66 Festive & Famous Chorales for Band: 2nd F Horn Book

Erickson's approach to these chorales strips away unnecessary complexity while preserving the harmonic richness that makes each piece musically substantial. Second horn players get genuine melodic and harmonic responsibility throughout, avoiding the thankless filler parts that plague many band arrangements. The collection's breadth means you can program works spanning centuries and styles without leaving this single volume.

These chorales embrace the warmth and resonance that makes the horn voice essential to band voicing. You'll experience the security of melodically and harmonically clear writing that lets you listen inward while maintaining the ensemble's balance.

Second horn players in concert band programs looking for substantial repertoire that develops both musicianship and ensemble awareness. This book works equally well for high school intermediate sections, collegiate reading rehearsals, and community bands seeking accessible yet rewarding material.

• Balance the chorale's internal SATB voicing by listening for all four parts equally; resist letting the uppermost line dominate and check that your harmonic movement supports rather than contradicts the first horn line.
• Shape phrases by noting where the harmonic rhythm changes, even in slower chorales; these shifts often reveal the composer's intended breathing points and give direction to otherwise static passages.
• Approach intonation from the harmonic perspective rather than just interval-by-interval; verify that you're supporting the second horn's role in building chord resonance, especially in richer voicings.
• Adjust vibrato width and speed to match the character of each chorale; some demand stillness while others benefit from a gentle, vocal-like warmth that mirrors how singers approach these texts.

Use these as extended warm-ups at the start of rehearsal when you need to build intonation and phrasing awareness without eating into repertoire time. The collection also serves as filler for concerts where a short, graceful interlude bridges heavier works, or as an entire opening set for pops programs and community events.

• Harmonic awareness and voice independence within four-part writing
• Phrase shaping and breathing in lyrical contexts
• Intonation adjustment within chord structures
• Balance and blend in small ensemble sections
• Reading and interpreting articulation and dynamic subtlety across diverse styles