Unlike Baroque or Classical repertoire with standard period instruments, 19th-century music requires performers to research which specific types of pianos and horns were used at the time.
Instruments
During Beethoven's lifetime (1770-1827), the piano evolved significantly, from a five-octave wooden instrument without pedals to one with pedals, a metal frame, and an extra octave and a half in range.
Interpretation
The album features music for horns and pianos from the 19th century, exploring the diverse instruments available during a period of rapid technological development.
Performer Biography
Alec Frank-Gemmill, the horn player on this album, is the Principal Horn of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and was a BBC New Generation Artist from 2014 to 2016.
Recording & Production
Alec Frank-Gemmill (horn) and Alasdair Beatson (piano) recorded this album in January 2016 at the Deutschlandfunk Kammermusiksaal in Cologne, Germany.
Instruments
The album's title, "A Noble and Melancholy Instrument," is a quote about the horn from Hector Berlioz's (a French Romantic composer) Grand Traité d'Instrumentation.
Instruments
Valve mechanisms for horns developed differently across Europe; for example, François Périnet's (a French instrument maker) piston design was favored in France, Belgium, and Britain, while Joseph Riedl's (an Austrian instrument maker) double-piston valve was pre-eminent in Austria.
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