Rowen Fox: Sonata For Horn And Piano [DSD EP]

The first commercial recording of Australian composer Rowen Fox’s Sonata for Horn and Piano, commissioned for, and written in collaboration with Robert Johnson, French Horn.

Pleasingly unified across its three distinct – yet continuous – movements, this work is rich with lyricism, variety and an intimately wrought interplay between the instruments. Robert Johnson’s mastery of the horn is on full display, wonderfully supported by the sensitive and expressive playing of Phillip Shovk, one of Australia’s foremost concert pianists.

The first movement, Allegretto, opens with a dreamy, lilting piano accompaniment, amongst which the horn weaves themes, both conversational and anthemic. Simultaneously powerful and sublime, the second Espressivo movement is an extended cantabile aria for the horn, in the best romantic tradition. The third movement begins with an exciting Scherzando drawn from the fanfare figures of the previous movements, weaving to an emphatic close.

Producer Craig Field says “Australian born composer and conductor Rowen Fox’s first recording of his much-loved Sonata for Piano and Horn. Performed by Australian Sydney Symphony principal horn player Robert Johnson and legendary Australian pianist and head of accompaniment at the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Professor Philip Shovk.

The Sonata was produced & recorded at Elkwood Recording Studios by Craig Field. Elkwood has a superb selection of custom designed valve equipment and the recording was captured at 32bit 384kHZ. The Analog to Digital Conversion recording process was done with a mix of both Merging Technologies and Digital Audio Denmark converters.  A hand made German Horch valve RM3 microphone into a custom-built A/B push pull valve preamp was used for the bell of the Horn. High resolution Sony microphones were on the room and Sennheiser 8040’s were used on the bass of the piano. 

Elkwood looks forward to many more releases with Native DSD.“

Robert Johnson – Horn
Phillip Shovk – Piano