"Music for 9" for solo horn and 8 horns (2007) by Theodore Antoniou

"Music for 9" for solo horn and 8 horns (2007)
by Theodore Antoniou (Greece)

Eric Hewitt, conductor

Eric Ruske, solo horn

The Boston University Horn Studio:
Laura Carter
Daniel Doyle
Janie Berg
Samantha Benson
Keyondra Price
Jon Anderson
Jeremy Moon
Young Kim

Performed live at Boston University's Tsai Performance Center
685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston

on April 28, 2010

During the ALEA III concert: "Saxes and Horns"

The following note is provided by the composer:
“Eric Ruske is a great soloist, a wonderful person and a special colleague. I feel very happy, to write once again, another piece for him. The "Concerto for Horn and Orchestra" (2002) and the "Lament for John" (2003), were the pieces I wrote for him before the present one. In addition to the solo part, "Music for 9" intends to celebrate Eric as a teacher. He is a generous and highly inspired teacher for his students.

The piece, as almost all works of mine, is highly virtuoso and explores several contemporary instrumental techniques. A fast and energetic introduction and a short dialogue of the soloist with the ensemble leads to an ethnic-like meditative passage. One by one the horns, as a canon, play the same material. A dance-like rhythmic section follows, adding percussive sounds produced by players hitting the mouthpiece with their palm and the floor with their foot. A similar to the first ethnic-like section follows, reaching a homophonic climax. After some dialogues between the soloist and the ensemble, the piece ends with similar to the opening varied material.”

This is a live archival recording.