Neill Sanders, Horn
The Melos Ensemble of London
Emanuel Hurwitz, violin
Lamar Crowson, piano
Robert Tear, tenor
CD Contents & Samples
Buy 4 CDs & save $10!
Neill Sanders (1923—1992) was the son
of a violinist and the brother of a flutist. At 16 he toured with tenor
Richard Tauber and at 18 he briefly led the horn section of the London
Symphony Orchestra until he was called up to serve in the army during
World War II. He was principal horn of the London Philharmonic and the BBC
Symphony Orchestras and played second horn alongside the legendary Dennis
Brain in the Philharmonia for seven years. Some of the Philharmonia horn
section recordings, including Haydn’s “Hornsignal“ Symphony are included
on Sotone CD 103.
Neill became a founding member and hornist of the Melos Ensemble of London
and played with them for 29 years. Melos performed regularly at British
and international festivals, toured USA beginning in 1966, gave many BBC
broadcasts, and made over 50 records. They participated in premieres of
numerous works by Benjamin Britten including the War Requiem in 1962.
NeilI also formed a friendship with Benjamin Britten and was 1st horn for
the Aldeburgh Festival.
|
A highly regarded teacher in London, Sanders taught many
students who now hold principal horn positions. In 1970 he became horn
professor at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. He also was guest
professor at Michigan State University.
Neill continued his ties with the London music scene, returning every year
to play. However, as this became increasingly more difficult, he gave up
this long-distance commute. While in Michigan he decided to form an
ensemble similar to Melos and founded the Fontana Ensemble and Festival in
1979. (www.fontanachamberarts.org) Fashioned after Melos, the original
Fontana comprised a string quintet, a wind quintet, and piano, performing
six concerts. In 2002 the Festival featured 23 concerts by more than 30
superb artists from Michigan and beyond, performing everything from piano
four-hands to percussion ten-hands, from classics to jazz to Klezmer. |
