Michael P. Atkinson, Horns
Recorded in January 2015 at Hollow Bone Studio.  Engineered and Mastered by Dave Nelson.  

Program Notes: 

Nasty Fucker - mvm 2 - “Antiphonal"
Nasty Fucker was written in 2007 for flutes and electronics and was recorded by Claire Chase. It has since been adapted for clarinet by Joshua Rubin, and I am extremely thrilled and impressed by the horn version of the piece by Michael P. Atkinson. 
Nasty Fucker is a three movement piece.  The second movement (“Antiphonal”) uses octave transposition and reverb to add bass, space, and darkness to a mid-range part along with a sense of call and response. The bass effect would be the choir in that case and the clean instrument the solo singer.  Conceptually, the movement is about what’s below and the vastness of distance and perspective.
When flutist Rachel Lumsden asked me to write this piece for her, I said that I would do it as long as I don’t have to name it something frilly like “Beloved Blossoms of Yore” or some profound line in pseudo Latin. She barked back “You can call it Nasty Fucker if you want”. And so I did.
-Mikael Karlsson

Duet No. 1 and No. 5
These duets were written out of a desire to add more contemporary techniques and characters to the repertoire of horn music.  No. 1 was written in 2006, and is a collection of  episodes alternating between whimsy and capriciousness.  I borrow a theme from the first movement of Sir Michael Tippett's unique Sonata for Four Horns.  No. 5 was written in 2009 and is a bit more conventional in technique but explores a wide range  through an intense series of counterpoint which builds slowly to an unexpected conclusion.  
-Michael P. Atkinson

Duet No. 5 - Michael P. Atkinson

Nasty F*cker - mvm 2 - "Antiphonal" - Mikael Karlsson

Duet No. 1 - Michael P. Atkinson

Solo Hornist of The Knights, independent musician active in NYC. 

michaelatkinsonmusic

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