Customer Reviews

Icon: Dennis Brain

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4 star:		(2)
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Like many young students of the horn, back in the 1970's, I was inspired by the music on the Seraphim LP "The Art of Dennis Brain." I particularly loved the performance of the Minuet and Trio from Dittersdorf's Partita in D, something I was no longer able to enjoy after my turntable [record player] died, late in the previous century, and the album was never re-released on CD.

Imagine my joy to find that the identical recording is listed among the twenty-five performances in this four-CD set, as are all the other tracks from that Seraphim LP.

Imagine my disappointment when I found that the track labeled

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf
Partita in D
Minuet & Trio
London Baroque Ensemble
Karl Haas

is NOT the identically-labeled music from the Seraphim LP. It is either from some other Dittersdorf Partita in D, or from something else entirely. [It is not one of the set of Dittersdorf Partitas [KM2101] published by Breitkopf & Härtel.] Somebody at EMI seems to have "dropped the ball" on this one. If anyone reading this review ever learns where the "original" can be heard, please leave that information here in a review of this album. Thanks!

December 31, 2008 elaboration:

This set is also available from other sellers under the name "Dennis Brain The Horn Player." Do not be confused by the differing titles -- they are the same item.

Another reviewer suggested going to the EMI site to see a full list of the tracks in this set. I found their list to be a mess, with duplications. I've tried to sort the entries in that list, into the order in which they appear according to the list in the booklet that accompanies the set.

I have indicated with asterisks and other symbols my educated guesses as to the other albums on which duplicates of the recordings appear.

DISC 1 ::

Mozart: Horn Concerto No.4 in E flat, K.495
[Hallé Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent, Lawrence Turner]

#####
Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat K417
[Philharmonia Orchestra, Walter Susskind]

R. Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major Op. 11
[Philharmonia, Alceo Galliera]

##### & ***
Beethoven: Horn Sonata in F, Op.17
[Denis Matthews]

Wagner: Siegfried's Horn Call

##### & ***
Schumann: Adagio & Allegro in A flat, Op.70
[Gerald Moore]

Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61 - No.7 Nocturne
[Paul Kletzki]

DISK 2 ::

**** (all four)
Mozart: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 1 in D Major, KV412
Mozart: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 2 in E flat major, KV417
Mozart: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 3 in E flat major, KV447
Mozart: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra No. 4 in E flat major, KV495
[Philharmonia, Herbert von Karajan]

***
Mozart: Quintet in E flat for Piano and Wind, K452
[Cecil Horsley, Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble]

DISC 3 ::
* (both)
R. Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major Op. 11
R. Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat major
[Philharmonia, Wolfgang Sawallisch]

*
Hindemith: Horn Concerto
[Philharmonia, Paul Hindemith]

L. Berkeley: Horn Trio Op. 44
[Manoug Parikian, Colin Horsley]

DISC 4 ::

Mozart: Ein musikalischer spass in F major K.522
[Philharmonia, Guido Cantelli]

**
Mozart: Divertimento No. 14 in B flat K270
[Dennis Brain Ensemble]

#####
Mozart: Divertimento No.16 in E flat, K.289, II.Minuet, III.Adagio
[Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble]

[was supposed to be but is not, from ####]
Dittersdorf: Partita in D - Minuet & Trio
[London Baroque Ensemble, Karl Haas]

#####
Haydn: Symphony No.31 in D 'Hornsignal' (first movement)
[Jack Westrup]

**
Ibert: Trois pièces brèves: Allegro - Andante - Assez lent - Allegro scherzando
[Dennis Brain Ensemble]

Jacob: Sextet for Wind
[Dennis Brain Ensemble]

##### & ***
Dukas: Villanelle
[1952, Gerald Moore]

!!!
L. Mozart: Concerto for hosepipe & strings - 3rd movement
[Hoffnung Music Festival, 1956]

=============
##### Seraphim 60040 [vinyl LP] "The Art of Dennis Brain"
**** EMI CDH 7610132 [Karajan]
*** TESTAMENT SBT 1091 [Karajan]
** BBC BBCL 4066-2
* EMI CDC-7 47834 2
!!! EMI CMS 7 63302 2, from Angel 3550 [vinyl LP]

Dennis Brain was the greatest horn player of the 20th century and this is the greatest collection of his recordings I've found yet. The famous 1953 recordings of the Mozart horn concertos conducted by Karajan are included. There are a plethora of other wonderful gems in this set.

The EMI website has the entire track list and notes posted online. Do yourself a favor and read those. They do a wonderful job of highlighting each recording. This is truly a unmatched collection of Brain's best recordings.
EDIT - http://www.emi-icons.com/pdfs/5099920601027_01.pdf

A truly classic recording spanning the career of the greatest horn player of the 20th century. The early recordings of the Mozart concerti, not previoulsy released are a real treat-such youthful bravura and reckless abandon in the playing and cadenzas. I would highly recommend this recording.

This set -- what I've heard of it -- is incredible. Unfortunately the third disc, with the Strauss two horn concertos, is blank. I've contacted importcds, from whom I bought it, and they will give me a refund if I return the set, but I am so thrilled with discs 1, 2 and 4 that I am loathe to give them up. In fact, the set is so wonderful that I just sent for a single CD with most of the contents of the faulty disc sent me; (importcds refuses to replace the faulty disc, even though the EMI site suggests that purchasers should use that route to handle such problems, and the seller then will return the faulty merchandise to them).

One of the fascinating things about the set is that contains an early recording of two of Mozart's horn concertos as well as two later recordings of the same works. The difference is significant, and brings into sharp relief Dennis Brain's genius. With the reservation that the set might not be such a bargain after all, I do recommend purchase: this is too good to miss.

Any recorded performance by Dennis Brain is a treasure, but the four disk set is somewhat deceptate in that there are a few repeat performances of the same pieces. Nonetheless, a bargain for anyone who loves the french horn.

The whole set of 4 CDs is a must for Horn and Dennis Brain fans.
But watch out! On CD 4 track 11 should be Dittersdorf Minuet & Trio.
The Trio with its "high staccato arpeggio for first horn and the legato bass line of the 2nd horn" (as described by Alan Civil on the LP disk 45 years ago) is missing!

At last, EMI Records made possible this long expected dream was true. To edit an album like this one, with all the musical treasures of the most talented and reminded genius of the horn ever born, the legendary Dennis Brain. 4 CD's integrate and resume this brief but glorious career before that absurd and fatidic car accident would deprive the world of his spelling tune.

An album worthy to collect, due we are talking about one of the peerless legends of the music. Gifted of an exceptional charisma, supreme honesty, steeled conviction and unique musicality who - although his brief stage in this world - has left a void impossible to fill. Brain is still reminded and admired by all of us who love the music as well as an unfinished legion of new listeners of the next generations to come.

In memoriam!!!