The French Horn is one of those truly strange and unruly creatures. It’s not really French, nor is it really a horn, even though it is made out of brass or other metal. Its usual place is with the woodwinds, and that’s okay, because it blends well with them. The major problem is, it’s so darned difficult to play! Although popular, originally, in the natural state, it is, even with the addition of valves, still a contrary beast. Bravo to James Sommerville who gave a marvelous demonstration of how to tame the thing during the Friday evening concert presented by Jeannette Sorrell and her Apollo’s Fire Orchestra. The program consisted of three parts Mozart to one part Salieri, a good mix. Antonio Salieri, who was about six when Mozart was born, and outlived the younger man by some thirty-five years, is generally conceded to be a somewhat ordinary personage rather than the evil-doer of Amadeus. Ms. Sorrell selected and arranged a handful of the twenty-six Orchestral Variations on La folia di Spagna which date from 1815. They are variously jaunty, tuneful, lugubrious, genteel or spirited or a combination of these effects. In one of them, two violinists played from off-stage, providing a surround-sound effect.

It is astonishing to realize, as Mr. Sommerville stated during his pre-concert talk, that after the piano and violin, Mozart wrote more concertos for horn than any other instrument. Obviously then, in addition to knowing someone capable of performing the completed works (Ignatz Leutgeb) Mozart also enjoyed the instrument and trusted that his audiences would, as well. In addtion to the four completed works (Number two, K. 417) was also on this program, there are assorted fragments in existence, from which pianist Robert Levin produced a two-movement work, K. 412. These fragments were written for the elderly Leutgeb, and are not as difficult in nature, regardless of whether they are played on the natural or valved instrument.

K. 417 on the other hand is an instrumental show-piece that requires a player of considerable skills, as amply demonstrated by Mr. Sommerville. His trills were simply amazing, in view of the lack of valves. Chromatic notes are produced by changing the position of one’s hand in the bell of the horn, and at first, this change in timbre is a bit disconcerting, but after a very few moments seems perfectly normal and customary. There was one brief moment of disagreement between soloist and orchestra in the second movement Andante, but overall, it was a splendid performance. Perhaps these forces might consider recording all of Mozart’s works for horn and orchestra.

After intermission, it was Mozart’s final symphony, Jupiter, K. 551. Normally heard in performance with modern instruments (and more of them) when played by Apollo’s Fire, it is both familiar and unfamiliar music. On this reduced scale, it was much more of a personal statement.
from Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjuzt ArtsWriter@adelphia.net

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