The virtuoso horn player Daniel Bourgue, ‘surely be the last representative of the old school of French playing’ according to the IHS, has died at the age of 86.
Alongside an international soloist and teaching career, he was principal horn of the Paris Opéra from 1964 to 1989.
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Can anyone identify what differentiates the “old school of French playing” from current ones?
And why it has been abandoned?
I would say that the “old school” of French players played with quite a bit of vibrato and a thinner tone. I imagine they also played on French instruments, whereas they have practically all switched to Alexanders; globalization oblige. Rest in peace, Daniel Bourgue; a wonderful player and teacher.
As I listen to the Bourgue excerpts I detect only brief hints of vibrato.
Because it sounded like a saxophone
I am reminded of the Beecham quip when he conducted the Orchestre National, an orchestra he loved: “If only the French horns didn’t sound so French!”
Funny enough, the Orchestre National was the first French orchestra to switch to German horns (in the 30s).
https://www.hornmatters.com/2010/07/nationalism-traditional-french-style-i/
That sounds very different from the Bourgue excepts above.
If Thévet is the French School, Bourgue is out of school.
https://www.hornmatters.com/2010/07/nationalism-traditional-french-style-i/
I was wondering the same thing, given that he’s playing on a Conn 8-D (Elkhart, Indiana). The old French players used piston valve horns that were, I believe, single Bb horns (please correct me if that’s wrong). The old French players used a liberal amount of vibrato, and tended to blend more in with the woodwinds.
The photo shows him holding an Engelbert Schmid compensating triple horn, not a Conn 8D.
Thanks for correcting me. I’m not a horn player (tuba), but a horn enthusiast. I realized the my error when I studied the photo a bit longer. At least I got the conversation started.
The old French players used piston valve horns in F, then piston valve double horns in F and Bb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lglr2FmHq6o
Piston valve horn with ascending third valve. Fast wide vibrato, open right hand in the bell. Lucien Thévet was the leading exponent of the style for decades.
Does anyone know whether he is related to the oboist Maurice Bourgue?
No, he was not. He is his namesake.
They were not related, though both were from Avignon (I asked both personally).