Horn 1: eb - c3
Horn 2: c - g2
Horn 3: g - c3
Horn 4: c - f2
Horn 5: f - b2
Horn 6: f - b2
Horn 7: G - g2
Horn 8: Eb - a1
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
Glinka’s Russlan and Ludmilla, an opera in five acts set to a libretto by Shirkov, Kukolnik, Markevich, and others, is today best know for its overture. It opens with an energetic start, and rarely loses its drive throughout. The first section has two elements: the rhythmic motif and the fast quaver (eight note) runs. The second section, where the main theme is introduced first, gets its drive from the off-beat accompaniment. All these elements make up most of the overture, with the theme returning a major third higher. Only at the very end do we have rhythmic variation with the introduction of triplets, and the final F major (horn pitch chord).
F major – that’s a major third lower than the original (D major sounding pitch), and a much needed transposition, as the range is already quite extreme, and several of the runs start on c3. The distribution of parts is, like many other arrangements for 8 eights, in pairs from the top down. This varies though throughout the piece, with many instances of splitting the ensemble into two sections of four. All the parts have a large range, and nobody is safe from technical passages.
Russlan and Ludmilla is a very effective piece, be it as an opener or anywhere else in the program. This arrangement requires virtuosity at the top level just to get the notes right, but is still exciting to play. As with many other Cala publications of the London Horn Sound recordings, it’s hard to go wrong with this one.