Adventure is audio project focused on the tenor horn, a brass instrument of the saxhorns family. Founded and performed by Sophie Binet-Budelot, recently awarded "Best Tenor Horn Player" during the 6th European Solo Competition for Brass and Percussion Instruments held in Perth, Scotland, in 2014, this record gathers several standards of the tenor horn repertoire but also some pieces composed exclusively for this record. We can hear lots of instrumental colours, like the piano, the vibraphone, and of course, the brass band.

Why this record?

Life is full of pitfalls, choices & decision-taking. Some of these choices are unfortunately not always easy to take. I had to take now and then some important decisions and tried not to regret them, which is something sometimes really tough.

When I was a teenager, I used to study the French horn, and had someday the opportunity to discover the tenorhorn. This instrument is mainly played in the brass band, a kind of orchestra I always loved, and as far as I remember, it was an instrument I was always interested in… It was a love at first sight, I quickly fell in love of its very special tone. From all the choices I've done in my life, studying & practising the tenorhorn is without any doubt one of the best.

The tenorhorn tone is very similar to my voice. As a shy person, it is for me a terrific medium which helps me to transcend myself. Thus, this record is at once a way to introduce my skills and the beauty of tenorhorn to everyone, and at the same time an opportunity to open my heart, my mind and my feelings, in my own way, to everyone.

Record content

This record only contains pieces originally composed for the tenor horn. There are also two pieces composed for especially for this record: the “Concerto pour saxhorn alto” (Concerto for tenor horn) recorded with the french Brass Band Nord-Pas-de-Calais, composed by Pierre-Antoine Savoyat, and “Le Sourire du Géant” (The Smile of the Giant) recorded with the vibraphonist Sophie Thévenard, composed by Jérémy Chmielarz.

« The concerto for tenor horn is composed of a series of tableaux representing the vision of civilians victim of a war, it's an ode supporting all the people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The first movement describes an air attack, the glissandi of the trombones in the second part evoke planes, you can find in this music a romantic style (Elgar, Malher) and a tribute to Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale. The movement ends in an apocalyptic climax.
The second movement is a ground (basso ostinato — a short, recurring melodic pattern in the bass part of a composition that serves as the principal structural element) inspired by Bach and Buxtehude music. It describes an awful battle scene in ruins full of dead corpses ; you can hear at the end of the movement an SOS signal played by the timpani.
Finally the Finale describes a land battle or civil war scene, the diversity of themes and thematic elements of the whole piece (like the choral or SOS signal) illustrates a great feeling of doubt, and after a martial part and a musical explosion which ends the tableau, the soloist plays a cadenza and brings us in a last part full of optimism supported by the whole brass band. »

« Le Sourire du Géant is a short piece for tenor horn and vibraphone. Inspired as much by the minimalism of Steve Reich as by the fanciful universe of Miyazaki's movies, it's the story of a man and a giant meeting. This face to face is an allegory of doubt and hope, which alternately find their way inside us, like a smile on a gigantic face.
Several melodies come out from a simple narration, some light colours, and repetitive rhythms. They seek at each other, have fun and finally draw our fantasy. »

This record also contains some pieces written by well-known compositors: Peter Graham, Philip Sparke or Bertrand Moren.

It finally includes the “Sonata for Tenor Horn and Piano” composed by John Golland, a major piece.
Set in three movements, this piece describes the frame of mind of this record: the first movement is a fight against death and danger… As you can't always win, here comes the second movement, which is a lament, a painful “au-revoir”. The third movement can be seen as a hopeful finale, as life is a cycle and as our mistakes make us stronger than before.

I'd like to thank Luc Fourneau a lot for his work on the sound recording and producing.