Courage! – Valerie Whitney

PERFORMERS: Valerie Whitney, Horn / Terrance Dawson, piano on “Shall I Compare Thee”

COMPOSERS: Stephen Chatman, Kristin Flores, Stacy Garrop, Stephen Gryc, Erica Raum, Farin Mansouri Tehrani, Elizabeth Raum, James Stephenson

This recording reflects Whitney’s desire to create a narrative exploring the positive and negative impacts of solitude, the quiet reflection of self and nature, and the animating qualities of courage and hope. She wished to feature works by Canadian and women composers that were not yet well-known, and include some pieces that she simply enjoyed playing. Two premiere works bookend the album.

A Northwestern graduate who studied with Gail Williams and played with Mallory Thompson, Valerie Whitney has found her ‘stride’ on this wonderfully produced solo horn recording featuring a diversified program with Canadian and women composers (and two premieres!).

A brief description of the music:

“Courage” is a daring endeavor for both composer and performer, bursting forth with unfettered strength, gusto and joyous energy from start to finish.

“By the Lake” captures the essence of a quiet summer evening by a mountain lake, with the natural world preparing for the night to come.

“Harmonielehre” is a modern-day exploration of the natural horn – its modern folk-like melodies and rollicking passages harken back to the hunting horn.

“Confessions” is a tone poem for solo horn, titled after Saint Augustine’s autobiography and depicting major events in his life.

“Bewildered” was composed to explore deep nostalgia, solitude, and isolation. With vivid emotional gestures, it evokes the image of a solitary individual seeking comfort in nature.

“Idiom” places the horn back in its native outdoor setting by evoking all the musical expressions historically associated with the horn and the hunt; a raucous chase across the fields interspersed with dances and songs!

“Shall I Compare Thee” is an entry from James Stephenson’s collection of horn etudes entitled “Maytudes”; Whitney commissioned Jim to write a piano accompaniment to the etude with the intention of including it on this album. Jim has captured the poem’s sentiments of love and loss in this beautiful new addition to the horn repertoire. Includes Terrance Dawson accompaniment on piano.