Wow! This piece is very moving and aesthetically beautiful. For composers, this video should be very helpful to them. Upon research, I have found that the English Horn is typically used in solo sections with orchestra—not to be used in sections where the instrumentation is overly heavy. But, it does cut through various textures of the orchestra. As Vasks presents in his piece, there are beautiful string harmonies that remind us of the Romantic period (maybe neoclassical influences are in there as well), and are in various forms, spread out thinly enough that the Horn could get through—not only get through, but sing brilliantly.
The first movement of this piece was fantastic and surging with such beauty and bursting radiance. The second movement in seeming B minor is a rather tribal sounding piece, a piece or movement that reminds me of warriors trying to escape a situation as though there is a threat at the present movement waiting to sweep captives away if they don’t run out. It sounds festive oddly at the same time. It is all building to something huge!
After a few silent moments, the solo English Horn takes the lead again and the orchestra’s off to the races! Running through traffic, the traffic of life this piece could be empathizing. There is a bunch of scurrying from the English Horn and the responding orchestra as they go through the movement. There is such a nice variance of long and staccato tones from the horn—even some great solo passages. Fabulous! The one really intricate solo in the middle of this piece is very great. It’s something that inspires the heart to keep going, to keep marching on in spite of adversity. The orchestra comes back in after the English Horn solo as if to say, “There is positiveness in store! There is a greatness coming!
After a brief solo cadenza, another movement, seeming to be in C sharp minor begins bringing with it a new set of beautiful harmonies and encouraging melodies from the horn. It is indeed very Russian sounding. It could also be placed in a movie. The overwhelming concept of a lot of the piece has to do with going up and no stopping as it lands chord upon chord.
There is such a launch from this piece. The music of the past, of the big 5 composers of the Russian Conservatory is back! Everyone in this composition that played did a breathtaking job. I see this in the many sad movements of music that has ever been written. It could lift a heavy heart. It could make or be the heart singing. It could be soul longing experimentation or just a beautiful experience. Either way, it is uniquely beautiful and stunning in its presentation!
