The Classical Music Years: Biography and Photos Open PDF


Olympic Fanfares - Fred Fennell, conducting - 1978
The Cleveland Symphonic Winds, Ralph Wagnitz, 2nd Horn
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English Folk Song Suite - Ralph Vaughn Williams
The Cleveland Symphonic Winds, Fred Fennell, conducting - 1978, Ralph Wagnitz, 2nd Horn
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Lincolnshire Posy - Percy Grainger
The Cleveland Symphonic Winds, Fred Fennell, conducting - 1978 - Ralph Wagnitz, 2nd Horn
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Ralph Wagnitz notes:

What few people realize or know is that the core wind players in these recordings were the core members of The Cleveland Orchestra winds, brass, and percussion sections! The ensemble was enhanced with outstanding local talent in the additional clarinets, flutes, etc. etc. As members of The Cleveland Orchestra these recordings were a fresh output for us. What a marvelous "distraction" from the hum and drum of the typical orchestral music and recordings - and yes, as some reviewers note we had FUN recording with Fred! And, this was Severance Hall at it's heyday - sad to say the vibrant acoustics were compromised by the rebuild of the hall in the 1990s. Enjoy.



Beethoven, 'Emperor' Piano Concerto #5 - 1st movement, LP 1983
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano & Conductor
The Cleveland Orchestra, Ralph Wagnitz, 2nd Horn
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Movement 3 Download MP3 Ralph Wagnitz notes:

This is my last recording with The Cleveland Orchestra, 1983. Some of the best classic 2nd horn solos in the literature. Movement 1 Reference is approx. 14:35. Movement 3 Reference is approx. 7:40. Vladmir Ashkenazy conducted us as well as performed. Vladimir came up to me at the recording sessions and told me that my solos were 'the best he had ever heard, both in articulation and style". There could be no better praise for my last recording with the magnificent Cleveland Orchestra!




Bruckner, Symphony #8 - 3rd movement, May, 1979
The Cleveland Orchestra, Ralph Wagnitz, 2nd Horn
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Ralph Wagnitz notes:

During the 1979-1980 season our music director, Lorin Maazel conducted some 19 performances of the Bruckner 8th Symphony. Three performances were in Severance Hall in May, 1979 (this recording). We went on tour to Europe in the fall of 1979 and performed the piece another 15 times on a tour that was 24 cities in 28 days! The final performance was in Carnegie Hall in early 1980. I was especially proud to play the lonesome 2nd horn solo in this 3rd movement perfectly in all of those 19 performances. Also this performance exhibits the quality of our horn section and the Wagner tuben players in the ending quartet sections...first by horns 1-4 and finally by the tubens 5-8.



Mahler, Symphony #9 - 1st movement, 1981
The Cleveland Orchestra, Ralph Wagnitz, 2nd Horn
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Ralph Wagnitz notes:

Another of those rare opportunities for me as Second Horn. My performance of the opening solos, first, my stopped horn (using my hand!) then the following open solo horn was another proud Cleveland Orchestra moment for me. This wonderful performance of Mahler Symphony #9, 1st Movement was again conducted by our music director, Lorin Maazel in a live performance in Severance Hall in 1981. (there is a small skip from damage in the old cassette tape recording).



The Rite of Spring - Igor Stravinsky, 1980
The Cleveland Orchestra, Ralph Wagnitz, 2nd Horn
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Ralph Wagnitz notes:

Another of my Second Horn solos at the beginning with bassoonist George Goslee. This recording from 1980 and one of the best of the Rite of Spring by music director Lorin Maazel conducting. Telarc made awesome recordings but some of the percussion were right at the edge of distortion. Unfortunately my dubbing to mp3 captured actual distortion.