Fitzpatrick plays examples of horn music by Handel, Bach, Fux, Haydn, Mozart, Danzi, Beethoven and Weber. Eash example on recording consists of a few bars only from the work ilsted. Instruments used include Baroque horns, valve horns, 1770 hand horns, 1795 hand horns, 1811 orchestral hand horns and 1827orchestral hand horns.

First to be published in the series was The Art of French Horn Playing by Philip Farkas, now Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music at Indiana University. In 1956, when Summy-Birchard published Farkas's book, he was a solo horn player for the Chicago Symphony and had held similar positions with other orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Kansas City Conservatory, DePaul University, Northwestern University, and Roosevelt University in Chicago. The Art of French Horn Playing set the pattern, and other books in the series soon followed, offering help to students in learning to master their instruments and achieve their goals.

This book is a result of Eli Epstein's 18 years in the Cleveland Orchestra and 30 years of Conservatoire teaching. It breaks down into four parts, dealing with Technique, Musicianship, Warm up and Exercises and finally Applying the Method. It is both innovative and inspiring and presents his theories in a clear and understandable way, which gives the reader much to think about and practical ideas to help improve one's playing. An excellent addition to any horn enthusiast's collection.The third edition presents MRI images and data of an elite group of horn players, including Stefan Dohr, Fergus McWilliam, Sarah Willis, Stefan Jezierski (all of the Berlin Philharmonic), Marie-Luise Neunecker, Jeff Nelsen, and others. MRI films confirm that what we do internally, inside the mouth, pharynx, and thoracic cavity is just as important as what we do externally. And, just as there are hallmarks of healthy embouchures that most professional horn players employ, there are many consistent internal movement patterns among the elite group. Epstein presents tried and true methods to learn and teach these exemplary biomechanics. "Without a doubt the most physiologically correct book ever published on horn playing." ~John Ericson, Horn Matters

Contains thoughts and exercises on playing well, warming up, practicing, facial muscles, dynamics, sound production, breathing, intonation, memorization, endurance, self-instruction, performance, etc.

"High Fidelity" meets "Touching the Void" in the improbably heroic adventure of an amateur French horn player who quite literally blows himself back into life again.--Bob Geldof, songer/activist.

The Horn Player's Audition Handbook provides a handy, one-volume reference guide to the literature, especially for those players preparing for an imminent auditions, containing, as it does, the repertoire most frequently asked for by American orchestras. Since audition lists almost always include a few "non-standard" works, the well-versed student will also want to have employed the more comprehensive collections of excerpts in the course of his/her general preparation for an orchestral career. However, the advantages of having the most "important" audition material under one cover will readily be appreciated and makes this book a welcome addition to the literature.

This comprehensive, annotated resource of solo repertoire for the horn documents in detail the rich catalogue of original solo compositions for the instrument. Intended as a guide for practical use and easy reference, it is organized into three large sections: works for unaccompanied horn, works for horn and keyboard, and works for horn and ensemble. Each entry includes publisher information, a brief description of the form and character of a work, technical details of the horn writing, and information on dedication and premiere. The authors also include commentary on the various techniques required and the performance challenges of each piece. Representing over ten years of careful compilation and notation by an expert in horn performance and pedagogy, and by a seasoned music librarian and natural horn performer, Guide to the Solo Horn Repertoire will be an invaluable resource for performers, educators, and composers.

Fergus McWilliam has been a member of the Berlin Philharmonic since 1985 and was a founding member of the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet in 1988. He has spent the last twenty years touring the world with the Berlin Philharmonic and has made over a dozen recordings with his ensemble. During his career, he has performed with many of the major conductors of our times, including Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Ababado, Sir Simon Rattle, Leonard Bernstein, Carlos Kleiber, Seiji Ozawa, Pierre Boulez, James Levine, Daniel Barenboim and more. In addition, McWilliam also founded the Horns of Berlin Philharmonic and has helped re-establish the Winds of Berlin Philharmonic. His solo and chamber music activities continue to take him throughout Europe, the Americas and the Far East. Fergus McWilliam is also an internationally esteemed and sought-after teacher. He continues to give master classes at leading music schools in many countries, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Academy, the Hans-Eisler Musikhochschule in Berlin, the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School in London, the Paris Conservatoire, the Tokyo University of Fine Arts, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, the Venezuela Youth Music programme and more. Blow your OWN Horn is Fergus McWilliams 'take' on horn playing and more generally on music education. Written in a very spirited style, the book covers all aspects of playing and the profession, including, practical elements such as: auditions, embouchure, breathing, exercises. In addition, McWilliam explores topics such as: mind games, attitude, strategies, relativity, under pressure, why do we need teachers and much more

A concise, modern method for the natural horn, developed with the needs of horn players in mind. This updated second edition is focused toward introducing the natural horn effectively for players who already play the valved horn and wish to learn the older instrument. Topics covered include equipment choices, hand positions, and much more, presented in a practical manner. Short exercises and etudes are included to build technique, making this an ideal resource for learning to play the natural horn.