Details page

Title
Horn quartet no.1
Original Title
Composer
Plog, Anthony
Year
2009
Editor
Arranger
Year Arranged
Original Instrumentation
Publisher
Jomar Press
Year Published
2009
Catalogue Number
Sheet Music Format
A4, Score (25) & parts (4x7=28)
Horns
4
Additional Equipment
Others
Other Instruments
Duration
14
Structure / Movements
4 movements: I Lento II Allegro molto - Slow and deliberately - Tempo I III Slowly and with freedom IV Allegro vivo
Clefs
Treble, bass
Meters
4/4, 2/4, 8/8, 6/8, 3/4, 5/8
Key signatures
None
Range
Horn 1: eb - ab2 Horn 2: c# - a2 Horn 3: c - a2 Horn 4: G - a2
Creator's Comments
The Quartet No. 1 for horns is a multi movement work which explores the various textures and colors that the horn is capable of producing. There are sections, such as the beginning, which are atmospheric and almost dream-like, while other sections are aggressive or even playful. Even though the piece is written with a standard type of voicing, meaning that the first part has a higher tessitura than the fourth, all parts are important and all parts are soloistic. My many thanks to Tom Bacon for initiating this project and Gail Williams for arranging the premier. The composition of Anthony Plog's Horn Quartet No. 1 was commissioned by a consortium of horn players who know and love his music. They are: Thomas Bacon, Consortium Organizer William Barnewitz, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Bill Bernatis, University of Nevada, Las Vegas William Caballero, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Douglas and Ellen Campbell, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance Carnegie Mellon School of Music, In memory of Dennis Abelson Richard Chenoweth and the University of Dayton Horn Studio Christian Codreanu, Tennessee State University J. Greg Davis, Opera in the Heights, Houston, Texas Kelly Drifmeyer, Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam David Elliott, University of Kentucky Angela Bagnetto Finley, Baton Rouge Symphony Lin Foulk, Western Michigan University Randy C. Gardner, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Charles Gavin, Stephen F. Austin State University Martin Hacklemen, National Symphony Orchestra Bruce Heim, University of Louisville Bruce Henniss, The Ohio State University Nancy Joy, New Mexico State University William Klingelhoffer, San Francisco Opera/Ballet Orchestras W. Peter Kurau, Eastman School of Music Eldon Matlick, University of Oklahoma Susan McCullough, University of Denver, Lamont School of Music Nathan Mitchell, Arizona Opera Orchestra Michael Morrow, Texas A&M University-Commerce Seth Orgel, Louisiana State University Verle Ormsby, Universty of Wisonsin-Eau Claire Deborah Rathke, Houston, Texas Catherine Roche-Wallace, University of Louisiana, Lafayette Julia Schleif, Interlochen, Michigan Barnhard David Scully, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Brent Shires, University of Central Arkansas Alexander Shuhan, Ithaca College Timothy Thompson, University of Arkansas Gail Williams, Northwestern University QUADRE - The Voice of Four Horns members: Amy Jo Rhine, Nathan Pawelek, Lydia Van Dreel, Daniel Wood
Performance Notes
This is a very recent (end of 2009) quartet, commissioned by a consortium of players, and premiered in Lutkin Hall at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, on November 18, 2009 (Gail Williams, William Caballero, Thomas Bacon, and William Barnewitz). As the composer notes, it contains four equal parts (and the same can be seen from the range indication above). There is a lot of chromaticism in the work, both melodically and harmonically, and the full range of dynamics. Also, about every note in the range at some point has one, or both of the accidentals in front of it, so there is little to be found in the line of traditional harmony. This work's strength lies in the virtuosity the players display, and its relentless energy, with moving parts and runs in every voice. With four advanced players and resulting interlocking parts, this is a technically challenging, but equally impressive work.
Credits
Access to review score: Nancy Joy (NMSU)
Sound
Score