Tip: Climbing Mt. Heldenleben

  Happy Labor Day! There's parades, football, and food out there that looks so enticing. But since you're a disciplined horn player you have the whole day off to be a good person and practice. How about getting some work done on every horn player's favorite orchestral excerpt... Heldenleben!

  Now we're not going to tackle the entire opening excerpt today, since it is Labor Day. Today we're just going to focus on the infamous first bar.

The key points to remember...

• The first three notes are played using a lower set embouchure and changed mainly using the air. The last four notes are then played on a "middle set" embouchure.
• Make sure the low F isn't lost and all the notes speak equally.
• Make sure to work the "shift" so that the line is one fluid phrase.
• Carefully count the first note to make sure that you aren't skipping or adding a beat. It gives the critics and judges a very bad first impression
• The triplets need to be evenly in time.
• I prefer to make the upper D heavier to lead into the high point of phrase, which is the G.
• Don't play the low Bb too loud, or else it'll be too heavy to make it up the rest of the ascending line. Also, listen for a steady sound that's free of bumps and quivers.
• The excerpt should only be at a forte. Don't play in a way that the horn sticks out from the cellos, but rather blends in with them and creates a warm sound overall.