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The
ART of the POSTHORN From
Countryside to Concert Hall
DOUGLAS
HEDWIG posthorn JORGE
PARODI piano
$14.95 ~ MS1184
"...of
historic interest...this CD is well-recorded both in the performances and the
sound quality...." The Horn Call - February 2008
"The
Art of the Posthorn qualifies primarily as...documentation
of a significant European musical tradition that has virtually vanished, and
considered as such, it succeeds very well...Trumpeter Douglas Hedwig performs on a variety
of original instruments with panache, with a broader expressive range than might
have been thought possible on instruments of such limited technical
possibilities. Pianist Jorge Parodi capably accompanies him in pieces by Mozart,
Michael Haydn and Louis Spohr, among others...an intriguing and attractively
produced document of a nearly forgotten musical tradition." Stephen Eddins, All
Music Guide ~ October 2007
"...a
wonderful recording...Not only is the performance and recording quality
excellent, but the CD also includes a very useful booklet discussing the
posthorn, its history, and its repertoire...Hedwig is equally comfortable and
skilled performing with and without the venting hole [posthorns]...Hedwig's
performance radiates music, even through the most challenging registers and
passages...he is an excellent posthorn player in every sense...and Jorge Parodi
performs his piano reductions masterfully...this CD is a must-own." International
Trumpet Guild Journal - June 2007
"Recommended...to diehard posthorn aficionados" American Record
Guide - May / June 2007
"Albert
Hiller’s Das
grosse Buch vom Posthorn successfully
occupies the posthorn niche on the brasswind bookshelf. This is possibly why
Hedwig, who is himself an acknowledged scholar of signalling instruments and
their repertoire, has issued this stand-alone CD: it makes a perfect companion
to Hiller‘s book. Even without the book, however, Hedwig’s extensive sleeve
notes give ample context to the recordings.
Hedwig is clearly a master of extracting real music from the rather limited
resources of the posthorn family."
Arnold
Myers, Director
Edinburgh
University
Collection of Musical Instruments
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Douglas Hedwig
was the first trumpeter to be awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the
Juilliard School, and is presently Professor of Trumpet and Director of Brass
Instrument Studies at Brooklyn College of The City University of New York (CUNY).
Prior to accepting his appointment at CUNY, he was a faculty member at The
Juilliard School, where he lectured on music history. He was Stage-Trumpeter and
an Associate Member of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra from 1973-2000, and as a
member of the Mexico City Philharmonic, performed in virtually every major
concert hall in North America. He has recorded more than 50 LPs and CDs on major
labels in virtually all musical idioms, including the Grammy Award-Winning
recording of Gershwin’s "Porgy & Bess." As Music Director of the
Metropolitan Brass Quartet, he recorded the album, "Discoveries; Five
Centuries for Four Brass," toured extensively, and oversaw the
commissioning and premiere of many new works by prominent American composers. He
co-created and served as Executive Director of Orvieto Musica, an international
chamber music workshop in Italy, and was recipient of a Telly Award for his work
as Executive Producer and Music Director of the TV documentary,
"Fanfare." From 1976 to 2004, he was a member and soloist with the
world-renowned Goldman Band in New York City, and is currently a member of the
Federal City Brass Band, a touring and recording ensemble specializing in the
performance of 19th century American music on original instruments.
Dr. Hedwig serves on the Board of Advisors of The Historic Brass Society, and
was Civilian Bugler for the New York City Fire Department.
Jorge Parodi,
pianist, has been a faculty member at The Juilliard School since 1998,
and is an adjunct professor at New York University. As a soloist and chamber
musician, Jorge Parodi has performed throughout the United States, Argentina,
Canada, Italy, Israel and Japan, and is featured in recordings on Albany Records
and Aurophon (Germany). He is Vocal Coach of the Brooklyn College Opera Theater,
and serves on the faculties of The International Vocal Arts Institute (Tel Aviv,
Nagano and Beijing), IIVA (Chiari, Italy), and V.O.I.C.Experience (directed
by Sherrill Milnes).
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Douglas
Hedwig was featured as soloist and lecturer at the International Brass
Colloquium at the "Cite de la Musique" in Paris, France in June 2007. The topic of his presentation
was: "The
Cornet de Post, Trompe de Mail-Coach, and Trompette de Courrier de Malle
in 19th Century Paris."
Throughout
much of the western world in the 18th and 19th centuries,
the sounds of posthorns, bugles, and signal-trumpets were a regular and
meaningful part of people’s everyday lives. Indeed, it is unlikely that the
average person could have gone a single day without hearing a horn or trumpet
call of some kind, as these instruments were used in horse-drawn coach and
steamship travel, in religious services and civic ceremonies, for hunting and
horse racing, by firefighters, athletic and bicycle clubs, and in military
settings.
However,
the most familiar and often-heard calls and tunes were those associated with the
postal system and the delivery of the mail, and it was here that signal
instruments found their fullest musical development and growth. The importance
and prevalence of these "post" horns and the music they produced was
such that many composers of art music were inspired to incorporate their signals
and songs, or adaptations of them, into their compositions.
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