This First Book of Practical Studies for French Horn is designed to develop chord consciousness and to provide additional experience in the fundamental rhythms, key signatures, and articulations and to improve accuracy in reading through the use of interesting and melodic studies. It may be used either to supplement or to follow any beginning method book and will serve as an ideal preparation for the slightly more advanced techniques to be found in the Second Book.
A complete pedagogical method for students of trumpet and cornet, this "brass bible" contains hundreds of exercises from basics to advanced. Includes the author's famous arrangement of Carnival in Venice.
The Second Book of Practical Studies is designed to logically extend the techniques already presented in the First Book and also to introduce and develop new techniques and rhythms that will offer a challenge to the intermediate student. Through the use of slightly more difficult and more extended studies, it is hoped that the material included in this book may more fully develop general musicianship and more feeling for style and interpretation and thus act as a foundation for solo literature.
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.
There are many books written for the Piano, Violin, etc., entirely devoted to Technic. This Work is especially written to enable the Student, by practice and application, to overcome any obstacle which may occur in musical passages written for the Cornet. By controlling the Wind Power to play these Exercises as written, in one breath, the Student will acquire ENDURANCE without strain or injury. Train the Muscles which control the Lips, to make them elastic and strong, as only a slight pressure is necessary, and not brute force. The highest as well as the lowest notes can be played with equal tone quality if practiced according to the instructions that precede each Study. Every Cornet Player should have reached a degree of excellence before attempting to play these Exercises. To become an Expert on the Cornet, one should be familiar with as many Cornet Methods as possible, and so gain the experience of each. Every Exercise in this Book is possible, and not so very difficult if practiced slowly at first, and not too long at a time. I have used them for my daily practice for years, and they have been the means of my reaching the highest notes after playing a two-hour Concert, also of preserving my lips so that they never tire, and what has been a help to me is surely good for other Cornet Players. You cannot expect to attain the highest point of excellence without hard work and perseverance. Never be perfectly satisfied with yourself. Try to make some improvement each day, feeling that it is a pleasure to have conquered that which seemed an impossibility at first. Do not neglect to correct immediately the least fault you make. Bad habits are easily formed, but are difficult to remedy. There are few Celebrated Cornet Soloists, although thousands play the instrument. Most players abuse their practicing by not knowing the proper way, and neglecting to pay more attention to the elementary work. These Studies have been found to be excellent for Clarinet Players as well as Cornet Players. The Clarinet being a Wind Instrument also, all these Exercises will appeal to the Player of that Instrument by following the same instructions.
The Second Book of Practical Studies is designed to logically extend the techniques already presented in the First Book and also to introduce and develop new techniques and rhythms that will offer a challenge to the intermediate student. Through the use of slightly more difficult and more extended studies, it is hoped that the material included in this book may more fully develop general musicianship and more feeling for style and interpretation and thus act as a foundation for solo literature.
This book has been compiled to aid teachers and students in the development of the French Horn embouchure, particularly in the important period following elementary development. It is based upon the theory that, mechanically, nearly all of the problems to be met by the player in the orchestra, band, chamber ensemble, etc., can be covered by a comprehensive daily routine of practice. Various drills have been devised, with no claim to originality, to cope with the various mechanical problems of embouchure with which the player is faced in the field.
