Horn Universe – Works for Horn, Tenor and Orchestra Hervé Joulain, Karlis Rerihs, Kaelig Boché, Kaspars Adamsons, Sinfonietta Riga Chamber Orchestra

• Georg Philipp Telemann (1681 - 1767): Suite in F Major, TWV 44:7/55:F4:
• 1 Telemann: Suite in F Major, TWV 44:7/55:F4: I. Ouverture 06:14
• 2 Telemann: Suite in F Major, TWV 44:7/55:F4: II. Rondeau 02:40
• 3 Telemann: Suite in F Major, TWV 44:7/55:F4: III. Sarabande 02:12
• 4 Telemann: Suite in F Major, TWV 44:7/55:F4: IV. Menuet 01:02
• 5 Telemann: Suite in F Major, TWV 44:7/55:F4: V. Bourée 00:57
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791): Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in D Major, KV412:
• 6 Mozart: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in D Major, KV412: I. Allegro 04:42
• 7 : Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in D Major, KV412: II. Andante 03:37
• 8 Mozart: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in D Major, KV412: III. Allegro 04:04
• Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976): Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings:
• 9 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: I. Prologue 01:35
• 10 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: II. Pastoral 03:00
• 11 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: III. Nocturne 04:01
• 12 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: IV. Elegy 04:03
• 13 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: V. Dirge 03:05
• 14 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: VI. Hymn 02:05
• 15 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: VII. Sonnet 03:37
• 16 Britten: Serenade Op.31 for Tenor, Horn and Strings: VIII. Epilogue 01:40
• Valery Kikta (b. 1941): Concerto for Horn and Strings:
• 17 Kikta: Concerto for Horn and Strings 16:53
• Total Runtime 01:05:27

Info for Horn Universe – Works for Horn, Tenor and Orchestra

Although nameless, the Suite in F Major TWV 44:7/55:F4 by Telemann is extremely pictorial: In the early 18th century, the horn is still somewhat new as an ensemble music instrument, and it serves to evoke the rural. This piece takes us outdoors. Like any French-style suite, it begins with a slow and majestic Overture, almost celestial [...]

This recording allows us to discover a new completion of Mozart’s Concerto in D, with a reworked second movement (Andante) by horn player Marco Elia Righi in 2020. Not only did he bring the Rondo with Mozart's original melodies back to life, he also added a second movement, Andante: Written in consideration of the natural horn’s technique, this new movement is quite reminiscent of the style of the slow movements of the other concertos, while perfectly fitting into the continuity of the Allegro. Marco shows real Mozartian taste, and brings a little freshness into this familiar music. What a pleasure to rediscover Mozart!

The Serenade by Britten begins and ends with calls, not of a bugle as evoked in the Nocturne, but of a horn. In this period of conflict when many deaths were to be deplored, one cannot ignore the thought of a death knell, recalled by the two horn solos which frame the Serenade. These calls, played without the valves, let the tone of F and its natural harmonics sound the way the bugle without valves can produce them. On the other hand, not only does Britten’s choice highlight the beauty of the horn and the talent of its interpreter, but these sounds add a plaintive and painful idea that announces everything that the tenor declares. [...]

As a great admirer of all the works in this album, hornist Hervé Joulain cannot hide his excitement at presenting the Concerto for Horn and Strings by Valery Kikta. The composer is of Ukrainian origin but has been living and teaching in Moscow for decades. It was pure chance that led Joulain to discover the recording by Valery Zhavoronkov, while looking for educational information for the completion of his horn book. He immediately fell in love with the piece, Kikta having mastered the art of playing with half a dozen major thematic elements, which he reuses very happily, not to say brilliantly. These elements are sometimes declamatory, sometimes rhythmic, sometimes melodic, sometimes obstinate, offering the instrument a palette of unexpected colors to play with. [...] [extract of the booklet]

Hervé Joulain, horn
Kārlis Rērihs, horn (Telemann)
Kaëlig Boché, tenor (Britten)
Sinfonietta Rīga Chamber Orchestra
Kaspars Adamsons, conductor

Hervé Joulain
has appeared as soloist with 120 orchestras, performing Telemann, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Weber, Saint-Saëns, Strauss, and Britten, in France, Canada, the United States, Russia, Romania, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Georgia, Germany, Ukraine, and Spain ...

As a chamber musician he has played with Paul Tortelier, Vadim Repin, Gidon Kremer, Natacha Gutmann, Pinchas Zukerman, Yuri Bashmet, Mstislav Rostropovich, Pierre Amoyal, Michel Dalberto, Alisa Weilerstein, Renaud Capuçon and many others, in Europe, Canada, the United States, and Israel.

He was named principal horn of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France (Marek Janowski) at the age of 20, and then with the National Orchestra of France (Charles Dutoit, Kurt Masur, Daniele Gatti, Emmanuel Krivine). He has also performed with the orchestras of New York, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Milan, Cologne, Brussels, Oslo, Stockholm, Munich, Boston, Seoul, also with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Seiji Ozawa, Riccardo Muti, Bernard Haitink, Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, Myung Whun Chung, Gustavo Dudamel, Daniel Harding, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Neeme Järvi.

Joulain has given masterclasses in many French cities, as well as in 22 countries like Portugal, the Czech Republic, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, Spain, England, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Holland, Korea, Germany and Japan.

Booklet for Horn Universe – Works for Horn, Tenor and Orchestra