Schuller: Practicing

from Gunther Schuller: Horn Technique (out of print)

Gunther Schuller (1925-2015) was principal horn of the Cincinnati Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra as well as an accomplished jazz musician. He was a notable composer, conductor and music historian. 

There are two primary elements that can make practicing a success: intelligence and perseverance. What one student may accomplish through hours of hard, physically tiring work, another may attain in half the time by applying logic and intelligent thinking.

Many students never learn to think a problem through. Instead they stubbornly hammer out exercises which deal with the problem at hand only superficially or deal with an altogether different problem. While such practising is not completely useless, it is obvious that correct diagnosis of a problem will lead to more fruitful practicing results.

On the other hand, some students analyze a problem quite correctly, find the proper exercises for it, but simply fail to put in the necessary time to alleviate the problem. Preceding chapters have shown that fine horn playing is the result of a vast complex of physical motions and nerve reactions. To coordinate and synchronize all of these into the smooth effortless operation that artistic playing demands takes time, for
the simple reason that we learn through a combination of repetition and trial-and-error. More accurately, it is a process of eliminating those physical movements that do not produce the desired result, eventually reducing it to the one set of movements that does produce that result. Obviously this can only be achieved by sufficient repetition of a given exercise or study, combined with self-critical analysis.

At this point we touch upon the player's will power, i.e. his psychological equipment, quite apart from his physical aptitude. Many a physically less-gifted player has overcome natural weaknesses by sheer hard work and will power; while many a naturally talented player has squandered his talent by lazy practising habits. Given an adequate talent, a player will only be as good as he wants to be. The combination of physical aptitude and an intelligent analytical approach rarely exist in one single person. When they do, he is apt to make a place for himself in the world of music.

It is important that the student practice study pieces which satisfy at least minimal musical demands and tackle a variety of specific technical problems. Students who are serious about their horn playing should seek the advice of a good professional if they live in a locality which prevents their actually studying regularly with one.

There may be other study books as effective, but I doubt if any are superior to the old standbys for beginners: the Oscar Franz method, the two books of Kopprasch Etudes, and the Kling studies. They deal with the basic problems of horn playing in a disciplined manner. No more direct method of learning the fundamentals can be evolved than that contained in these various studies. They could perhaps be couched in different notes, melodies, or harmonic progressions, but the basic approach to anyone's problems is there, all spelled out in simple language.

When we look at the more advanced study material, I believe opinions can legitimately vary, depending upon the stylistic approach the player wants to develop. Certainly a great deal of French study material tends to develop technical agility and a lighter approach to horn playing, while some of the more advanced German or Czech methods underscore a more robust approach to tone production and register problems. I think at this point the player can only be advised to seek out the material which best suits his needs and problems.

I recommend very much using the six books of Maxime-Alphonse studies. For in these exercises all keys are thoroughly investigated, sometimes even within one study piece. (This applies to the more elementary sampler exercises as well.) Not only is the student confronted with the countless fingering problems that can occur in the keys furthest removed from C, but he also learns to relate the visual image of these keys to their individual technical problems, a situation not encountered at all in the simpler tonalities. The Alphonse studies are also remarkable in their avoidance of horn study clichés. A favourite Alphonse device is to set up a pattern or sequence and then, just as the student is lulled into contented relaxation, the pattern is broken in very original and unconventional ways. This is excellent training for the student who expects to face today's patterns and sequences. These 'etudes' also provide a good test of the player's musical reflexes, and his ability to hear other than the most obvious pitch relationships. From the ear training point of view alone, the Alphonse studies are highly recommended.