This work explores the technology of the horn. Since it is a mature acoustic instrument, we tend to overlook the artificial structures it imposes on the way we think about making music with it. Also, musical conventions lead horn players to struggle against the natural tendencies of the instrument, e.g., to force notes to be what we consider to be “in tune.” In its earlier forms, the horn had no valves to allow the performer to change pitch. Instead, the performer would have to shape his or her air stream to coax different modes of vibration to sound. This would yield one harmonic series in one key. Changing keys meant removing one section of pipe (called a crook ) and replacing it with a section of different length. This etude embraces the natural harmonic series of the horn and treats the valves as quick crook changes.
In this way, changing fingerings is associated with changes in harmony instead of melody. The melodies derived from the natural harmonic series sound both out of tune and more pure because the performer is embracing its natural resonance instead of wrestling it into conformity.
International Horn Society conference (5/16/2012, University of North Texas, Denton)—Etude No. 3 for horn performed by Heather Suchodolski in a concert of new music for horn. This etude intensively uses extended techniques peculiar to the instrument. The concert was in Voertmann Hall, the largest concert hall in the UNT College of Music buildings.
Discussed in Allan Mathieu Perkins’s blog
Included in Ricardo Matosinhos dissertation (Universidade Católica Portuguesa)
Included in http://www.hornetudes.com/