WPR Music Album of the Week: ‘New Works for French Horn’

In selecting material for his new release, “Horn of Plenty: New Works for French Horn, vol. 1,” hornist Radek Baborák wanted to show off his instrument’s versatility as a solo instrument. The album compiles the work of living composers who draw inspiration from diverse muses such as outer space, Scandinavian folklore and impressionistic poetry. It comprises 18 tracks of chamber and solo music. When not playing solo, as Baborák does on Daniel Ott’s “Whispers, Cries, Calls” and Erik Sandberg’s “Sceadugangan,” he is joined by pianist Miroslav Sekera and violinist Martina Bačová . Understanding Wisconsin, Together. WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter. Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Email Subscribe Andrew Lewinter is an American composer and former professional horn player. For his composition, “Four Miniatures for Horn and Violin,” Lewinter drew not just inspiration, but thematic material from the “Horn Trio, op. 40” by Johannes Brahms. In his work, Lewinter says he based each movement’s theme on inversions of the opening notes of the corresponding Brahms movement. But that’s where the similarity ends. “The listener shouldn’t expect anything Brahmsian here,” says Lewinter. “Brahms may have provided the seed, but this is a completely different piece in almost every conceivable way!” Memphis native Robert G. Patterson is also a horn player and has a long-standing reputation in the digital music engraving community. His “Scenes from Beyond Memory” is an instrumental rendering of seven Japanese poems from a collection called “ Ogura Hyakunin Isshu ,” from around the year 1200. NASA’s ongoing Artemis Program inspired Joseph T. Spaniola’s single-movement work of the same name. The program’s goal is eventually to return humans to the moon. Spaniola divides his piece into six short sections: 1. introduction, 2. trek into orbit, 3. acclimation in orbit, 4. trek to the lunar surface, 5. triumphant arrival on the lunar surface and 6. looking beyond. “Horn of Plenty: New Works for French Horn, vol. 1” is available now from Navona Records and on major streaming platforms. A full track listing and more information are available here . Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. Related Stories WPR Music Album of the Week: ‘Life is a Dream’ WPR Music Album of the Week: ‘Beethoven and the Italians’ WPR Music New Album of the Week: Orchestral works of Mel Bonis WPR Music new album of the week: ‘Martines: The Complete Keyboard Works’ WPR Music new album of the week: ‘Violin Café’