Claudio Flückiger, the horn player on this album, was principal horn in the Philharmonia Zurich and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra before becoming principal horn in the Royal Danish Orchestra.
Historical Context
The Paris Conservatory discontinued its valve horn class in 1864, only reintroducing the instrument unofficially in 1897 and officially in 1903.
Compositional Technique
Paul Dukas's Villanelle, a competition piece for horn, uniquely combines natural horn and valve horn playing by requiring the introductory and recapitulation sections to be played without valves.
Historical Context
The valve horn was adopted much slower in France than elsewhere, partly due to a politically motivated rejection of valves, which were invented in Germany.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Joseph-Émile Meifred, a horn professor at the Paris Conservatory, believed that horn players should learn from singers to master phrasing, breathing, and style.
Composition History
Camille Saint-Saëns, a French composer, dedicated two Romances to rival horn players Henri Garigue (valve horn) and Henri Chaussier (natural horn) after a "horn duel" in 1891.
Historical Context
Before the 19th century, the valveless horn relied on the overtone series, with players using hand-stopping to bridge gaps in the melodic possibilities.
