requirement for them to in-
for bachelor's students it's more like wbat are you able to play clude a chamber music piece.
quite well? Of course we do work on tbe standard repertoire;
some concertos or pieces are better for some students than oth- GW: It just depends on the student, where they are pbysically
ers. and musically. Because I was brougbt up witb my teacbers say-
Sometimes when tbey are from anotber country, they like ing tbere are enough sonata materials tbat you sbouldn't bave
to play something from their home land. At this school, after to play concertos on your recitals, I'm kind of bending tbe otber
two years in the bacbelor program, they have to play 30 min- way a little bit now. I'm finding tbese kids aren't actually ever
utes for a jury. At tbe bachelor's level they should be able to baving a cbance to play concertos, and I feel tbey need to do
play in a variety of styles, baroque. Romantic, etc. But at the tbis, but I don't really like tbat part. So I kind of bend a little bit
master's level, they are very free to focus on one aspect or coun- bere and there.
try, etc. Most of my seniors do two full recitals, one in the fall if
tbey're going to go on and do sometbing. So tbey're doing
ER: When my students play non-required recitals, they may Mozart and Strauss, and tben in the spring we do another
program anything they wish. Cbamber music, concerti... it recital witb more contemporary works.
doesn't matter to me, because it is strictly for tbeir own benefit In tbis scbool tbere's only one required recital; tbat's not
and tbe experience of a public concert. Eor senior recitals and going to bappen. So freshman year I require tbem to do a recital
any graduate recitals (tbe degree-required recitals at BU), I will togetber as a freshman class, just for them to get the idea of get-
not allow concerti or cbamber music. One would never bear ting up, performing, getting all the paperwork that they need
someone come out and play a Tcbaikovsky violin concerto on to do.
a professional recital. I pref^er that they memorize as mucb as Sophomore year I like them to sweat a recital, so tbey usu-
possible, but obviously one wouldn't have to memorize a ally do one witb someone in one of their brass quintets or
sonata, because sonatas are duos. woodwind quintets or born quartet or sometbing like tbat. I
I require an unaccompanied piece, and it bas to be done like tbem to get into a Hindemitb Sonata or a sonata plus an-
from memory. I require 20th/21st century music, and suggest otber piece, and then their chamber music piece. Junior year
that they play music from as many different periods as they tbey usually end up doing a full recital and senior year I have
possibly can. Very often students finisb tbeir senior or graduate a list of pieces. They don't always get through them all.
student recitals and never play anotber full solo recital again, so
I feel it sbould be a real event and represent tbe depth and BV: They should have a good mix of genres. You should prob-
breadtb of tbeir musical and technical skills. The opportunity to ably bave a classical, romantic, and contemporary piece. I sug-
stand out there and play only music for horn and piano or horn gest tbose tbree genres, and perbaps even a solo born piece.
alone is something that I tbink tbat every student should bave Tbat's important because it's very easy in college to lose one's
during tbeir college career. proactive playing skills. In fact, what college essentially is

The JCom CaCC- May 2008 51

 Recital Preparation & Performance
doing, is taking someone who has been largely proactive when a breath, play, and really fill up a big space. They really need to
they are a young player and teaching them to be good re-active imagine the whole process, and that can be quite difficult, es-
players. Pre-college they are playing by themselves, mostly pecially for someone who's not been on stage that much. It can
practicing and performing for solo and ensemble competitions be a hard place for them to visit mentally when they're in the
and when they get to college and they are told - you need to de- practice room, but they need to imagine and live the concert
velop your reactive playing skills. Listen to your colleagues before the concert. Of course, the more that one has been on
around you, watch the conductor. Fit in, fit in somehow by re- stage, the easier it is to conjure up those mental images and
acting to your environment around you. That includes when recreate that mindset.
you're playing with a pianist. It's a comfortable place to be and My preparation is a little different now compared to what
you get ingrained doing reactive playing when you're in col- I had to do earlier in my career. I've played a lot of the recital
lege. repertoire for a long time now, and I kind of tend to keep it all
The problem with that on a real-life basis is that you only relatively in shape. As a teacher, I also have the opportunity to
have to stand up and be proactive two times: at your junior and do teach lessons and work with students on a lot of the same
senior recitals. Sadly, when you go to audition for an orchestra repertoire. It's not like I have to learn an entire recital program
you have to be fully proactive, but you have spent four years of completely new music. For the physical aspect of the recital,
being taught basically how to not be that. So, I like having stu- I tell my students that I think it's very similar to training for a
dents become more proactive somehow, and will often ask marathon. Marathon runners begin training months before the
them to program a solo horn piece on their recital. I also think race and then the last two weeks before the marathon, they start
that they should prepare the major pieces from memory. Cer- training down; they don't continue to run eighty miles a week
tainly if they have a Sonata or standard Concerto, all of my stu- the week before the race. In that way, they are rested mentally
dents have to play at least one piece on the recital from and physically for the event. The physical element is a big issue
memory. Just last week a student had her master's recital and for a lot of players when they're playing recitals. I have also
she played the whole Verne Reynolds Partita from memory. found that if I can't play the music from memory a month be-
That's a pretty good thing to memorize fore the concert, I haven't prepared well enough. I may get
through the concert, but I'm not going to enjoy it.
Can you describe the role of mental preparation
and focus and your preparation timeline when JC: I can tell you that I prepare very differently than when I ac-
you have a recital coming up? tually perform. It's very important that you have your accu-
racy and endurance at a really good level. So playing all the
FRW: Nowadays, I do meditate; I've done that for more than 20 pieces back to back without giving yourself much rest, that's
years. When you meditate, your pulse goes down, you breathe how you're practicing. But then, when the recital comes, you're
less often, you come into a resting mode. When you come out, much more poised about it. Give the audience a chance to enjoy
you are refreshed, just another way of getting to that point themselves and you can speak to them at times, talk about the
where you are completely relaxed. I was looking for something music. All of that is good for them, but it's also good for you. It
like that because I had a busy and maybe somewhat stressful gives you a chance rest up a little here and there.
life. I don't tell all my students to learn it; I wish I would, but I probably do a lot more preparation than most people for
they have to find out on their own. The other side of mental something like that. For example, I have to premiere a new con-
preparation is about the music and focusing on developing and certo next season, deep in the season, somewhere in March. I'm
following a good artistic plan. This is very helpful. going to devote the entire summer to it and do nothing else.
A friend who played Principal Horn once had an assistant It's going to be handed to me tomorrow; I really think I need
whose job was to measure exactly how much time the Principal that kind of time. I need the time to break it up, segment it, fig-
Horn actually was supposed to play in a particular piece. For ure out all the little parts, and find the absolute fingerings. You
example, in the 5th symphony by Tchaikovsky, it came out to be might think that that's not such an issue, but it is for me. To
17 minutes out of 40 minutes. So I got the idea to time myself: find key fingerings on my triple horn, patterns - things that I
actual physical playing time in a day, until it added up to three think will be best for certain phrases. I need a lot of time to
hours a day, morning till night. Of course on the test day I had work all that out. I also prefer a lot of rehearsal time with the pi-
no family obligations; I spread it out throughout the day. Three anist. I have to get some mock-ups beforehand and I need to
hours to get strong. It took a lot of time, the whole day! For my be extremely comfortable with the piece. The same goes for a
last recording I got a six-week sabbatical from school so I could recital; a lot of rehearsal time, a lot of practice, a lot of mock-up
practice kind of like this, and it was very good. But how long time, and play-through time, at least once or more in the hall it-
in advance would I practice? It really depends on the pieces. If self to find out what's going on. So I'm kind of a fanatic about
you have to learn new stuff you will be building up strength to that.
be strong the day of the concert.
DO: I think my answer to that question is to a great extent tied
ER: Mental preparation is everything. I tell kids who are play- up with what I said before. My mental state when I'm going
ing their first recital or concerto to imagine what it's like to walk into a recital is a function of how well I know the music, how
out on stage and take a bow, shake the hand of the concert- prepared I am, and how confident I am that I can do a good
master, shake the hand of the conductor, and at that point, look job. Beyond that, you try to convince yourself of something. I
out into a sea of faces and experience absolute quiet. Then take
52 Tñe Jfom CaCC- May 2008
 Recital Preparation & Performance
know tbere are people wbo do meditation a couple of days be- bave to tbink in the "now," not the "how" in order to get to the
fore tbe recital, and that may work for them, but I bave no ex- "wow."
perience witb tbat. I try not to get metapbysical about it. I know As for my recital preparation, if it's a series recital, bope-
I can affect my performance more by how well I prepare than fully I'm incredibly well prepared long before, and certainly
in the way I think about it. learned tbe notes. I'm not tbe kind of guy wbo practices by rep-
I guess tbe building block approacb is tbe best analogy I etition tbousands and tbousands of times. I know tbere are
can tbink of. First of all, you bave to be able to play the pieces born players like tbat, but I prefer to pusb myself crazily in my
individually. I don't think you need to be 100% on everytbing foundation work, my nuts and bolts. It gives me tbe vocabu-
before you start putting tbe recital togetber as a wbole. You lary I need to evolve as an artist, so tbat pretty mucb all of my
need to be able to get your bead around tbe wbole program. recital stuff is not a technical issue. Learning notes is not tbat
At some point, two or tbree months before tbe recital, you big a deal. It's more a matter of wbetber tbe piece bas mari-
sbould sit down and play tbrougb it, bopefully witb piano. nated witb me long enougb so tbat I have a really convincing
Tbat adds a new element to it. Intonation tbat you may not musical plan. I would say my preparation is a little different
tbink of as taking energy to correct wben playing with the tban some players, because tbe technical issues don't start out
piano and rhythm issues as well need to be dealt witb. It gives as tbe main focus. It's more a matter of bow I need to put tbe
you sometbing else to think about wben you have the otber in- tbing togetber and be ready for tbat nigbt. Recitals aren't stress-
strument you bave to mesb witb. Tbat makes a different part of ful occasions for me. Tbey are fun! Frankly, it's a lot more fun
your brain work, or it takes attention away from wbat you want for me to do tbat tban just a normal nigbt. I'd ratber be doing
to be tbinking about. Wben you run tbrougb tbe entire recital, tbat. I'm serious! It's fun for me to get out there and play, es-
you can soon get a feeling for wben you are getting tired and pecially recital stuff.
gauge what kind of shape you are in and know when tbe diffi-
cult points are in tbe recital and wben you can take it easy. Tbat
dynamic, or effort curve, bas to be something that you are well What do you think about memorization?
aware of so that you don't get surprised when you are in the
recital. FRW: Ob, I tbink it's good, I tbink everybody sbould. Wben I
played piano and later violin, my teachers would assign some-
GW: Mental preparation is very important; absolutely every- thing and I would have to memorize for the next week. So on
body sbould do a little bit of it. My first time playing a solo was horn, I memorized on my own. Wben I got to Russia to study,
witb tbe CSO, Konzertstück, 1988, a long time ago. I was play- tbey all memorized everytbing. Tbey didn't want to be worse
ing for Hersetb. Visualization was a new tbing, and I said to or lower level than string players, pianists, or singers. Winds
bim, "You don't ever visualize do you?" and be said, "Every sin- were really working hard to be acknowledged on tbat level. I
gle day, I pick up tbe trumpet and the first note I play, I have even wrote an article about memorization in The Horn Call
3,000 people looking at me - yes I visualize!" I figured back many years ago. I tbink it sbould be done more frequently by
tben, if it worked for bim, maybe I'd better start thinking about wind players.
it, and tbat's sometbing I always tell students. Walking out, tak-
ing tbat first breatb, wbat does it feel like? Singing through the ER: Tbis is anotber part of our training tbat really frustrates me.
whole program before you play a note, exactly bow you're I listen and watcb my wife cbew tbrougb buge cbunks of reper-
going to play it. It may cbange, but you bave a plan. toire - tbe Sibelius, Tcbaikovsky, Berg, Mendelssobn, Brahms,
Every single piece I bave a metronomic mark on it, that's a Beethoven violin concerti, all of them - all memorized, and I
starting point. So at least I have a start and I try to get my stu- wonder why we don't do that. There is a guy who's on the vi-
dents to know wbat is 72, wbat is 92? Wbat is tbat tempo? If olin faculty here at BU, and be performed tbe complete Bacb
tbey can feel it so tbey know exactly wbat it is, it belps witb tbe Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin in one nigbt - all of tbem -
pianist, too. witbout music. Tbeoretically, we're tbe same animal, in tbat
Sometimes I'll play games witb myself. I'll sing it, buzz it, we're botb buman beings witb the same relative abilities. Our
and tben I'll play it. Just so it's really set. I do listen if there are recital repertoire is ridiculously easy - simple migbt be a better
recordings of very different styles. I will listen and get new word tban easy - but it is relatively simple compared to tbe
ideas. I also exercise, because if I don't, my breatbing's not re- recital repertoire for violin, cello, piano, etc. I get on my kids
ally ready to go. about tbis all tbe time, because wbile memorization comes eas-
ier for some people tban otbers, it is still basically an acquired
BV: I tbink mental focus is a large percentage. Witbout it, you skill like sigbt reading or transposition. As long as you're prac-
won't be convincing. And you'll be asking questions rather ticing memorization on your etudes or excerpts, it will bappen
than making statements. Here's a good example. Look at my more quickly and it will become easier. I'm a buge proponent
key chain. It says.. .Attitude is everything. I mean, look around of memorization. I feel tbat it just makes us all smarter, better,
you. I have obscenely annoying neon posters, dozens of tbem, and more capable players.
all over the walls, with what we call the holy words. Most of
this stuff is positive mental programming. It's all about bow JC: It doesn't have to be by memory. Certainly - if you're doing
you tbink. Actually, tbat is tbe key to tbe way I teacb the horn sonatas or the Brahms Trio, or sometbing like tbat, it's all rigbt
too. It's a lot about the philosophy of bow we're going about and probably advisable to use the music. But for the usual solo
tbis. Tbere's a lot of good information about tbe "bow." You

l i e :}fom CaCC- May 2008 53

 Recital Preparation & Performance
repertoire, I think it's better to play without the music, if you You've got to count on nerves; you will be nervous. People
are able. It gives the audience a good feeling. blame that 20% reduction on their nerves. You need to make
yourself get nervous before, so you get used to it and can de-
DO: I'm probably not the best person to ask about that because liver according to your plan anyway.
I've always had the ability to memorize easily. I just do it be-
cause I don't really have to work at it, and I know some people ER: For me it's just a consistent solid practice routine and then
do. I think in the context of a recital it's probably a good idea to being able to have the opportunity to get out on stage and per-
have the music stand up there. I think when you're playing a form often. Basically, in my mind, what keeps us from being
concerto; it's probably a different story. You're a performer in able to duplicate what we do in the practice room is fear, fear
both cases, but I think it's probably more important to the au- of failure and sometimes even the fear of success. I try to get
dience that you don't have music when playing a concerto. You myself to exceed what I was able to do in the practice room,
can engage in communication and body language with the au- and I believe adrenaline is what helps to make that possible. In
dience that you can't when you have music. order to perform comfortably, I can't be afraid of the adrena-
There is also the dynamic that the music stand acts as a bar- line.
rier to the audience, and that can work for you in a way. When I also have to accept that fear is a natural reaction to a per-
you take the music stand away you can feel completely vul- formance situation. The hardest thing for me to do is to walk
nerable. Some people like that, I particularly like that. The other out on stage and admit and acknowledge that it's never going
thing is when you don't have the music stand, you tend to look to be perfect. I think that we all agree on that in principle and
at the audience. People start to squirm, they're not there to be yet, it's a very hard to thing for us as performers to accept our
looked at, they're there to look at you. mistakes on stage and not become mired in negative thinking.
I will teach my students, if they are playing from memory, The most important component concerning stage performance
to look at the exit signs, which are usually at the back of the is reorienting my expectations. Instead of striving for an im-
hall, so they have something to look at without staring at the maculate technical performance, I need to constantly remind
audience. It's almost like a mantra for the eyes, if you want to myself to concentrate on making music and communicating
see the notes going by, that's probably what you're going to see. with my audience. I need to remember that any one particular
concert will neither be my best performance nor my worst. Of
GW: I think it's great when you can. I've had too many years of course, as with all things artistic, it's progress, not perfection.
sitting there with music in front of my nose. There's just a little
bit more angst in front of me when I don't have my music there JC: That's an interesting question - and it's an important one.
even though I can play a lot of pieces without it. Some students Farkas used to tell me that doing a lot of performances was the
do it. I don't force students to do things that I can't do. I en- key to not feeling as nervous, and that's the starting place. Now
courage them to do it. I really wish I did do a lot more memo- I play almost 200 concerts a year and the stage is a very famil-
rization. iar place for me. When I was a soloist and only a soloist and
only had to play a dozen concerts a year, that was a big issue
BV: Pianists and violinists do it. We should try as well. I try to and I had to think about that quite a bit.
memorize everything except for contemporary concertos and The first thing for me is what makes me feel really good: I
pieces that are really atonal. If I can't sing it I usually don't have to feel and believe that I am really going to play incredi-
bother memorizing it. Otherwise, I usually memorize. If it is bly accurately, and I work towards that.
not too much to ask a string player or a pianist to memorize Usually a player has a big weapon of some kind, and that
this stuff, and they have a lot more notes than we do, it is really gives him confidence. It's like a fighter, a boxer: you have to
not too much for us. I have to compete for the same subscrip- have something you're really good at like you have a tremen-
tion weeks for whatever orchestra I solo with as Sarah Chang dous hook or you have endless endurance, something that
and Josh Bell. We're in a similar market. If you watch a great vi- makes you feel especially like you have a weapon. I used to be
olinist on a recital, they ill only use music for the major cham- really proud that I could play five octaves and it made me feel
ber sonatas. very good about playing three. Accuracy and stamina are the
two wings of the ego. You're accurate, that's one wing, and you
How do you bring a higher percentage of what have plenty of stamina to burn, that's the other. So that gives
you do in the practice room to the stage? you confidence.
Now the other thing is, if there's a piece of music that has some-
FRW: I think that may be 80% is about what you end up bring- thing in it that's particularly hard for you, that you feel is not
ing to the stage, so you have to practice 120%. And one needs virtually 100% certain you're going to get it; that alone can ruin
to play for people a lot before the real playing for people. the whole thing. Maybe it's that slur in the Adagio and Alle-
Focus on the storytelling, giving rather than getting, not gro, maybe not having enough air. I take whatever that prob-
getting good reviews or bad reviews or getting the job. If you lem is and make a federal case out of it in my practice; I have
are a good storyteller, they will be positively shocked of the to master that thing, because if I don't feel that thing's solid,
beauty of it all and the atmosphere and what you created. it's going to eat at me in a way that'll take away my confidence.
It often comes down to treating yourself well in the practice Also, if you're going to use Inderol, you have to have your
room and pre-performances, so that your nerves don't take off. meds all figured out. You have to know exactly what you need

54 Ttie Jfom CaCC- Teômary 2008

 Recital Preparation & Performance
and exactly what the timing is. I advise my students to be real- and a half prior to the recital, then they're going to be fine. If
istic. How much do you need? When? Where? How many they try to do that four or five days before, they're not going to
hours before? They've got to be very consistent and honest with make it through. You just have to look at a running book and
themselves. you see the tapering affect and that really does seem to help
I've never found anything that couldn't be beaten - any some of them. They understand, or they panic and they don't
piece of music. You might think there's something you can't understand and they get hurt.
play, but there isn't. With enough work, the right equipment,
the right mouthpiece, whatever it is you need, you can find a BV: Last night was a really good example of taking something
way. Then you're ready to find the nuances; all the little things where I know I wasn't as prepared I wanted to be (recital at
you're going to do. If you listen to almost anything Dennis Rice). The choice then could've been - wow, I'm really freaked
Brain played, he's making something special of practically out by that - but it was quite the opposite. It felt very comfort-
every note. Our duty is to find those moments, constantly be able up there. It's a matter of perspective.
on the lookout for them. I don't know if anybody can do it like The way I approach all of what I do is corporate. Here is the
he did, but you can get close. analogy I use. I am CEO of my "company," VerMeulen Horn, Inc.
I'm the visionary guy who sits in his 35th floor office tower in
DO: I think the path for that is doing it. By that I mean, you can his swivel chair looking out at his vast empire. And my job is
practice and practice and when you go into play the recital, it's to dream the big dream about the company. Where the com-
a very different experience. You should practice the recital. Set pany is going, cool things I want the company to do. I have a
a time, and get half a dozen friends together or one or two and product to sell. My product obviously is music made on my
say I'm going to play through this piece for you on Thursday at horn. That is a viable product and this is a business.
4:00. That gives you the experience of having to get it out at the Now underneath me I have a whole working staff. My ab-
appointed hour. Then you can roll off of that - play two pieces solute right hand man is a guy name Mr. Air. He's in charge of
for those people. You are practicing giving the recital, not just my production line. And underneath Mr. Air is a phalanx of
practicing the pieces. I know I made that mistake when I was a people, all the way down to the delivery truck driver, Mr.
student at NEC; my senior recital was the first recital I had ever Tongue, who's a royal pain and I have to threaten to fire him a
played. I didn't take the opportunity to play for people before lot. All right?
I played that recital. So I believe in practicing in a practice room, Now that's the production aspect of the company, but it's
and I also believe practicing playing in for people is an impor- only one aspect. You can have a great product and Mr. Air can
tant part of the whole preparation. be running his side of it well. I can be dreaming the big dream
about what I want the product to do, but if you have a poor
GW: That comes up all the time with my students, that's why I sales department, when you get out there to go to a sales con-
have them start doing little recitals their freshman year. Some vention, it doesn't matter, right? And what you're talking about
people have no problem and some people do. You have to fig- is sales. So the fact is, I knew I hadn't memorized all of the stats
ure out different techniques for everybody. I think to be really on my product last night. I didn't have the time. I crammed.
prepared helps. I treat it as a running race. You can slam your But I went out there with an attitude of "Who cares?" I've got to
face in so much in the practice room that you have nothing left sell this thing. That was my job last night. To sell the music at
the day of the recital and you need to taper. It may not be a two the recital.
week taper like a marathon, but it could be a two or three day And so, when you go to perform, it's not time to be a guy
taper. I think students think they have to keep practicing and down on the production floor, tinkering with the item. Stop and
keep practicing and they practice themselves so fatigued that think: if you're selling a vacuum cleaner, you're not worried
they make themselves stiff and then they can't do all the subtle about exactly how the engine is turning at how many rpms.
stuff on stage because nerves take over. You just think, I have to convince people this thing can suck up
I encourage student to read the Don Green book [The Inner a bowling ball. That's all you care about. So at that point of the
Game of Music], I think it's very valuable. I think there are all game, I'm no longer a production guy. In fact, I try to be a pro-
kinds of sports-related, sport psychology books that they duction guy as little as possible. I leave people I trust to do that.
should all read, but sometimes that doesn't help. I get them to Mr. Air and Mr. Lungs and Mr. Diaphragm and Intercostal
do yoga breathing or some biofeedback - take Alexander Tech- Muscles do their job, and if there's a problem, when I get my di-
nique lessons and it still doesn't help. vision report - me as the CEO - then I'll tweak it a little bit.
I just feel that they finally need to accept the fact that So, by in large, I just want to sit up in my 35th floor and
they're going to be nervous, and let it ride, because if you try to dream the big dreams, and let the sales guy do his thing, let the
squelch it, it makes it worse. Some players love to perform and research and development people continue to try to make it
some don't, that's just the way the world goes around. They better and better. Let my data acquisition team, where I'm steal-
may be the best second horn player in the whole wide world ing ideas from everyone else, do their thing and we run the fab-
and we need those people. Learning to put a program together ulous corporation. It keeps getting better and better.
and learning what it takes physically to get through a program, And it's a publicly held corporation. I always remember
I think it will help no matter what they do. that. It's not just my investment. I have parents who invested in
The one thing I think they have to understand is, if they can me and friends who sat around and listened to me dream and
play through the recital twice through about a week or a week students who look up tome and people like yourself that have

iJie Jtom CaCC- May 2008 55

 Recital Preparation & Performance
flown all the way to Houston with an idea of who I am and DO: I would have to say that that is a function of the real work
what I'm supposed to represent as a hornist. And all of you that you do in the practice, and not how you think about it or
guys, in some small way, are invested in my corporation. So, what comes after the practice room. Accuracy is a function of
it's my duty as Chairman of the Board and CEO, to try and understanding the intervals that you have to deal with on the
make my stock worth more tomorrow. And when I go to bed at stage. When I tape myself in the practice room, I find that I tend
night, I have to ask myself - have I done everything I can do to to miss in the same places over and over. If you can recognize
make sure my stock is worth more tomorrow? And if I can't, patterns when you miss notes, or a particular interval that you
then I better stay up a little later, because my fear of playing are not hearing well or not setting for, you can focus on that
poorly is greater than my need for sleep. and reduce your error percentage a great deal.
How do you achieve a high level of GW: I think if you start trying to play accurately, you start not
accuracy in perfonnance? breathing properly. If you start thinking accuracy, your tongue
gets a little stiff. That's when you just tighten up instead of let-
FRW: Well, by having a high level of accuracy in the practice ting go. Watch really good tennis players who can do it under
room, obviously. I believe in planning breathing; I feel safer. It pressure, what they do. They just let loose and let go. Or you
is also important how you deal with yourself and your mis- see they're not going to make this shot because it's totally all
takes in the practice room. Getting more control and staying over their face.
cool, rather than getting mad or angry.
Have a checklist: did you use enough air, did you use sup- BV: If it's in your ear, it's out of the bell - pretty simple. Every-
port, did you aim properly, are you too tired? Be nice about it, thing about being great on the horn is incredibly simple. And
but at the same time don't make excuses; if you're that tired, we'll talk more about this - but I do believe the horn is stupidly,
take a break. So I think it's a question of teaching yourself to ridiculously, and magnificently easy. I am convinced of that.
have high expectations. Maybe that's just my mental training telling me that, but who
cares? I do believe that. The only time I want to have anyone to
ER: Practice, practice, practice. This brings me to one of my pet think it's difficult is when I walk in to ask for a raise at the
peeves - intonation. I never hear my wife walk off stage and Houston Symphony. And I'll gladly take The Guinness Boole of
talk about how she nailed all the notes. She remarks that she World Records in and say, "See, it's the hardest instrument; pay
was unhappy with her intonation on this passage or that pas- me more!"
sage and never talks about accuracy. Horn players and brass
players in general have this thing about just missing notes. If Do you experience performance anxiety
we're trying to play in tune, then our accuracy will naturally and, if so, how do you deal with it?
improve. When have I ever heard a horn player complain about
playing out of tune? Very rarely. That is something I almost FRW: Good question, great question. Yes I do. When I was a vi-
never hear (or say) after a concert. I'll never have great intona- olin player, I would memorize everything. Normally I got a lit-
tion during my playing career, but because I've spent a lot of tle nervous and normally fingers started to sweat until the
time working on my pitch problems, I can listen to the Juilliard whole thing felt like a lake! Instead of four strings it felt like
String Quartet or the Brentano Quartet, or the St. Lawrence swimming in the lake!
String Quartet and appreciate what great pitch sounds like and I'm just saying this because then when I performed for the
the sacrifice that it took to create. Likewise, I'll never be able to first time solo on the horn, I had already played quite okay in
manipulate rhythm like Glenn Gould, but because I work with the orchestra, and then as a soloist I got the dry mouth in the
a metronome all the time, I can appreciate his recordings for concert. I was in shock, I'd never had it, I was expecting wet
the art that they are. fingers. So I remember that as a bit uncomfortable, and I was
told then that I should play for people more often. Anyway, it
JC: I frequently say to my students - accuracy first. I'm always went okay. I don't think I've been more nervous than that ever
harping on, clean it up, and think about centering the note. It's since, I even thirüc it's gotten better in the later years. If so, I get
a matter of a perfect feel. It's very important to be accurate and a little dry mouth. For the most part, I'm able to just focus on
also at ease with playing if you're playing a recital. You're going the music and it goes away. And remember the breathing helps
to communicate something to an audience when you walk out. me a lot, quality and quantity breathing.
You should be poised, relaxed, and happy to be there.
I used to make a little joke that you have to walk out like ER: Always - every time I play I'm uptight - but I prefer to call
Kirk, not like Picard. Picard is stiff, he walks across the room it excited. I remember when I played in the orchestra and some-
and his hands are by his side. Kirk has a loose, relaxed manner times I would walk out on stage, play the concert, get into my
about him. You have to teach yourself these kinds of extras be- car and not remember what piece I had just played. Now, keep
cause it's all a matter of setting an audience at ease. in mind that I was not playing Principal Horn and the major-
The first thing you play also has to be something so pro- ity of my job was to play relatively simple concerto accompa-
foundly yours that it's going to roll right out no matter how niments, but still, that's not the performance experience for
you feel. I wouldn't think about breaking in a new piece on a which I trained. When I go on stage, I truly need to feel that
recital unless I've had some real chances to play for family or rush of anxiety, excitement, abandon, etc. If I don't get out on
friends.

56 Iñe !Hbm CaCC- May 2008

 Recital Preparation & Performance
the stage and feel anxious, then there is something wrong with done all my basics all the time and I'm really in shape, and I'm
me. I feel that people are always trying to come to grips with going to make it through, chop wise, I have nothing to worry
performance anxiety and eradicate it. I think if you just accept about. When I'm playing with a pianist that I'm not comfort-
it, it will give you more adrenaline and greater powers; it's the able with, that's the hardest. That's like a second horn player;
whole fight or flight syndrome. That whole concept of beta it can make you or break you. That's the hardest.
blockers goes against everything that I feel defines music.
Music is all about the emotions of life, the highs and the lows. BV: Sure! I'm constantly having to remind myself that I can, I
The more that I try to even everything out and control the sit- will, I must, I do. I will, without question, let myself muse back
uation or performance, the more I feel that I'm doing both my- on other successful performances to remind myself that I've
self and the music a disservice. done it before, successfully, many times. But we're human. And
you're walking on stage and no one in the audience cares that
JC: I never met anybody who didn't. There's an old saying: if you've just had a disagreement with your wife, or that your
you're going to play the horn, you have to have the devotion of kids did something that took all of your attention up until the
a priest of God and the nerves of a cat burglar. It's so true. time you are there. No one is aware of any aspect of your life
There's a feeUng when the nerves creep in. What I like to do other than the fact that you have to nail it. And you have to deal
is try to understand what it is that causes that. If you can find with that pressure. You have to continue to remind yourself
that thing or things that is causing it, like quite often there's what a privilege it is to do what we do. That it's not brain sur-
something in the music, if there's anything in there that's a gery, just an opportunity for you to share. Last night I didn't
close call, you mustn't push that into your illusion system. You care if I missed notes, I knew I was going to miss some notes. I
can't be delusional about it and just imagine that it's not there. just wanted to go out there and make the best music I could.
For me, I always have to feel that I'm in good form. It seems And as a result, I probably missed fewer notes than if I'd gone
like that's the key. If I'm in good form and not rusty, and I out there really sweating it. I just wanted to stay in the music,
haven't been away from the stage too long, those seem to be stay in the music.
the keys.
Itzhak Perlman told me that he likes to ham it up, get some Where do you position yourself
laughter going, tell jokes and make things light-hearted and try on stage for recitals?
to carry that onto the stage. Especially if the first pieces you are
playing are not dark, serious works, but are lighthearted, it FRW: Oh, this is a good question. From a visual point of view,
helps to bring that atmosphere with you, if you can combat I prefer that the horn player somehow has more than 50% of
your nerves. Nerves will be combated with another strong his face directed towards the audience, from a communication
emotion; humor, or anger, for example. You can fight off fear point of view, that is, meaning that I don't like a complete pro-
with anger. file in either direction. The other visual thing is whether to be
in the wing of the piano, like most singers, or on the side like a
DO: I did later in my career more than earlier. Without going violin player. However, in many halls or in many cases, if
too deeply into why that might be is that, when you are young, you're not so tall, then your sound will go into the piano lid
you are kind of fearless and you have no standard to uphold and you will sound more harsh and direct. So I guess I tend to
other than the one you are trying to create. When you get older more on the violin side, myself.
and you have a track record, you are always trying to equal
what you've done in the past. I happen to be also a believer in ER: That's a great one, and in fact, these are all great questions.
beta blockers. I look it as, if I had a head ache, I take an aspirin. As a horn soloist, one has two choices as far as I'm concerned.
If I know that I'm going to have performance anxiety, even if it I tend to assess each situation on an individual basis and make
acts as a placebo, that's fine. You've probably read the article up my mind based on a few different factors - the size of the
that says that this drug Propranolol is about ten times safer hall, how wet it is (reverb factor), and the proximity of the au-
than aspirin. So I see no physical problem with taking the drug. dience to me. These are all issues that affect my decision, and
I think it's a very successful solution to public speaking and they change from concert to concert. Sometimes, I will stand in
performing that we have today that they didn't have twenty- the crook of the piano, play into the piano, (always leaving the
five years ago. It's not something that you want to tell your stu- lid raised and on full stick) and use the piano as a reflective sur-
dents, but they'll discover it on their own, and you shouldn't face.
discourage them. If the hall is quite reverberant, very large, or really dry, then
The main thing is the repetition of this. If you are playing I will align myself with the pianist and point my bell out into
these pieces for the first time, you'll probably be pretty appre- the audience. I've found that I like playing in this violinist
hensive about it. If you've performed the recital a half dozen stance more and more often. My bell is now facing out in very
times before the money one, then you'll just be that much more much the same way that a violinist would have the F holes of
acclimated to it. The proper preparation can have the same ef- the violin directed towards the audience. This accomplishes
fect, maybe a better effect, than taking a pill. many things. First of all, in terms of articulation and presence
of sound, it's so much more interesting and variable. When I
GW: I think we all do. And accepting it is what you have to do. stand in the crook of the piano, put my hand in the bell and
I do yoga breathing, I do biofeedback, focus, Don Green. If I've point the bell away from the audience, all that they hear is re-

Tñe J{om CaCC- May 2008 57

 Recital Preparation & Performance
fleeted sound and second-hand articulations. If I stand where ER: That's a great question too. I always stand in awe of my
a violinist does, I have to work much less hard on clarity of ar- teacher. Dale Clevenger, because he's been Principal Horn of
ticulation and it's usually a much cleaner sound. Oftentimes a the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for over forty years. That
pianist prefers to have me in the "violin position" because the translates into forty years worth of concerts and recordings - all
bell isn't pointed directly into their face. Both positions are use- of the Strauss tone poems, all the Bruckner, Brahms, Beethoven,
ful and both are usable. Tchaikovsky, Mahler symphonies, etc. Most of them he has
recorded multiple times. A career of that longevity and accom-
JC: I do stand. I used to sit, but again, it has to do more with the plishment is just inconceivable to me. How does somebody
presentation, the look and the acoustics, so I stand when I play. continue to play at a benchmark level for that amount of time,
When I was younger and I was doing a lot of the recitals for week in and week out?
Juilliard, I did most of them seated and then changed later. In answer to your question, though, it's a bit like compar-
More and more, I started standing and stayed with it. When I ing runners and races. How does one compare a marathon to a
would go into a hall and the stage manager would ask me 100 yard dash? If one is truly going to perform at the highest
where I would like my music stand or chair and what am I level possible, both events are difficult and challenging, if for
going to need, I always wanted to say that I don't need any- slightly different reasons. Physical endurance and mental
thing. toughness are essential for both players, and usually a person
that can do one can also do the other. The longer I play, the
DO: I like Richard Watkins' idea. I stand basically looking in more I find that everyone has specific and very unique gifts.
the same direction as the pianist abeam of the keyboard rather When I see someone work wonders with a room of preschool
than in the crook of the piano. It gives a bit of a more direct ap- or elementary music kids, that can be more impressive than a
proach of the horn sound to the audience, and I like that. well-played Brahms symphony. I had a student at Boston Uni-
versity who could work magic with little kids. She gets them to
GW: I always stand in the crook of the piano, for a couple of sing, dance, improvise, and compose - all of this from
reasons. I like the communication that I can get this way, I like preschoolers. I've done a ton of residency work over the years,
getting my sound to go out at the same time as the piano. Q: Do and the best that I can do is to entertain the wee ones for thirty
you stand close? A: Sometimes very close. It depends on the or forty-five minutes. This woman had a working educational
hall and if I need the clarity and the articulation. And I'd rather relationship with these kids - needless to say, it is incredibly
have that clear articulation than this whooshy sound. Also a lot inspiring.
of the repertoire I play, you have to be close because you've got
to play into the piano. JC: I think most people would consider a recital more of a long
distance run. Whereas, playing in an orchestra is more about
BV: Ultimately, it depends on the acoustics of the hall but ide- short dashes here and there - sort of like the difference between
ally I like to have contact with my audience and my accompa- running a marathon and, say, a fifty yard dash. Recitals are
nist. There are a lot of people that will stand where a fiddle more soloistic and exposed and they require more page-long
player does. Instead of the horn being in the crook of the piano, endurance; solos in an orchestra are a matter of playing dy-
they'll stand off to the left of the piano as you look on stage. I namically, but briefly and accurately, also, usually, considerably
find that I don't have good contact with my accompanist that louder and more exaggerated than normal.
way. I also can't use the lid of the piano as a baffle. I prefer
slightly angled, almost straight on with the audience so that DO: Recital playing is much harder. You are in the spotlight all
you have the contact with them so that when the horn is not on the time in a recital. In an orchestra you get breaks, sometimes
your face, you can easily look at them and embrace them, smile big breaks. If you are Principal Horn you get fewer breaks than
at them. But in the meantime, you still have a little contact with the third horn, but when you are third horn and you have to
your accompanist. play the solos, you have to act like the Principal Horn. That's
why they say when you're third horn you're either bored to
How does playing a recital differ from playing in death or scared to death.
an orchestra - do you think one is more difficult? Recital playing is useful because it makes you be a hun-
dred percent all the time. You can't just sit back and count bars.
FRW: I think it differs in that the conductor of the orchestra has It is very different from orchestral playing - the only thing in
to be in control, whereas your influence as a Principal Horn is common is that you are playing the same instrument.
relatively small. You contribute a little bit with your tastes and
your sound and the little things that you can do without being GW: No. They're just so totally different. I think if you can play
told, but generally, it's less responsibility in a way. But of chamber music in your recitals and in the orchestra, you can
course, you're responsible for your part, although you are not keep them closer. If you can approach it that way, so you're al-
alone; at a recital, you are much more in control. I like to follow, ways in contact or having a conversation with the pianist or
but I love to lead also. I love the feeling of knowing exactly whatever. That's the one way I approach it that helps me keep
what's going on. If you like to play and you are in shape, the it kind of connected so I do feel like it's so different because I
recital is more satisfying in a way. don't do it now except for seven to eight weeks a year in the
orchestra.

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 Recital Preparation & Performance
Playing in an orchestra is dynamically harder on your face. hairpin, quick adjustments to whoever has the solo. Then you
You think you can practice playing loud and then you get in an have the solo and people make quick adjustments to you, and
orchestra and it's not even close! On the other hand, you can it's more a matter of a kind of relative pitch and making those
challenge whoever you play with because you've been playing adjustments. But, when you're dealing with a piano, you're
chamber music and recitals. You play softer, so they have to dealing with a fixed thing - it depends on how well it's been
play softer. I think if you take the mental game that you have to tuned and also what sort of piano. Is it a concert grand, baby
have to do a successful recital into an orchestra, it makes the grand? What are you playing with, lid up, lid off? What is your
orchestra pretty easy. repertoire?

BV: For me, recital playing is much freer. In the orchestra there DO: In both cases your pitch center is very important. I've
are many more parameters and you have to fit into those pa- heard students often that play through piece after piece their
rameters. In a recital with a good accompanist, you can do pitch center is not with the piano. So recognizing where your
whatever you want. That's what's really free. That's what's fun. pitch center is and adjusting the length of the horn to match the
You make music more on your terms, play around with the piano is probably more critical than in the orchestra. In the or-
time, put in Viennese off beats, and explore the soft sides. chestra, if you are playing with the winds, the pitch tends to go
up. With the strings the pitch tends to go down because the
What problems are there in terms of when more you stretch the string the more it goes lower. There is
playing with piano as opposed to playing greater latitude when playing in the orchestra than when play-
in an orchestra? ing with piano. The most critical thing is getting the slide in the
right position. After that you're on internal intonation and if
FRW: When you play with piano, the piano is tempered. I think that's bad that will show even if your pitch center is correct,
the horn player needs to take that into consideration. Whether but if your pitch center is correct at least you have a chance.
you clash with the piano or are completely together, or play
notes that are in a chord, it's important that you be there with GW: The more you practice with piano, the more you just start
the piano, the piano rules. When you play in an orchestra, you to adjust. When you know that you're on the third, you may
have not so much tempered intonation around you. You have just ask them to voice it out. I can't play piano like I wish I
to take the chord business into consideration. If you play Prin- could but I go over and try to block out chords just so they get
cipal Horn you can influence maybe a little bit more and use the idea of where they have to fit that note in and how they're
some melodic intonation as well. In an orchestra, there are may going to hear it. You have to know your own instrument. What
be forty string players, and very often in good orchestras they note on your horn has a tendency to do what?
agree on intonation! So do not argue with that.
Also, inside the orchestra the conductor is responsible for BV: The intonation approach is slightly different because in the
the overall interpretation, choices of tempi, etc. As a recital orchestra I use "just" intonation. And the piano is tuned with
player you are much more responsible for the way the music some temperament but it's not exactly the same temperament
comes out. as "just" intonation.
So, once again, we have to remember we play in tune from
ER: The piano is immovable and, even though mean tempera- here (pointing to his ear) and that even though I know all of
ment is not possible for the pianist, at least the pitch never the harmonic rules about where to put things, all that informa-
varies. So, as long as it's been tuned well, it's a constant. You tion is just that - information. When you get up to play, you
never have orchestras playing with mean temperament or even play in tune. Just play in tune.
a truly consistent pitch center. You might have specific chords
where people are conscious of their role or function, but with a What do you think separates a great player from
hundred players, it just can't exist. The string quartet is truly a the average professional player?
benchmark for the manipulation of pitch and that is why lis-
tening regularly to great quartets is so important for us. With I FRW: Oh, that's a nasty question, right up my alley. A practical
play a concerto with an orchestra, I just get a bigger "intona- example to answer your question on a more general level, I will
tion yard" to play in. When I play with a piano, it's just me and say: The artistic dimension, whatever that means. It is concrete
the piano and, if the piano is in tune, then the only pitch prob- enough because it consists of elements of sounds and articula-
lems are going to be mine. tions etc. etc, and then on how you put it all together. Of course,
there's an element of charisma. I used to say in great horn play-
JC: It is very important for me to get to that piano pretty fast ing there are the three C's: continuity, connection (with the
and find out where it is, what the pitch is going to be like. It's music, audience and other people you are playing with), and
really critical to be fabulously in tune and to know where the charisma.
piano is. Sometimes you have a piano that's lower than A440 or
is in bad shape, so it can be an issue. In orchestras, everybody ER: The luxury of having enough time to practice is what sep-
says you take the "A" and that you tune from the root of the arates a good player from a great player. In my mind, every-
chord. Everybody says all those things, but that doesn't really one could accomplish great feats on their instruments if they
happen. What really happens in orchestras is that you make just had the time to devote to practicing them. I hear hornists
of all ages, and there are so many great players today. What I

•Vie Jiom CaCC-'May2008 59

 Recital Preparation & Performance
have to say musically is not so incredibly special, and there are merville here in Boston, he likes to take chances. He has a lot of
certainly many people who play the horn better than I. The se- music in him and the technique is taken for granted, his com-
cret to my career as a musician is just that I've been fortunate mand of the instrument. He'll take chances with rubato, vol-
to have so many opportunities, and I've had the time to de- ume, and with nuance that make you follow him. When that
velop them. When I listen to other players, I know that they happens, I'm impressed. I have judged competitions, even with
could easily be doing what I'm doing, but throughout my life, different players on different instruments competing against
I just happened to have been in the right place at the right time. each other, and it's pretty clear when there's a really great
Perhaps the most important trait that separates a good player.
player from a great player is just simple commitment. I have
completely committed to playing the horn as well as I can. One GW: Musicianship, the ability to turn on that song and you are
of the reasons that I am able to do what I do is that I have lim- just riveted. Is it their sound? Is it their musicianship? Some-
ited myself to playing and teaching the horn. There are lots of times it's not the sound, it's just the ability to keep singing and
Renaissance people out there that have non-musical careers keep you listening instead of your mind going somewhere else.
and they have never played the horn as a vocation, but they For me, that's the main thing. Are they really drawing me in
love to make music. There are others who are professional mu- musically? Not, how many notes can they play, but what are
sicians, but they have developed particular hobbies, play other they doing in between the notes.
instruments, paint, build houses, etc. I'm just not one of them.
I don't think about conducting or developing a cure for cancer BV: Personality and musical intent. How convincing you are.
or composing music. I just play the horn, teach, and hang out You can have something that's just on a very superficial level
with my family. and hear it as horn playing, and respect it as horn playing, but
when someone makes you forget that it's a horn, or when
JC: The difference between a great player and a routine pro- someone makes you want to play that instrument. Like if
fessional is a much more complex question. In my opinion, you're listening to a cello recital, and you have a fleeting
there have only been three truly great horn players within thought that Wow, I'd love to have played cello sometime, or
recorded history. What they have been able to accomplish then it even gets beyond that - it becomes not just an instru-
was/is original, special. Each has a unique voice, artistically, is ment at all and it you feel - "Wow, that phrase just spoke to me."
uniquely, instantly recognizable, and completely one-of-a-kind That's what creates the greats.
technically and musically. It is one of those things that you just
know when you hear it. There are many pretenders to great- Can you think of anything else that readers of The
ness in horn playing, many who believe they have accom- Hom Call might want you to talk about?
plished something lasting.
But history, ultimately, will not bear this out. History has a FRW: Encourage creative programming. Look out for pieces
wonderful way of clarifying such things, like with great fiction that aren't necessarily in the mainstream. Of course, there are
writers. The giants are Shakespeare and the Russians (Tolstoy, times when you're young and you need to do the standard
Dostoyevsky, etc.), then Conrad, Hemingway, Faulkner, Joyce, repertoire. You get older and then you feel that you may have
and a few great playwrights. After these, it just starts to get very to play the hardest pieces to prove that you have a high c'" or
thin very quickly; soon, you're down to a lot of one-book writ- c#"' or more! So that's that part. But really, a "normal" audience
ers; after that, it trickles down to the popular authors; and then, does not think that way.
finally fades to a slew of professional journalists just trying I like to talk and communicate also that way. Of course,
make a buck. It's the same in every field, every endeavor, in- there's a fine line between giving a lecture where everybody's
cluding horn playing. bored and wants you to play. I think if classical music is to sur-
To compete for a place in history, you have to be willing to vive, you need to not compromise on quality, including good
go up against the greatest of all time, to find your own unique communication. Be aware of your inner reasons for playing. I
voice and to leave a body of work that can compete with the mentioned this before, about giving and getting. Encourage
best that ever picked up a horn. That is a tall order. Most pre- composers to write some new music for you. For every ten
fer to make a decent living and provide for their families, which pieces, maybe one comes along that is really strong, but you
is a normal and worthwhile goal. You have to be a little bit nuts don't know which it will be, so you have to do the other nine
to want to horn your way into the world's top three players along the road. Also, you don't have to be so macho that you
(even top ten)! And, at the end of the day, history will decide if have to try to do everything yourself. Let the pianist play a
you deserve a place there at all. You probably won't live to find piece, invite a friend to come in and play a duet or quartet, not
out for sure if you made it, either. Like I said, it's kind of nuts! just horn and piano. You can have some solo pieces in there;
- but, for some of us, it's the only way to live - what can I tell break it up for the audience, maybe guitar, a singer, or string
you? player, a little something different.

DO: That's a tough question. In a way, the answer is kind of ER: I try to tell my students that there are very specific de-
like pornography, you can't really deñne it, but you know it mands placed on us by the horn. To enjoy playing and to play
when you see it. I guess I'm impressed with technique but I'm well, one has to have that commitment. I've never been one
more impressed with music. I know when I listen to Jamie Som- who can take a week off and then go out and play a concerto.

60 Tñe J{om CaCC- May 2008

 Recital Preparation & Performance
That is just not something that brass players can do. I explain GW: Play music that suits you, not just because someone else
to my kids that I play every day - rain, shine, travel days, sick wants you to play it. Play the music that you love to play. We
days, holidays, and birthdays. I play every day and the payoff sometimes think we have to play something that maybe does-
is magnificent. The payoff is that when I walk on stage, I feel re- n't fit. You don't do it the best so don't do it. You may need to
laxed and prepared. do it for yourself at home, but if you're going out - like at a con-
I remember reading an interview with the Juilliard String ference - play music that you love so you can show people,
Quartet. They described their rehearsal backstage before the that's what I really like doing. We've given a couple of concerts
concert and how, when it was time for the concert, they just that we play with students. We did the E^ Serenade of Mozart
moved out onto the stage. They just gathered up their music and my students have said they've probably learned more in
and continued to play on stage. There is no difference between those few rehearsals than they did in many lessons. Play music
a rehearsal and a concert, because the same level of concentra- that you are convinced is really great.
tion and commitment is there for both. If I can train myself to
play at a performance level every time I play, whether I'm in the BV: They should not be scared of giving recitals. I think it's the
practice room, or in a rehearsal, or in a concert, then all musi- most comfortable, freest thing we do as horn players. You are
cal events have just become equally important. If all of them at your leisure. You have an accompanist whose job it is to fol-
are equally important, then I shouldn't have to worry any more low you. You have music that you've chosen.
or any less about a particular piece, concert, or recording. At The other thing that I would say is that when you are
that point, I have become much more relaxed and I notice a choosing a recital, this is important - choose pieces you really
marked absence of stress. Because I am thinking about all of love. That's how I approach it when I sit nostalgically among
the notes, all of the time, I become a better player, and I am free my numerous drawers of solo and chamber music pieces and
to concentrate on the music and ideas that I want to share on find works that excite me. Sometimes I'll bring my students in
stage as opposed to the notes that I play on the hom. In the end, with me and we'll play horn octets or a quartet as a part of my
I feel that my goal is to sen^e the music and not my ego. As they recital. I'll include chamber music with horn if I want to play
say, it is by self-forgetting that one finds. with my friends. And as I showed last night, that was one of
my pieces on a recital. So, I've got seven drawers of just per-
JC: It's a discouraging time to be a horn player, and I wouldn't sonally owned material to choose from. I've got to be able to
recormnend it to anyone except the fanatics who must do it or come up with six pieces or so that I just think are really cool
perish. I have an old saying that I love chess more than Bobby and would be lots of fun to play. And the fun factor is para-
Fischer, and he loves music more than I do. You can certainly mount.
kill a thing with professionalism and you can enjoy it much You find pieces that really interest you, that speak to you.
more in an amateur sense. In a way, I smuggled through an am- And then pour your whole self into that. And then with joy -
ateur's heart and I have kept that and protected a little piece of and remembering that what we do as artists is to share. We are
it always in there and I'm enjoying playing even against a very entrusted to recreate a composer's intent. And if you stop and
professional atmosphere of dried up, tired, mean people that think, re-create is recreate (with a short e sound). So we are ba-
are just bitter and hate their lives. I'm in there and I'm still an sically being asked to get out there and recreate. Play! It's all
eleven year old kid with my horn; I can't wait to play. Perhaps play and you're being given an environment that's intimate.
that makes a difference. Not this huge divide between the back of the stage and people
way in the distance. There is an audience right there in your
DO: Having now quit the horn and having not played for over lap that wants to be there. They've come there to hear you. It's
a year, I can look back over my career and the careers of other just a blast! There couldn't be a more fitting, comfortable envi-
player in a way that maybe you can't when you're in it. While ronment than when you do that kind of thing. See it as literally
it's true that we all want to play musically and beautifully, and chamber music. Even if you're doing a solo horn piece, you're
while it's also true that if you're not playing most of the right still in a small chamber. And in a sense, you are feeding off of
notes nobody wants to really hear much more about the musi- your audience and it's much easier to get their intent as well. In
cal aspect, it still is the thing you come away with. The musical the end it is all about fun, sharing, respect (for the composer's
content, the emotional content is what people will come away intent, your audience) and ultimately love. Music is love in
with. We've all heard recitals, not just on horn, but other in- search of a word.
struments as well, when someone plays note perfect and you
come away feeling that it was an empty experience. At the same Bruce Atwell is an Associate Professor of Music at the Univer-
time I've heard a lot of players that put a lot of emotional con- sity ofWisconsin Oshkosh. Dr. Atwell holds Principal Horn positions
tent into the music that they play and that's what makes a great with the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Green Bay Symphony, Fox Val-
experience, as long as they can play most of the notes right. I'd ley Symphony, and Oshkosh Symphony, He has performed with the
always rather hear someone really go for something and miss Florida Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and as acting fourth
than to be too careful. It's like the baseball analogy, the home horn with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Atiuell is also on the faculty at
runner hitters strike out the most. So you have to go for it if the Lutheran Summer Music Academy where he plays with the Prae-
you're going to hit the home run. torius Brass and Moveré Wind Quintet. He has recently completed a
recording of music for horn and voice by British composers with tenor
Frank Hoffmeister and pianist Timothy Lovelace.

Tue Hom CaCC- 9day 2008 61