Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Martin Owen Plays Strauss, Schumann & Weber (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Martin Owen Plays Strauss, Schumann & Weber (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:05:32 minutes | 1,14 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Chandos

Regarded as one of Europe’s leading horn players, Martin Owen appears as a soloist and chamber musician around the world. Currently principal horn at the BBC Symphony Orchestra, he has previously served as principal horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and as solo horn of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Weber’s Concertino was written for the old, valveless ‘natural horn’; its limited range of notes (tied to the harmonic series) was extended mechanically with additional tubing (‘crooks’) and, more artfully, by virtuoso players bending notes, and varied hand stopping. The technical demands of the Concertino are testament to the extraordinary facility of the hornists of the period. The first Horn Concerto by Richard Strauss, written at the age of nineteen, whilst a student, is widely considered his first uncontested masterpiece. Although the influence of Brahms and Schumann are evident, his own compositional voice is unmistakable. Strauss would continue to write significant parts for horn in all of his orchestral scores (possibly an influence of his father, who was a virtuoso hornist), but the second Concerto was not composed until 1942 – some sixty years later. The style is much more neo-classical, even ‘Mozartian’. Schumann’s riotous Concertstück for four horns opens the programme, and features three more outstanding soloists: Christopher Parkes (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia of London), Alec Frank-Gemmill (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra), and Sarah Willis (Berliner Philharmoniker).

This release, which made classical best-seller lists in the summer of 2023, is said to be the first in a series by hornist Martin Owen covering the appearances of the French horn during various musical periods. This volume offers works from the 19th and 20th centuries, and it is curious how unfamiliar much of the music is. Richard Strauss’ two horn concertos, written 60 years apart but both Classical in spirit, are performed often enough, but Carl Maria von Weber’s Concertino for horn and orchestra and especially Robert Schumann’s Concertstück for four horns and orchestra, Op. 86, will be discoveries for many listeners. The Schumann, an unusually sunny, ebullient work, is a delight; if the presence of four horns obscures Owen’s virtuosity a bit, well, 1) choosing players who can keep up with one is a talent in itself, and 2) there is recompense in the Weber Concertino, written for the difficult natural horn and dispatched cleanly here. The BBC Philharmonic under John Wilson provides suitably understated accompaniment. The entire program makes one eager to hear future releases in Owen’s series. – James Manheim

Tracklist:
1. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Schumann: Concertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra, Op. 86: I. Lebhaft (07:11)
2. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Schumann: Concertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra, Op. 86: II. Romanze (04:39)
3. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Schumann: Concertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra, Op. 86: III. Sehr lebhaft (05:38)
4. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Weber: Concertino for Horn and Orchestra, Op. 45, J. 188: I. Adagio – Andante (01:53)
5. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Weber: Concertino for Horn and Orchestra, Op. 45, J. 188: II. Andante con moto (03:42)
6. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Weber: Concertino for Horn and Orchestra, Op. 45, J. 188: III. Recitativo (02:49)
7. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Weber: Concertino for Horn and Orchestra, Op. 45, J. 188: IV. Polacca (05:03)
8. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Strauss: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 1, Op. 11, TrV 117: I. Allegro (05:17)
9. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Strauss: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 1, Op. 11, TrV 117: II. Andante (05:14)
10. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Strauss: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 1, Op. 11, TrV 117: III. Allegro – Rondo (04:58)
11. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Strauss: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 2, TrV 283: I. Allegro (08:43)
12. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Strauss: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 2, TrV 283: II. Andante con moto (05:22)
13. Martin Owen, BBC Philharmonic & John Wilson – Strauss: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 2, TrV 283: III. Rondo (04:58)

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