Crystal Records — John Cerminaro, horn

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Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest horn players of our time, in an illustrious career spanning five decades, John Cerminaro was principal horn with the New York Philharmonic 1969-1979, Los Angeles Philharmonic 1979-1986, and principal horn with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1996-2011.
         For 35 seasons he has been principal horn and teacher with  the Aspen Festival Orchestra. Cerminaro has been a principal horn guest with many orchestras across the United States, including the Dallas Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, and Houston Symphony. He has performed in music festivals throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He was the founding principal horn of "Live from Lincoln Center" with the New York Philharmonic, and Leonard Bernstein's "Young People's Concerts" at Avery Fisher Hall.
         As a recording artist, Cerminaro can be heard on numerous recordings. His discography is varied, and includes four solo recordings for Crystal Records, including an acclaimed CD of the four Mozart Horn Concertos with conductor Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony, as well as John Williams' score for NBC's Nightly News. He is the performing artist in the familiar horn logos heard in all major motion picture fanfares released snce 1981.
         Respected for his teaching methods as well as his performance skills, John Cerminaro has been a member of the faculty at The Juilliard School, the Aspen Music Festival, the California Institute of the Arts, and was a Landsdowne Lecturer at Victoria College. He is the author of a treatise for performers entitled "The Greater Glory." A recipient of the esteemed Naumberg Award, First Prize in the Concert Artist's Guild Competition and a Prague International Competition winner, Cerminaro received his musical education at the Juilliard School and the Aspen Music School.   Leonard Bernstein called Cerminaro "the greatest horn player in the world". The American Record Guide called Cerminaro "the best solo horn the New York Philharmonic has had since World War II." 

 

CD515-scan-for-iTunesCD515: MOZART, FOUR HORN CONCERTOS.  John Cerminaro, Horn; Gerard Schwarz conducting the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. 
UPC 009414751522 BUY NOW    

“hallmarks of this recording are refinement, nuance, and Cerminaro’s very dark tone.”  Aamerican Record Guide.

Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear approximately one minute of the movement shown. 
Concerto No. 4 in E flat major – Mvt 1 (Allegro moderato)  Mvt 2 (Romanza, Andante)  Mvt 3 (Rondo, Allegro vivace)   Concerto No. 3 in E flat:  Mvt 1 (Allegro)  Mvt 2 (Romance, Larghetto)  Mvt 3 (Allegro)   Concerto.No 2 in E flat: Mvt 1(Allegro maestoso)  Mvt 2 (Andante)  Mvt 3 (Rondo)   Concerto No. 1 in D major  Mvt 1 (Allegro)  Mvt 2 (Andante)  Mvt 3 (Rondo, Allegro)

 

CD676-scan-for-iTunesCD676:  JOHN CERMINARO, HORN.  Beethoven, Hindemith, & Bernhard Heiden Horn Sonatas. Also Bozza: En Fôret; F Strauss: Nocturno; Glazunov: Reverie; Faure: Apres un Reve; Gliere: Intermezzo; Schmid: ImTiefsten Walde. Cerminaro has been principal horn with both New York Philharmonic & Los Angeles Philharmonic. With Zita Carno, piano. "Cerminaro was the best solo horn the New York Philharmonic has had since World War II. These are good performances." American Record Guide UPC 009414767622 BUY NOW    

Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear approximately one minute of the movement shown. 
Bozza: En Foret    Strauss: Nocturno    Beethoven Sonata in F: Mvt. 1(Allegro)  Mvt 2(Adagio)  Mvt 3(Allegro)    Glaznuov: Reverie    Faure: Apres un Reve    Gliere: Intermezzo    Schmid: ImTiefsten Walde

 

CD679-scan-for-iTunesCD679: SCREAMERS,  Difficult Works for Horn. John Cerminaro and Charlotte Cerminaro, horn. Robert Schumann: Adagio and Allegro; Joseph Haydn: Divertimento a Tre; William Kraft: Evening Voluntaries; Rand Steiger: A New-Slain Knight; Henri Lazarof: Intrada for solo horn. With Zita Carno, piano; The California EAR Unit (Stephen Mosko, conductor); Maria Larionoff, violin; Toby Saks, cello.
UPC 009414767929 BUY NOW    

Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear approximately one minute of the movement shown. 
Schumann: Adagio and Allegro    Kraft: Evening Voluntaries    Haydn: Divertimento    Steiger: A New-Slain Knight  Intro/1st Mvt  Mvt 2  Mvt 3    Lazarof: Intrada

 

CD775 cover newCD775: Tribute to John Cerminaro, Horn. UPV 009414777522.  BUY NOW     

RICHARD STRAUSS, Horn Concerto No. 1 (live performance Switzerland 2007, with the PaulTaylororCHestra Paul Taylor, conductor)

Francis Poulenc, Sonata for Trumpet, Horn, and Trombone (Thomas Stevens, trumpet; John Cerminaro, horn; Ralph Sauer, trombone); Poulenc, Elegie for Horn and Piano; Doppler, L’Oiseau des Bois for Flute and Horn Quartet (Nadine Asin, flute; horns: John Cerminaro, Frøydis Ree Wekre, Carol Bacon, Brian Drake); Saint-Saëns, Romance, Horn and Piano; Leonard Bernstein, Elegy for Mippy, Horn and Piano; Scriabin, Romance, Horn and Piano; Gliere, Nocturne for Horn and Piano. (Zita Carno, piano)

The Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1 was recorded live on a concert by the Swiss orchestra paultaylororCHestra in 2007. It is a phenomenal performance. In addition to this, the CD includes solo and chamber works played by John Cerminaro which were originally on LP but were not previously re-released on CD.

“This is a truly outstanding performance. Cerminaro’s gloriously robust playing, his impeccable precision and clarity of articulation and his stupendously rich and varied tone...set this performance apart from many others and place it very near – if not at ­­– the top of my own personal recommended versions of this most entertaining of Strauss concertos.”  (Marc Rochester, Music Web)

 

“FIVE STARS. Any horn player will see this as a gift. The programing is exemplary, a selection of chamber pieces well known to each and every self-respecting player plus a gleaming performance of a repertoire staple…[In the Strauss Concerto] the agility of Cerminaro in the finale is a demonstration of perfect technique, each note perfectly placed…While horn players that can play brazenly and brashly are ten to a penny, those who can play with real sensitivity are few and far between. Cerminaro is one of those players who has it all.” (Colin Clarke, Fanfare)

 

“For younger players who may not know of Cerminaro’s legacy and flawless performances, this disc is a good initiation to his artistry. The tempi of the Strauss are brisk and are exquisitely performed. Cerminaro’s inimitable renditions are absolutely pristine. His singing tone and agile passages are hallmarks of his playing. Cerminaro’s tribute disc is highly recommended, especially to those younger players who may not be aware of his stunning musicianship.” (Eldon Matlick, The Horn Call)

The picture on the cover of CD775 is by John Cerminaro, who is an accomplished artist.

CD775 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
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Strauss: Concerto No. 1 in Eb   I. Allegro   II. Andante   III. Allegro     Poulenc: Elegie     Doppler: L’Oiseau des Bois     Saint Saens: Romance     Bernstein: Elegy for Mippy     Scriabin: Romance     Gliere: Nocturne     Poulenc: Sonata for Trumpet, Horn, and Trombone   I. Allegro moderato   II. Andante   III. Rondeau

 

BONUS: To have a little joy to help alleviate CoronaVirus anxiety, hear the entire Saint-Saëns Romance, performed by John Cerminaro and Zita Carno.

 

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