SCHERZO BRILLANTE, Op. 96 by Jan Koetsier

INSTRUMENTATION: Horn and Piano
PUBLISHER: 1983, 1993 Editions Marc Reift (Switzerland)
COST: ~$24.00
LENGTH: 203 measures including repeats and D.S.w, approx. 3m45s
CAN BE FOUND ON IMSLP: No
YOUTUBE:
SPOTIFY: Gail Williams, Deep Remembering
iTUNES: Gail Williams, Deep Remembering
GRADE/DIFFICULTY (1 easy, 6 very difficult): 3.5
EXTENDED TECHNIQUES: Hand Stopping (+)
RANGE (horn pitch):

Jan Koetsier was born on 14 August 1911 in Amsterdam, receiving instrumental encouragement and support at a very young age. He moved to Berlin in 1913 with his family, and aged 16, was the youngest student of his day to pass the entrance audition in piano to the Berlin Hochschule für Musik. Koetsier worked as conductor of the newly-founded Kammeropera in The Hague, during which he travelled to numerous Dutch towns and cities (1941/42). He later became second conductor of the ‘Concertgebouw Orchestra’ in Amsterdam 1942-48, a central point in his artistic development. Koetsier then spent a short period as conducting teacher at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague before being invited by Bavarian Radio to become principal conductor of its newly-founded Symphony Orchestra in 1950

Scherzo Brillante was written for internationally renown horn soloist and educator, Marie-Luise Neunecker. This piece fits a recital program as a clever encore which incorporates an abundance of technical practice. The first section titled, Presto, requires a tremendous amount of agility and range. The Trio section requires a snarky use of stopped tones and triple tonguing. As most scherzos require, the Presto section comes back to end the tune on an exciting high note!