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New publications by John Ericson

Playing High Horn: A Handbook for High Register Playing, Descant Horns, and Triple Horns

A great resource for advanced and advancing hornists, with an emphasis on the effective use of descant and triple horns. Includes exercises for range development, notes on equipment and fingerings, complete parts for the Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 and B Minor Mass of Bach, Concertos by Telemann and Förster, the Symphony No. 31 and Divertimento a tre of Haydn, the Symphony No. 40 of Mozart, the Schumann Concertstück, excerpts from other works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Dvorak, Ravel, and Shostakovich, and much more. 116 pages. Our bestselling publication! "All things high horn" from an experienced high horn player. HNE001, $30.

Introducing the Horn: Essentials for New Hornists and Their Teachers

Covers in one volume the range of performance-related topics that are the most essential in giving a new hornist a good start. While primarily directed toward current and future instrumental music educators (the materials originally were compiled for use in methods classes for music education students), this publication is also a great resource book for beginners and for those converting to the horn. 22 pages. Start new players effectively; build stronger and larger horn sections. HNE002, $15.

Playing the Wagner Tuba: A Handbook for Hornists

A complete, practical guide to the literature and performance techniques of the Wagner tuba. An ideal resource for the advanced student or young professional who needs to get up to speed quickly to perform Wagner tuba in a symphonic setting. Includes information on instruments and fingerings, complete parts (original notation and transposed) for Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 and excerpts from Götterdämmerung and Eine Alpensymphonie, and much more. 62 pages. The only publication of its kind! HNE003, $25.

A Mello Catechism: A Guide to the World of Mellophones and Marching Horns

The Mellophone is widely used today in marching bands and drum corps, but it is an instrument with few published resources. A highly practical tome on all things mellophone, A Mello Catechism is directed primarily toward music educators and horn teachers with limited mellophone experience. This unique publication includes information in a question and answer format on mellophone history, mouthpiece choices, tone quality, intonation, coping with marching, and much more. 30 pages.  “A must have for horn instructors and enthusiasts”–The Middle Horn Leader. HNE004, $15.

Also available for purchase through Horn Notes Edition

The Brass Gym: A Comprehensive Daily Routine for Brass Players
by Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan. Edited for horn by John Ericson. 

The Brass Gym includes a 108 page book and a 78 minute play-along CD featuring the two authors performing on tuba. Originally developed for tuba/euphonium, this volume is edited for horn and is a great, comprehensive playing workout for moderatly advanced students and above. (For breathing see the Breathing Gym products, below). The Brass Gym may be used by individuals or by small groups of like and mixed brass instruments. Take your playing to the next level! Focus on Music, $39.95.

NEW Breathing Gym Daily Workouts: Practical Applications for Musical Improvement
by Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan.

Following on the success of the original Breathing Gym (below) tuba virtuosi Sam and Patrick created their second DVD, Breathing Gym Daily Workouts. This collection is organized as a series of sequences of Breathing Gym exercises specifically designed to address topics including Warming Up, Tone, Phrasing, Articulations, Dynamics, and Advanced Training. It may be used very effectively by individuals, small groups, and full ensembles of wind players. This is exactly like going to a series of master classes with Sam and Pat on breathing! A great value! Focus on Music, $35.00.

The Breathing Gym: Exercises to Improve Breath Control and Airflow
by Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan.

The Breathing Gym book and DVD set includes a 32 page book and a 50 minute DVD. The authors are tuba virtuosi who developed these popular materials to teach their students to reach their highest performance level. Widely used and aimed at players of all levels who wish to improve their breathing, this very practical publication includes twenty-nine different exercises and fifteen breathing routines. This DVD should be used with the book! Be sure to refer to the chart at the end to see how to use the materials effectively. The best materials on breathing available today! Focus on Music, $59.95.

Many of the greatest works for the horn feature the instrument in a characteristically lyrical role. This collection, Canto, celebrates the singing tone of the horn through representative works for horn and piano from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The works recorded on this CD are:

Trygve Madsen: Sonata for Horn and Piano, Op. 24
Robert Schumann: Adagio und Allegro in A-flat Major, Op. 70 
Reinhold Gliere: Nocturne, Op. 35, No. 10
Carl Nielsen, Canto Serioso 
H. K. Schmid: Im tiefsten Walde, Op. 34, No. 4
Arnold Cooke: Rondo in B-flat Major
Franz Danzi: Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 28

For a short audio clip from this CD visit the Canto page in Horn Articles Online. “Terrific collaboration between horn and piano”-The Horn Call. Summit Records, $16.95.

Franz Strauss (1822-1905), besides being the father of the composer Richard Strauss, was one of the leading horn virtuosi of the nineteenth century and a composer of importance for the horn. He performed principal horn in the Bavarian Court Orchestra and was professor at the Academy of Music in Munich for many years. This collection features all five of the solo works for horn and piano composed by Franz Strauss which were published during his lifetime. The works recorded on this CD are:

Franz Strauss: Fantasie über den Sehnsuchtswaltzer von Schubert, Op. 2
Franz Strauss: Les Adieux 
Robert Schumann: Phantasiestüke, Op. 73
Franz Strauss: Nocturno, Op. 7  
Franz Strauss: Empfindungen am Meere, Op. 12
Franz Strauss: Thema und Variationen, Op. 13
Richard Strauss: Andante, Op. post.

For short audio clips from this CD visit the Les Adieux page in Horn Articles Online. "Fantastic playing .... The level of musicality, nuance and artistry is not to be missed"-The Horn Call. Summit Records. $16.95.

John Ericson

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NEWS:

A Mello Catechism has been reviewed online in The Middle Horn Leader. "A must have for horn instructors and enthusiasts."

Several new publications are in development and will be released in 2009-10. These include materials for technique development and a natural horn book. For information on upcoming publications as they are about to be released please visit the Horn Notes Blog