CD REVIEW – MARTIN OWEN
STRAUSS et al : HORN CONCERTOS, etc.
BBC Philharmonic / Wilson
CHANDOS CHAN 20168 [65:32]

Regular readers will know of my predilection for the French horn and will appreciate this release is seventh heaven territory for me. Although it is not light it is not too heavy and I hope will appeal to anyone who recognises good music that is essentially melodic.

Martin Owen (b 1973) is regarded as one of Europe's leading horn players, appearing as soloist and chamber musician all round the world. He currently holds the position of principal horn at the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and Haffner Wind Ensemble.

The oldest work here is Concertino in E minor by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826), composed in his early twenties for the old valveless 'natural' horn. It is regarded as very challenging for the soloist, even on the modern valve horn.

Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was a master of writing for the instrument, probably influenced by his father, Franz, a notable horn player. Also written "in the happy days of my youth", his Horn Concerto No.1 is described, in broadcaster and writer Stephen Johnson's wide-ranging booklet notes, as "full of youthful vigour, the flow of good tunes is unstoppable".

The Horn Concerto No.2 was not written for another 59 years and was popularised by the great Dennis Brain. It has been pronounced as "Mozartian" and, in view of what was happening around Strauss in early 1940s Nazi Germany and Austria, surprisingly light and carefree with a fun-filled final movement at the album's end. All Owen's solo performances are ones to savour.

The opening work, Concertstück in F major by Robert Schumann (1810-1856) – the third German composer – features a trio of outstanding hornists with Owen. Christopher Parkes is currently solo horn of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and also principal horn of the John Wilson Orchestra and Sinfonia of London, Alec Frank-Gemmill has been principal horn of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and Sarah Willis of the Berlin Philharmonic, familiar from reviews on this website of her two magnificent 'Mozart y Mambo' albums (a new one due this September). Only the very best players can carry this work off successfully and this quartet do just that.

Superior accompaniment is provided by John Wilson and the BBC Philharmonic, who recently had our kind of music 'Eric Coates Orchestral Works Vol 3' album at the top of the official classical chart.

© Peter Burt, July 2023