Schumann Konzertstück für 4 Hörner und Orchester. Live Konzert, Philharmonie Köln, 17.04.2015 Paul van Zelm, Ludwig Rast, Rainer Jurkiewickz, Joachim Pöltl. WDR Sinfonie Orchester, Heinz Holliger
Ich kann nur sagen: Eine unfassbare traumsichere , musikalisch und technisch einwandfreie Interpretation dieses herrlichen Stückes ! Ich war selbst einmal Hornist ,und bin begeistert! Herzlichen Glückwunsch an die großen "Vier" und das Orchester!! Ich wünsche Ihnen GOTTES Segen!
Wunderbar, sowohl das Orchester als auch natürlich die vier Solisten! Was da von den vier Hörnern, bes. vom 1. Horn verlangt wird, ist unheimlich. Sie haben es super gemeistert. Bravi!!!
50 years ago a performance of this piece was a rarity. It's a tribute to today's excellent schooling worldwide how many orchestras can field it with their own horn sections. And for sheer exuberance the music is unequaled-- Schumann (as Florestan) running into the room and exclaiming excitedly, "Hey, guys, look what you can do with these new valved horns!"
I agree. The funny thing about the invention of valved horns was that the music world's initial reaction was something along the lines of "that's cheating! Valved horns make playing too easy! Natural horns are the true way to play!"
This piece is especially a workout for the first horn, even if playing on a descant or a triple. Orchestral pieces for horn sections often dole out high challenging parts to different chair positions so one doesn't get so worn out. In the Schumann, the first horn simply has nowhere to hide and the high notes are piled on throughout. When Radek Baborak plays first horn on this piece he uses a regular double horn. And toward the end you can see he is really getting a workout.
I really love it when horns get to play a standout part in music, but throughout was amazing. Better than after beats any day, even though that is important too..
A wonderful piece of music which I found by chance and am absolutely enthralled - glorious performance. What made it more appealing were the very illuminating comments by other listeners. This is why I prefer TH-cam over other music streaming services. I find the comments section always interesting , especially suggestions by other listeners of other interpretations of the same music. Many thanks for this post
The four french horns have their smooth graceful melodic voice that shimmer and sparkle Schumann's overwhelmingly beautiful composition. A simply wonderful captivating musical treasure. Sublime & Heartfelt.
It was the similar sound of multiple horns playing at the beginni ng of Weber's Overature to Der Weber's Freischütz that pulled me into horn playing, Unfortunately I stopped after my freshman year at college in 1960. This was on a 78 rpm record of the insturments of the orchestra recorded in the 1940s.
Een van de mooiste en beste uitvoeringen die ik ooit gehoord heb. Paul speelde weer fantastisch zoals altijd eigenlijk, de hele groep trouwens . groetjes Lenno
Schumann is often considered as a wonderful writer for piano and as a rather bad orchestrator. But who before him has dared such a thing? He had an instrumental curiosity which he showed on too rare circumstancces, and this is the most spectacular. Let us watch and admire this gorgeous music. The soloists are wonderful, the orchestra conducted by Holliger is excellent.
This is the best rendition I have heard. As a former horn player I'm absolutely amazed at the expression achieved over the whole length of the piece by first horn. Beautiful teamwork by all. MUSIC!! Bravo!
A wonderfully inspired Schumann, in the same spirit as his Third Symphony. Excellent playing by both soloists and orchestra, very effectively conducted by former oboe player Holliger. Too bad that so many seats in the hall remained empty.
WJohnM: 50 and maybe even 35 years ago Schumann's music was played by boring conductors who, somehow, believed that all 19th century music (and possibly mostly the Romantics) were supposed to be played as though they were made of straw. Thankfully -- as you point out ---someone realized that this music was lively, exuberant, bubbling, and above all, musically fantastic. This odd attitude applied to all the symphonies, overtures and other Schumann pieces.
Wonderful Schumann! Again, breathtaking originality. What else is like it? You know from the very start, with that arresting call on the 4 horns, something quite special is coming. He just seemed to let creation flow without regard for established forms and conventions. For me, this natural outpouring of music is unsurpassed, even by mighty Mozart who amazes me but does not charm me as much.
As a former horn player I can tell you that this piece is hellishly difficult for the first horn . It's the musical equivalent of walking tightrope without a net over hungry lions and a pool full of sharks ! Schumann wrote it as a showpiece for the then relatively new valved horn and he went overboard with the insanely high first horn part .
My first recording of this work was with Georges Barboteu on first horn. I think it was on the Nonesuch label. That was heroic playing. These guys make it sound easy (it is not). Wonderful performance.
Mine too! An orchestra from Rheinland if I'm remembering correctly... The horns had such a bright sound, like French orchestras' horns. I always loved comparing how horn sections had different sounds from country to country, from orchestra to orchestra.
This wonderful performance is a paramount gift to Horn lovers This splendor of words can not attach it My emotion is immeasurable depths FromTokyo Which National person are tyou seeing this stellar video？
The WDR S.O. Koln used to be simply indicated as the Cologne Radio S.O. - it's the same thing. They have a strong tradition in playing Mahler, among other things. They're very good. I think it really helps that the timpanist doesn't overplay in this performance.
..¡ Que poder..!...de música... Schumann..tiene tal inspiración..que en el minuto 15:16..te realza tu espiritu aletargado.. Gracias por compartir NALOGO..!!
..Potencia de los horns.....y te invitan a salir adelante, en la situación que estese. Gracias "nalogo" por compartir. Saludos desde Ecuador La Tierra mas cercana al Dios Sol.
Smashing playing of a rarely heard pice. I remember reading years ago that such was the poor standard of professional horn playing in England that this piece was performed in the early 1900s in London ( by a section made up mostly of members of one family) and didn't receive a live performance in England again until 1971?
This probably came from Stephen Pettitt's biography of Dennis Brain (pub. Robert Hale, London. 1976) Pettitt wrote (p. 23) that that the Op. 86 Konzertstück was given its first performance in England by the horn section of Henry Wood's orchestra (the Queen's Hall Orchestra) at one of Wood's Promenade Concerts on 8th October 1909 and that the work "was not heard again in England until April 1971". Pettitt also says that the players in that 1909 performance were, in fact, Alfred Brain (Dennis' uncle), Fred Salkeld, Oskar Borsdorf (Adolf Borsdorf's eldest son) and G.W. Smith. [Alfred's brother, Aubrey (Dennis' father), was only 16 and not yet studying at the RCM. Their father, A.E. Brain Snr., was playing horn at Covent Garden at the time.]
@@nicolasfauvel5934 Many thanks Nicolas. That's a heck of a gap in performances even allowing for two World Wars in the intervening period. I believe that Boult was once asked his opinion of orchestral standards in the 1900s compared to the 1970s. He observed that standards were pretty much the same in all departments with one exception: the horns. So I suppose Boult corroborated what Pettit implied in his book.
@@phillipecook3227 Exactly! That was indeed Pettitt's implication. He did not make any detailed comparison with horn playing standards elsewhere, although noting the several high-quality German players (like Adolf Borsdorf) who became established in England during the later part of the 19th Century. It is an interesting comment attributed to Boult about orchestral standards. I wonder how much technical developments in the horn have contributed to today's relative abundance of fine players? As a flute player I would have loved to ask Boult his opinion of the use of vibrato by wind players by the 1970s compared to earlier generations. Finally, as another anecdote, I played with Denis Matthews on several occasions in the late 1970s and he was at that time still of the opinion that Dennis Brain was the finest horn player that he had ever heard, not withstanding the high profile players then on the London scene. What a pity that Dennis Brain did not record the Schumann Konzertstück!
two questions: 1) Does the first horn HAVE to be a descant? and 2) I've heard that plastic horns are pretty good. But I have a hard time conceiving the they're anywhere near as good as these magnificent instruments. What do you think? (PS When I played, my major instrument was viola.)
This piece was actually previewed as the one of the first pieces for the "chromatic horn" and they actually had to get two natural horns to play it on the preview because no one wanted to switch to the new, heavier chromatic horn (the horn we know and love today)
@@jardcarl sorry bud, that's a load of bull. The score clearly calls for 4 valve horns there are 2 natural horns in the orchrstra. There is also no documentary evidence to support your assertion. If by some chance you can quote the citation you are talking out of your hat.
@@dudeforcaster8630 I'm not sure you're right, unlikely as it sounds. I have also heard the rumor that in the first performance, the principal horn got cold feet and played on the natural horn he was used to, rather than this new-fangled instrument, that was still experimental and unreliable. I have played a great deal of natural horn and the first part would be conceivable on natural horn, though extremely uneven; he others definitely not. Schumann wrote for the valve-horn partly because he didn't really understand the natural horn and was made fun of in the press for writing a stopped note in the signal at the opening of the Spring Symphony.
A rarity, indeed. Sounds like "jäger" (hunters) musik, tempered with the unavoidable "romantic scenarios of closed forests", neighbouring the Rhône. Great surprise...
Schumann verwendet da Horn oft in der höchsten Lage, wo es am wenigsten nach Horn klingt. Warum? Er muss Hornisten gehabt haben die in der Clarinlage besonders gut waren und vemutlich mit besonderen Mundstücken spielten. Waldhornklang wie er in der romantischen Ära verstanden wurde ist das nicht. Eher ein Akaziestückl, wie man in Wien sagt.
Ich kann nur sagen: Eine unfassbare traumsichere , musikalisch und technisch einwandfreie Interpretation
dieses herrlichen Stückes ! Ich war selbst einmal Hornist ,und bin begeistert! Herzlichen Glückwunsch an
die großen "Vier" und das Orchester!! Ich wünsche Ihnen GOTTES Segen!
Wunderbar, sowohl das Orchester als auch natürlich die vier Solisten! Was da von den vier Hörnern, bes. vom 1. Horn verlangt wird, ist unheimlich. Sie haben es super gemeistert. Bravi!!!
One of the most exciting renditions I've heard!! Pity the hall wasn't filled to capacity.
50 years ago a performance of this piece was a rarity. It's a tribute to today's excellent schooling worldwide how many orchestras can field it with their own horn sections. And for sheer exuberance the music is unequaled-- Schumann (as Florestan) running into the room and exclaiming excitedly, "Hey, guys, look what you can do with these new valved horns!"
But the first horn in the World premiere played it on a natural horn!!! :O
I agree. The funny thing about the invention of valved horns was that the music world's initial reaction was something along the lines of "that's cheating! Valved horns make playing too easy! Natural horns are the true way to play!"
@@maikel371 Seriously?
@@cmw12 yes!
Fine playing. I love the special closeup shot of the two most insignificant notes in the trumpet repertoire at 3:06...
:DDD
This piece is especially a workout for the first horn, even if playing on a descant or a triple. Orchestral pieces for horn sections often dole out high challenging parts to different chair positions so one doesn't get so worn out. In the Schumann, the first horn simply has nowhere to hide and the high notes are piled on throughout. When Radek Baborak plays first horn on this piece he uses a regular double horn. And toward the end you can see he is really getting a workout.
Check out the recording with Dohr and Clevenger playing 1st and 2nd
What a majestic performance! Bravo, all!
Wow.. fantastic playing!!
I really love it when horns get to play a standout part in music, but throughout was amazing. Better than after beats any day, even though that is important too..
the passage at 7:20 is absolutely unreal. 7:25 there is a high E in the first horn part. I can't believe that he even hits it! my god
And at 16:56 and 19:32.
Reached A5 at 16'55 and 19'32.
A wonderful piece of music which I found by chance and am absolutely enthralled - glorious performance. What made it more appealing were the very illuminating comments by other listeners. This is why I prefer TH-cam over other music streaming services. I find the comments section always interesting , especially suggestions by other listeners of other interpretations of the same music.
Many thanks for this post
The four french horns have their smooth graceful melodic voice that shimmer and sparkle Schumann's overwhelmingly beautiful composition. A simply wonderful captivating musical treasure. Sublime & Heartfelt.
It was the similar sound of multiple horns playing at the beginni ng of Weber's Overature to Der Weber's Freischütz that pulled me into horn playing, Unfortunately I stopped after my freshman year at college in 1960. This was on a 78 rpm record of the insturments of the orchestra recorded in the 1940s.
I need to add the best sound for me is in the lower registers.
Also ich bin begeistert, prima Orchester und natürlich die klasse Hörner.
Een van de mooiste en beste uitvoeringen die ik ooit gehoord heb.
Paul speelde weer fantastisch zoals altijd eigenlijk, de hele groep trouwens .
groetjes Lenno
Best part: around 18:12 all 4 parts racing upward in harmony. Tingles every time.
Schumann is often considered as a wonderful writer for piano and as a rather bad orchestrator. But who before him has dared such a thing? He had an instrumental curiosity which he showed on too rare circumstancces, and this is the most spectacular. Let us watch and admire this gorgeous music. The soloists are wonderful, the orchestra conducted by Holliger is excellent.
Berlioz?
This is the best rendition I have heard. As a former horn player I'm absolutely amazed at the expression achieved over the whole length of the piece by first horn. Beautiful teamwork by all. MUSIC!! Bravo!
Absolutely
An amazingly gorgeous and inspiring piece of music. The horn is a difficult instrument to play.
Great playing orchestra and soloists.
A wonderfully inspired Schumann, in the same spirit as his Third Symphony. Excellent playing by both soloists and orchestra, very effectively conducted by former oboe player Holliger. Too bad that so many seats in the hall remained empty.
Holliger is not a "former oboe player". He is alive and well, and playing oboe.
WJohnM: 50 and maybe even 35 years ago Schumann's music was played by boring conductors who, somehow, believed that all 19th century music (and possibly mostly the Romantics) were supposed to be played as though they were made of straw. Thankfully -- as you point out ---someone realized that this music was lively, exuberant, bubbling, and above all, musically fantastic. This odd attitude applied to all the symphonies, overtures and other Schumann pieces.
solo Schumann poteva comporre una simile pazzia!
quattro corni messi alla frusta dal compositore cinico e perverso.
I love Schumann!!!!
My face would be so shot
Really moved my heart
Wonderful Schumann! Again, breathtaking originality. What else is like it? You know from the very start, with that arresting call on the 4 horns, something quite special is coming.
He just seemed to let creation flow without regard for established forms and conventions. For me, this natural outpouring of music is unsurpassed, even by mighty Mozart who amazes me but does not charm me as much.
As a former horn player I can tell you that this piece is hellishly difficult for the first horn . It's the musical equivalent of walking tightrope without a net over hungry lions and a pool full of sharks ! Schumann wrote it as a showpiece for the then relatively new valved horn and he went overboard with the insanely high first horn part .
I've always thought Schumann the most original composer, from the Davidsbundlertanze to the mighty double concerto, for me he is unsurpassed!
oops, I'm confusing him with Brahms who is also if possible, unsurpassed!
sounds soo great!bravo the frist horn and grande Ludwig!
My first recording of this work was with Georges Barboteu on first horn. I think it was on the Nonesuch label. That was heroic playing. These guys make it sound easy (it is not). Wonderful performance.
Mine too! An orchestra from Rheinland if I'm remembering correctly... The horns had such a bright sound, like French orchestras' horns. I always loved comparing how horn sections had different sounds from country to country, from orchestra to orchestra.
This wonderful performance is a paramount gift to Horn lovers
This splendor of words can not attach it
My emotion is immeasurable depths
FromTokyo
Which National person are tyou seeing this stellar video？
The WDR S.O. Koln used to be simply indicated as the Cologne Radio S.O. - it's the same thing. They have a strong tradition in playing Mahler, among other things. They're very good. I think it really helps that the timpanist doesn't overplay in this performance.
..¡ Que poder..!...de música...
Schumann..tiene tal inspiración..que en el minuto 15:16..te realza tu espiritu aletargado..
Gracias por compartir NALOGO..!!
..Potencia de los horns.....y te invitan a salir adelante, en la situación que estese. Gracias "nalogo" por compartir. Saludos desde Ecuador La Tierra mas cercana al Dios Sol.
Grabs you from the start. Thanks for posting it.
Потрясающе!
Very exciting from a man that knows a thing or three about wind/brass instrument playing...a Heinz Holliger sighting!
Молодцы!!!
Pls give credits to the 4 player and name them here, which i personally know them all. They did an amazing job.
You guys sound great!
Très beau !!👏👏
Bravo!!!
Bravo! Nicely done!
ホルンの音かっこいい！！
音の圧すごすぎ！！
What else can be said? Only - thank goodness it's available!
bravoooooooo !!!
Awesome.
GREAT !!!
Hut ab 🎩
Nalogo, a tracklist would be most welcome. Anyhow, thank you for uploading such a splendid rendition !
Bravo!👏👏👏👏
Imagine playing that high E on natural horn!
Why would you do that. It is composed to showcase the new valved horns.
12:31 look at that guy's hair (the violinist) hehe. Anyway, thank you for the video!
bravooooo
16:07 Joachim Pöltlさんの低音素敵…
本当にこの4人とこのオーケストラの組み合わせを日本でも見たい
それにしても、paul van zelmさん鬼の体力😂
3 silver 103s! :O
16:54 does the first horn go up to a high F here? That's crazyyyy
In fact it is a high E... Still crazy... 😃
Nice sound!
Smashing playing of a rarely heard pice. I remember reading years ago that such was the poor standard of professional horn playing in England that this piece was performed in the early 1900s in London ( by a section made up mostly of members of one family) and didn't receive a live performance in England again until 1971?
This probably came from Stephen Pettitt's biography of Dennis Brain (pub. Robert Hale, London. 1976) Pettitt wrote (p. 23) that that the Op. 86 Konzertstück was given its first performance in England by the horn section of Henry Wood's orchestra (the Queen's Hall Orchestra) at one of Wood's Promenade Concerts on 8th October 1909 and that the work "was not heard again in England until April 1971". Pettitt also says that the players in that 1909 performance were, in fact, Alfred Brain (Dennis' uncle), Fred Salkeld, Oskar Borsdorf (Adolf Borsdorf's eldest son) and G.W. Smith. [Alfred's brother, Aubrey (Dennis' father), was only 16 and not yet studying at the RCM. Their father, A.E. Brain Snr., was playing horn at Covent Garden at the time.]
@@nicolasfauvel5934 Many thanks Nicolas. That's a heck of a gap in performances even allowing for two World Wars in the intervening period. I believe that Boult was once asked his opinion of orchestral standards in the 1900s compared to the 1970s. He observed that standards were pretty much the same in all departments with one exception: the horns. So I suppose Boult corroborated what Pettit implied in his book.
@@phillipecook3227 Exactly! That was indeed Pettitt's implication. He did not make any detailed comparison with horn playing standards elsewhere, although noting the several high-quality German players (like Adolf Borsdorf) who became established in England during the later part of the 19th Century. It is an interesting comment attributed to Boult about orchestral standards. I wonder how much technical developments in the horn have contributed to today's relative abundance of fine players? As a flute player I would have loved to ask Boult his opinion of the use of vibrato by wind players by the 1970s compared to earlier generations. Finally, as another anecdote, I played with Denis Matthews on several occasions in the late 1970s and he was at that time still of the opinion that Dennis Brain was the finest horn player that he had ever heard, not withstanding the high profile players then on the London scene. What a pity that Dennis Brain did not record the Schumann Konzertstück!
@@nicolasfauvel5934 Indeed. Those whom the Gods love .... at least we do have a definitive recording of Britten's Serenade.
Who is the 1st horn player here? Unreal.
Paul van Zelm :-) with his horn-colleagues
where is YOUR recording of it?
Any opinions on his tempo at the end? It seemed too fast to me. I haven't heard it end at such a fast tempo.
That's how it's written. If the players can do it it's what Schumann had in mind.
Super
two questions: 1) Does the first horn HAVE to be a descant? and 2) I've heard that plastic horns are pretty good. But I have a hard time conceiving the they're anywhere near as good as these magnificent instruments. What do you think? (PS When I played, my major instrument was viola.)
I'm not a hornplayer myself, but I heard it doesn't have to be a descant, but it helps...plastic horns? No way!
first horn have descant
Wow
Liudwik bravoo
Bravi!
BRAVO
Does anyone know the make of horns being used?
1st hoorn Paxman Compensating Triple, the rest Alexander 103
I would love to see this played on natural horns! It must have taken some sharp agility, talent and teamwork!
Not possible. Schumann was the first composer to write regularly for the new valved horn. Like in his "Adagio and Allegro" for solo horn and piano.
Yes as Douglas Kirk remarks it would be impossible to play this work on the natural horn.
This piece was actually previewed as the one of the first pieces for the "chromatic horn" and they actually had to get two natural horns to play it on the preview because no one wanted to switch to the new, heavier chromatic horn (the horn we know and love today)
@@jardcarl sorry bud, that's a load of bull. The score clearly calls for 4 valve horns there are 2 natural horns in the orchrstra. There is also no documentary evidence to support your assertion. If by some chance you can quote the citation you are talking out of your hat.
@@dudeforcaster8630 I'm not sure you're right, unlikely as it sounds. I have also heard the rumor that in the first performance, the principal horn got cold feet and played on the natural horn he was used to, rather than this new-fangled instrument, that was still experimental and unreliable. I have played a great deal of natural horn and the first part would be conceivable on natural horn, though extremely uneven; he others definitely not. Schumann wrote for the valve-horn partly because he didn't really understand the natural horn and was made fun of in the press for writing a stopped note in the signal at the opening of the Spring Symphony.
After listening to this marvelous rendition of one of Schumann's all time greatest and unique creations...dare I say it...I feel so (French) horny!
THE SALT IN THIS PIECE IS THE PICCOLO. IT SHOULD BE DOUBLED. IT GIVES THE RIGHT ELEMENT OF HYSTERIA....FUROR TEUTONICUS.
I agree! Brilliant.
Geiler scheiß
I'm reading a biography of Robert Schumann right now that mentioned this work. I have never heard it before. It's amazing!!!
In this contex please also hear:
C.H. HÜBLER : CONCERTO FOR 4 HORNS AND ORCHESTRA
th-cam.com/video/dbYOYVvSPRo/w-d-xo.html
8:00
16:52
A rarity, indeed. Sounds like "jäger" (hunters) musik, tempered with the unavoidable "romantic scenarios of closed forests", neighbouring the Rhône. Great surprise...
Gustav is that you?
Schumann verwendet da Horn oft in der höchsten Lage, wo es am wenigsten nach Horn klingt. Warum? Er muss Hornisten gehabt haben die in der Clarinlage
besonders gut waren und vemutlich mit besonderen Mundstücken spielten. Waldhornklang wie er in der romantischen Ära verstanden wurde ist das nicht.
Eher ein Akaziestückl, wie man in Wien sagt.