Jim’s Goofy Side
Jim’s Goofy Side
Corni Duos
Almost 30 years ago, Rick Seraphinoff had planned to write a historical novel featuring two hornists and their adventures touring Europe during the latter half of the 18th century. At the time, he asked me if I would write a set of 12 “Mozart” duos to be included in it; I obliged with some high-class comedy. That book, Corno da Capo, did not see the light of day until 2021, and without the duos, but they have been published separately and I think you’ll find them a lot of fun. Rick told me at the time that he couldn’t get through some of them, particularly No. 1 and No. 7, without laughing.
2 corni!
Scores of Nos. 1, 7 (the infamous March 🤣), and 11
Listen to Score No. 1
Listen to Score No. 7
Listen to Score No. 11
Making idiocy an art form…
Grande Fantaisie
en forme de Potpourri
An over-the-top sendup of the mid-19th century.
Music of the
Third Viennese School
The 47th Anniversary Edition of Absurdist Horn Concerti
What if Leutgeb had a valve horn, and what if Mozart wrote concertos for him while listening to Mahler – and on crack?
“Delicate in their coarseness; original in their plagiarism; and even somewhat substantial in their superficiality.”
– Philip Farkas
Featuring…
Dinesh Braun,
virtual Indo-Teutonic horn soloist
The Academy of A.I. Music
(on period imaginary instruments)
James Nicholas,
artistic director/ performance practice advisor/ technical director/ sound engineer/ operations manager/ and oh, yeah, I confess: I did write these.
The ringleader and accomplices:
The composer receives a sudden inspiration for Concerto No. 4 (September 1977)
Rich Hudson’s uncontainable joy at having a new horn concerto dedicated to him. Friend Helen Reich shares in his happiness.
Ted Anfinson in rapturous delight and exultation as he reviews the sunny, cheerful Concerto No. 4. Jill Boaz clearly can’t wait to hear it.
David Gasper and Sjön Scott test out the new Holton Hudson. It was decided that it needed a few tweaks before it could be marketable.
David Gasper and Sjön Scott test out the new Holton Hudson. It was decided that it needed a few tweaks before it could be marketable.
No efforts or expenditures were spared with regard to the publicity blitz.
The three soloists, left to right: Ted Anfinson (No. 4), Sjön Scott (No. 3), and Richard Hudson (No. 2)
The three soloists, left to right: Ted Anfinson (No. 4), Sjön Scott (No. 3), and Richard Hudson (No. 2)
The three soloists, left to right: Ted Anfinson (No. 4), Sjön Scott (No. 3), and Richard Hudson (No. 2)
Like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie. I confess to actually writing this stuff. However, no cherry trees were harmed in the process.
Lee Ingram would give a second performance of the Fourth Concerto on his twentieth birthday, October 5, 1980 – hence the nickname Birthday Concerto (Geburtstagskonzert). The Shoe Quintet was written for him.
The première performances were given by members of the ensembles Musica Absurda Antiqua and L’Orchestre du son d’un cochon.
Where are they now?
Richard Hudson has performed with the Houston Symphony, the Jackson Symphony, the New Hampshire Symphony, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Boston Concert Opera, and other ensembles; he is currently Director of Operations and Personnel Manager of the Mississippi Symphony as well as its second hornist.
Helen Reich, violist, has recently retired from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. She has also been an active proponent and performer of folk, jazz, rock, and electronic music.
Dr. Theodore J. Anfinson is a neuropsychiatrist with practices in both Denver and Atlanta. He somehow still finds time to record and play with various ensembles, as well as compose.
Jill Boaz is currently fourth hornist in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Sjön Scott established his career in Germany performing with various orchestras as well as the brass ensemble Rennquintett, with which he made many recordings. Hear his patrician performance of Schubert’s Auf dem Strom, with baritone Michael Volle and pianist Ulrich Eisenlohr, here.
David Gasper has recently retired from his position as Artistic Administrator and Director of Artistic Operations of the Rhode Island Philharmonic.
Lee Ingram is an electrician, a world traveler, a chef, and the owner of Ingram Construction in western Colorado.
The 45th Anniversary Edition of the “Shoe” Quintet for horn, violin, two violas, and cello
In 1980, I entered the Quintet in the International Horn Society’s composition competition. No winner was chosen in the “Horn and Strings” category, but I was asked if a review of it might be published.
The review began as follows: “A most captivating work, filled with questions. Why ‘Shoe’, why the strange interpolations?”
The answer to the first question: during the first rehearsal at Indiana University in the fall of 1979, someone threw a Puma sneaker through the window at us.
There is no answer to the second question – or any further questions. The Quintet boldly follows its own lonely artistic path, exploring new dimensions of weirdness. The discerning listener will appropriately respond “whaaa???”
Featuring Al Uncivil, virtual horn
and members of the virtual ensemble Musica Absurda Antiqua XXI, dialing it in through time and space.
Listen to Movement No. 1
Listen to Movement No. 2
Listen to Movement No. 3
Listen to Movement No. 4
