Album Notes

bout the music: I began writing these duets before my 64 solos, opus 139 but did not complete them until about 2006. This is my fourth recording that presents a complete set of 64 pieces which are based on my I Ching scales. There is a full I Ching set in CD2 “I Ching Arpeggios,” CD23 "More than 64 solos for Horn, opus 139" and CD28 “Waves.” Each set is a tremendous amount of work.

About One-takes: All classical musicians are required to undergo a strange and frightening test in order to obtain permanent jobs: the symphony audition. In a symphony audition all the candidates show up at the same place, many after flying for a day and staying in a strange hotel, and play a short audition, one after another. The members of the orchestra don't know who is playing behind the curtain and they pick who they think is best. This is about the most stressful thing a person can go through, and it tests technique more than musicality.

Based on my desire to improve at auditions and to prove these works can be performed, I have recorded these duets in my "one-takes" format.

"One takes" is a recording where the piece is played as if it were a concert; the tape doesn't stop. In a recording studio, small parts can be played over and over and the best versions can then be pieced together until a really fine performance is recorded, but each track of these duets is played non-stop! My CD23 "more than 64 solos for horn" was also recorded in this way.

I’m very happy with these works.

Richard O. Burdick