Dennis Brain: A life in music

The British horn player Dennis Brain (1921?1957) is commonly described by such statements as ?the greatest horn player of the 20th Century,? "a genius,? and "a legend." He was both a prodigy and populariser, famously performing a concerto on a garden hose in perfect pitch. On his usual concert instrument his tone was of unsurpassed beauty and clarity, complemented by a flawless technique. The recordings he made with Herbert von Karajan of Mozart?s horn concerti are considered the definitive interpretations. Stephen Gamble and William Lynch have conducted numerous interviews with family, friends, and colleagues and uncovered information in the BBC archives and other lesser known sources about recordings that were previously unknown. This volume describes Brain?s life and analyses in depth his musical career. Its appendices of information on performances will appeal to music historians, and its details on Brain?s instruments and equipment will be useful to horn players.