Anthony Randall – Swings and Roundabouts (Horn in F or Tenor Horn in E Flat & Piano)

Trinity College London Grade 1 Exam Piece for Horn in F until the 31st December 2025

London College of Music Grade 1 Exam Piece for Horn in F until further notice

Supplied with both Horn in F and Tenor Horn in E Flat parts, this lovely horn solo, for a student is his/her first year, covers a minimal range with very simple rhythms. The composer has cleverly highlighted the horn part with an interesting and harmonically rich piano accompaniment encouraging the soloist to perform the piece. This work was a Guildhall School of Music and Drama grade 1 exam piece for Horn in F between 1996 and 2003, and was an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) grade 1 exam piece for Horn in F between 1998 and 2012. The work has been a London College of Music exam piece since 1994 and a Trinity College London grade 1 exam piece since 2004.

Review: “Anthony Randall’s Swings and Roundabouts for horn and piano can be played by the elementary hornist after only a few weeks of instruction. The horn part is restricted to the range of an octave (with only one accidental) and remains in the instruments most playable register. For the most part, the melody progresses in a stepwise manner with occasional leaps outlining simple chords. Although the solo part is elementary in its technical demands, Randall creates enough diversity in the horns melodic line to maintain interest. A great deal of the harmonic and melodic substance is provided by richly scored chords and countermelodies in the piano accompaniment. This solo most certainly adds something of interest to the limited solo repertoire available for the beginning horn student.” – David Pinkow in American Music Teacher June/July 1997

Biography

Randall, Anthony

Born in Neath, South Wales, Anthony Randall graduated from the University of Wales, Cardiff with an Honours Music Degree. He was awarded a scholarship to study horn, conducting and composition at the Royal Academy of Music. There followed a distinguished career as a horn player with the major London orchestras and solo performances in London, Aldeburgh, Edinburgh and Lucerne. He has conducted the Royal Philharmonic, the National Philharmonic and the English Chamber Orchestras, the London Mozart Players and more than two hundred broadcasts for the BBC, some of which included his own compositions and arrangements. Recordings include Mozart's 21st piano concerto with pianist Earl Wild and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and, for the film 'Duet for One' Bruch's 1st Violin Concerto with Nigel Kennedy and the Sinfonia of London. From 1983 to 1996 he was Professor of Horn and Head of Brass at the London College of Music, and in 2001 retired from the Royal Military School of Music Kneller Hall where he was Professor of Horn for eleven years.