Русская Роговая Капелла - Русская Роговая Капелла и Солисты flac mp3 download

Russian horn music history In Russia, hunting horns were initially used in hound hunting, but gradually they came to be used as musical instruments. In 1751, by the order of Hofmarschall Naryshkin, Chapel-master Jan Mares tuned up conventional hunting horns at semitones and created a harmonized horn music orchestra. A major peculiarity of the horn orchestra was that each instrument could sound just a single note Russian Empress Elisabeth was so greatly impressed by the horn music that she im¬mediately ordered a horn orchestra to be set up at her court. Horn music quickly gained popularity. Along with the beauty of sounding and the general extraordinary power, horn orchestras possessed another important quality – grandiosity. The character of the horn orchestras determined their place in the musical life. Horn music accompanied all stately events and was one of the most extraordinary embellishments of the court life. The development of wind instruments and the changes in, and the simplification of, the public taste (when musical entertainment was largely transferred to theaters and concert halls) seemed to result in a complete decline of horn music. After 100 years of existence the horn music seemed to be lost irrevocably. In 1882, a horn orchestra was created again by an initiative of Prince A. P. Oldenburgsky at the Court Music Choir. This horn orchestra played at the coronation in 1882 of Alexander III and Maria Fyodorovna and the coronation in 1896 of Nicolas II and Alexandra Fyodorovna. During the reign of Alexander III and, later, Nicolas II the horn orchestra hardly ever played for a broad public audience. Only occasionally the horn orchestra played in the parks of Peterhof and Oranienbaum. Then the horn orchestra activity declined again. Horn orchestras went into oblivion. Music historians and researchers began to consider horn music irrevocably lost. Russian horn music revival Numerous attempts to revive Russian horn music in the 20th century were not successful. With the secrets of this extraordinary art missing, it seemed we could never hear horn mu¬sic sounds again. In 2001, the creative research by musician Sergey Peschansky led him to the decision to revive the horn music in Russia. In February 2002 the Russian Horn Cappella played its first public concert which proved that a horn orchestra could still fascinate its audience as before. The simplicity of the instruments and a special technique of extracting sounds create a unique tone quality, unknown in the world's conventional music practice. The idea of reviving the Russian horn music has been supported by the administration of the Gertsen University, and horn music can be heard again in the very heart of St. Petersburg, on the premises of the former palace of Count K. G. Razumosky (where one of St. Petersburg’s best horn orchestras used to exist). The performances of The Russian Horn Cappella are part of the university's cultural program. At present the Russian Horn Cappella includes 20 musicians. Its collection of horns is steadily growing. It currently consists of 85 instruments, ranging in length from 10 to 250 cm. Whereas each player in the horn orchestras of the 18th -19th centuries played only one horn, the musicians of the Russian Horn Cappella have to play 2-5 horns, each. The repertoire of the Russian Horn Cappella includes fanfare, traditional, classical and church music. The Russian Horn Cappella is joined in its concerts by a string ensemble, a choir and soloists. Since 2002 the Russian Horn Cappella has made more than 700 performances, playing not only in Russia, but also in Greece, Spain. France, Estonia, Germany, Poland. The success of these performances and numerous enthusiastic praises by the audience make it possible to consider successful the attempt to revive this unique type of Russian music. Participants: Vadim Bibergan (composer) Irina Andryakova (soprano) Hermann Baumann (French horn) Gertsen University International Choir (conducted by U Gen Ir) Severnaya Zvezda (Northern Star) string ensemble (director N. M. Fominicheva)