If heaven had a horn solo...

From "September" from Richard Strauss's "Four Last Songs"
Soprano: Diana Damrau
Horn: Eric Terwilliger
Conductor: Mariss Jansons
Orchestra: Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

[fmphotooffice]

The french horn is the mighty invisible ghost in orchestration, proven when it plays solo. Fantastic.

[sammyal-doory]

The story goes, that Strauss, as a baby, would smile when he heard the horn, and cry when he heard the violin.

[hornplayerchris]

Richard Strauss' father was one of the great horn players of his era and the love of that horn sound has always shined through in his writing.

[verdiguy]

Eric Terwilliger is fantastic in this but then again, he always was. While it's sad that he has retired, his work as a teacher will hopefully see a new generation of wonderful musicians develop under his guidance.

[mJbb]

The second movement, this movement, is easy to make a beautiful sound and Eric does this wonderfully. But for a 1st horn, the Four Last Songs is all about getting through the 3rd mvmt - that is the hardest 7 minutes I have ever and will ever endure as a horn player. Stunningly beautiful, daunting, harrowing and technically so taxxing, the accuracy, the intonation while holding a long high note .... the heart beats a little quicker let me be honest!

[alexanderkuhn]

This is not just a wonderful piece of music. It is, I believe, at the same time as the foreboding of the approaching end, the composer's loving farewell to the memory of his father, the horn player, and thus perhaps to music itself, which he had learned to love through his father.

[conductus]

Of all the great Strauss Horn solos (not to mention a couple of great Concertos), this has to be my favorite.

[davecrupel]

The finest brass instrument to ever grace the ear drums of humanity. ❤

[HighKingTurgon]

I love the horn, obviously, but Diana is heaven's choirmaster

[gsaturn]

Whenever I hear this beautiful Strauss music, I must remember the beloved Jessye Norman's performance of his immortal lieder.

[laurentco]

The four last songs are absolutely gorgeous. There aren’t too many things that come close imo.

[voraciousreader]

The horn solo is beautiful, but Diana Damrau’s singing is exquisite! Such amazing breath control, and _pianissimo, _ too! She’s extraordinary!

[tim]

I had to stop playing French horn twenty-two years ago, but still remember everything I learned in those thirty years... I have sometimes wondered what Mozart's thoughts might be if he could have heard (and seen) the opening passage of Strauss's second horn concerto, how the fully chromatic instrument takes a phrase which is made up of natural harmonics flowing through different keys.

[rikilethbridge]

I want to thank you, Will, for showing me this beautiful piece. It has quickly become one of my favorite classical pieces ever.

[RustamMuradovMusician]

RIP, maestro!
I will miss your Berlioz Symphony performed in 🙏and many many of greatest Performances...

[TimothyReeves]

Heaven has a bunch of horn solos, of which this is one. Beautiful.

[zap]

Funny, I always felt that this is one of the most beautiful moments in classical music. And now I see that others think the same way...

[marvolofarhel]

I was having a good time looking up and listening to fun trumpet solos, and in general just enjoying some brass music. Randomly I decided to look up a fun horn solo.

I played horn through middle and high school. I’m about to finish freshman year of college, and I swear the pure wave of emotion and nostalgia from the tone of this horn has single handedly made me want to try and pick horn back up.

[DanielYapHZ]

“Heaven had a horn solo” straight away thought of 4 last songs 🌅💕😩 beautiful!

[cheesemongerinF]

Nothing inthe classical repertoire can compare with Strauss’s horn solos for closing scenes: Alpinesymphony, Heldenleben💥💥