Musings for Horn and Cello - August Challenge 2024

For the August 2024 Challenge.
Though I got my degrees in music performance as a horn player, I didn't "make it" after I graduated by getting a job, and instead I had to work in retail for 9 years. I hardly did any practicing, but the only pieces that would consistently make me want to get out the horn were the Bach Cello Suites in concert pitch. I have a good low range, so these were very enjoyable for me during that time. Just at the end of last year, after over 9 years, I finally got back into music professionally teaching students, and I started taking lessons with my first professional teacher to get back in shape - better than I was before. I feel like Bach was part of what kept me alive during all that time.

Included in this duet are some references to the second Cello Suite prelude (mm. 27-28, 41-42), the fourth Cello Suite Bouree (mm. 47-49), the c minor well-tempered clavier prelude (a blip in m. 24's cello part), and most notably, the Gounod Ave Maria (mm. 44-47, foreshadowed in 33-35 when the cello is playing the opening horn part in minor).