Aleeia7 JOHANNnS BRAleS AND ‘nS PRENCH KON Presented by Stephen Lyons Seiffert To fulfill the thesis requirement for the degree of Boctor of Musical arts Depertwent of Performance and Pedagogy (French horn) Thesis Director: Dr. Zugene Selhcrst Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester August, 1968Vita Stephen Seiffert was born in Detroit, Michigan, on may 14, 1938. He attended elementary end secondary school in Rochester, Michigen, and graduated from Rochester High School in 1956. iM, Seiffert attended the Hasiman School of liusic until June, 196u, when he received a Eachelor of Music degree in French norn and Husie History end a Performer's Certificete in Frene horn. While et Zastman he played with the Rochester Philnarmonic. Frou 1960 to 1962 Mr. Sciffert attended Brown University and wes principel horn with the Rhode Isiand Philharmonic, He received & Master of Arts degree from Brown in 1963. In the of 1962 he joined the Beltimore sy phony and also started @ Doctor of iusical arts decree et the Peabody Conservatory in Beltimore. In June, 1963, Kr. Seiffert was appointed principal horn of the Buffalo Phiinsrmonic, a pesivicn he aelé until June, 1967. He also continued his studies toward a DMA at the Eastman School. summers Mr. Seiffert hes been Fe Opera, the Auericen Wind Syxphony, has attended the Monteux Conducting School, the Berkshire Ausic Center end hes partici~ since 1964. pated at the Merlboro In septeuber, 1968, Mr. Seiffert will join the faculty at Pennsylvania State University as 4ssistant Professor of Music.PREFACE The music of Johannes Brahzs displays sone of the most effective use of the French horn before the symphonies of Kehler, surpassing the works of Dvorak end even Bruckner in ts heroic use of the instrument. It hes been said that Braius, in writing for the horn, wes attempting to emulate tne principles of orchestration foun music of such composers as Beethoven and Schubert. How he did this, as orckestrational well es tow he synthesized these treditic techniques with the artistic and technical developments of the tine, not to mention his own heroic concept of the in- strument, offers an area for scholarly investietion. This tupie is one which is of interest to brass teachers and players because of Eraams' unique treatment of the instru- is also of interest to Brahus scholars since Brahus' mente I ent of the associations with the horn and his treats 8 tre ment are inportent aspects in the consideration of Brahms as a uusician and a composer. Although the music should always be the most important. consideration in @ study such as this, Brahms’ use of the best be understoud after ering the many influences which caused Brahms to write for the instrument as he did. Ccnsequentiy, before discussing the music, it aL