Virtuoso Horn

CLASSIC CLEVENGER AND BAUMANN

Personally, I like this one. A recording well worth adding to the music library of anyone who appreciates the contemporary masters of the French horn. Also some pieces here worth hearing that don't get the exposure of the Mozart concertos.
Dale Clevenger: Always very respectable and enjoyable playing.
Herman Baumann: Really shows his stuff in this recording. In other areas -- Without a doubt the absolute master of the valveless horn.
Other artists from similar recordings -- Barry Tuckwell: Should never, EVER be allowed to play Mozart. Should stick to Strauss.
Of course, anyone who plays Mozart has to live in the shadow of Dennis Brain. I would also recommend recent recordings of Eric Ruske to the pantheon of contemporary artists, but I really don't care for John Cerminaro.
And that is my slightly less than humble opinion! January 4, 2008

Awesome French horn soloist

Anyone who knows anything about French horn soloists knows of the greats...Dennis Brain, Berry Tuckwell, Hans Pizka, and of course, Hermann Baumann. If you are a fan of the French horn, this is a must. July 8, 2006

Beautiful Passages From Hermann Baumann

This is a beautiful CD largely featuring Hermann Baumann performing pieces by Hayden, Danzi, Rosetti, and Mozart. I admire the musicianship here, mostly from Baumann, but also noteworthy is the performance by Dale Clevenger on Haydn's Concertino for Horn and Orchestra in D major, the final track on the CD, and the only one digitally recorded. Although I think Baumann is probably the technically more proficient musician, Clevenger certainly acquits himself well, and the total lack of background noise on that track makes it an absolute pleasure to listen to. Another listener complained of excessive background noise and static, but fortunately I did not seem to have that problem on either of the systems I played it on.

I am particularly fond of the Mozart pieces presented here, although I prefer the recordings by Dennis Brain for technique. These are my favorite recordings of the Hayden and Rosetti pieces to date. This CD is an excellent value, and any serious listener will be sure to thrill to it.
September 20, 2004

Clevenger-ok, Baumann-awesome

Hermann Baumann is one of the greatest horn players ever and he shows why he has been given that honor on this cd. I don't think that there is recording of the Haydn concerto that even comes close to this masterful performance, even better than Tuckwell's. The cadenzas are absolutely awesome. I haven't listened to the Rosetti before but Baumann sounds excellent in this concerto as well. Clevenger plays ok on the Haydn but his articulation is a little sloppy. I'm a saxophone player but I can recognize true musicianship when I hear it and Baumann certainly is a brilliant musician. Highly recommended. February 24, 2003

Once again, I'm impressed!

Hermann Baumann never ceases to amaze me, and this album is no exception. Flawless execution coupled with the highest sense of musicality make for quite an impressive display, especially with horn literature of this difficulty. Baumann rises like a colossus with this album- and if it hasn't already been said, the cadenzas are worth the price of the cd by themselves! For as long as I have been listening to horn music, I have never heard the beauty, clarity, and sweetness of tone in the clarino register as I heard with this album. The Haydn Concertino in D with Dale Clevenger was nicely executed, however my preference for this piece is in the Tuckwell recording for tempo and stylistic reasons. Cliche though it may be, this is a must have. July 30, 2002

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