Hornist
Thomas Bacon and pianist
Caio Pagano have assembled a CD of music written especially for them, including additional instruments such as violin and extra horn, as well as voice. They present a strong program; many of the pieces, particularly those of José Antonio de Almeida Prado, James DeMars, and Robert Avalon, have real musical substance and distinctive character, and they are welcome additions to the horn repertoire. Brazilian composer Almeida Prado's Trio for horn, violin and piano, "from the Diary of Pero Vaz de Caminha," is an especially strong work. Prado's writing for the horn is expressive and idiomatic, without ever falling onto clichéd fanfares. His writing avoids the pitfalls of balance that frequently plague this grouping, and his piece is one of the few works for this ensemble that could hold its own on a program with Brahms' or Ligeti's horn trios.
The security of
Bacon's technique allows him to play with a thrilling abandon that perfectly suits the character of the horn, and his tone is unusually full and nuanced. Much of the music here makes virtuosic demands on the pianist, and
Pagano plays with sparkle and panache. The sound is clean and bright, with good balance between the instruments.