Concerto for Horn and Band
Lee Actor
About this work:
"Concerto for Horn and Band" is an arrangement for concert band of "Concerto for Horn and Orchestra", which was commissioned by the Silicon Valley Symphony, and was composed between January and March of 2007. The version for concert band was commissioned by the University of South Dakota. The original orchestral version was the First Prize Winner in the 2007 International Horn Society Composition Contest.
"Concerto for Horn and Band" is a work of compact dimensions, consisting of three movements totaling approximately 13½ minutes in duration. The size of the band accompanying the solo French horn are correspondingly modest; for example, it does not include a French horn section.
The first movement, marked Allegro moderato, is a simple A-B-A structure. It begins with a gentle rocking figure in the clarinets, followed quickly by the entrance of the solo horn. The dotted rhythms and melodic leaps the horn plays in this movement are somewhat reminiscent of classic hunting horn calls. The slower, lyrical middle section of the movement starts quietly, and little by little builds a harmonic sequence to a dramatic climax, followed by a brief cadenza for the solo horn. This ushers in a return to the opening material, which is subtly modified from its first appearance. A brief coda brings the movement to a quiet end.
Much of the second movement, Adagio, is a quiet conversation between the solo horn and sustained harmonies in the upper winds, punctuated by a staccato moving bass line in the lower winds. The intensity builds slowly to a declamatory passage for the solo horn and full band, minus timpani. The climax falls off quickly, quiet echoes of the declamatory passage leading back to the opening statement of the movement for winds alone. The solo horn makes one final comment and the movement ends quietly.
The third and final movement, Allegro vivo, is a modified rondo, roughly of the form A-B-A-C-A. The primary initial motif is closely related to the opening of the first movement, both harmonically and rhythmically, but with a much more lively and extroverted character. The solo horn plays a lyrical counterpoint to the more rhythmically active material in the band. This leads to the first contrasting section (“B”), in which the orchestra plays a rhythmic figure similar to the opening of the movement, but at half the speed. This section has a more thoughtful and pensive character, and soon transitions back to the opening material, but now played softly and with the roles of the wind sections exchanged. The second contrasting section (“C”) uses an impelling dotted rhythmic figure to create a long build-up to the climax of the movement, during which the solo horn recalls its hunting horn motif from the first movement. When the “A” section returns for the final time, most of the band now plays the dotted rhythm from the previous passage, while the clarinets play a whirlwind of continuous 16th notes. The solo horn detours briefly for a moment of reflection, then the music rushes headlong to a rousing conclusion.
Year composed: 2009
Duration: 00:13:30
Ensemble type: Band:Wind Ensemble or Band with Soloist(s)
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 Eb Clarinet, 3 Clarinet, 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 2 Alto Saxophone, 1 Tenor Saxophone, 1 Baritone Saxophone, ,1 Horn in F soloist(s), 2 Trumpet, 3 Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 1 Double bass