THE SINGING HORN from classical hornist and folk vocal artist Mary Beth Orr bridges the divide between opposites — folk and classical, raw and refined, life and loss. The first five tracks of the album flow like a song cycle, interweaving folk and classical elements, and culminating in the haunting beauty of “Oh Death.” Later, we hear Good and True, inspired by the birthing song of the Dagara Tribe as described by Sobonfu Somé. The works harness the synergy of horn and voice as vessels for storytelling. Anchored by heartfelt reflections on motherhood, love, and grief, THE SINGING HORN is an artistic testament to the bittersweet complexity of human experience. 

Life and our collective human experience is what I believe makes our connection to music so strong, regardless of genre. The two genres that have defined my life just happen to be categorized as opposites, folk/mountain and classical/symphonic music. But can’t we all be a little of many things? Can’t we be defined by more than one love, one category, one idea? It is my hope this musical journey helps us all come to terms with the opposites within us. That maybe we are all a fusion of many things, some of which could be considered opposites. And that fusion is beautiful, nuanced, and powerful.

Folk music is celebrated for being unfiltered, unrefined, and viscerally authentic, while classical is viewed as almost an academic exploration of refinement and perfection to a fault. I believe it leads to an unrealistic expectation of perfection that has hamstrung the modern classical artist into hyper technical performances emphasizing clinical perfection over passion. It becomes an Olympic sport rather than the deeply emotional exploration of the human experience it was intended to be. I wanted to bring more of a raw quality to the “classical” elements of this project and made a conscious decision to minimize editing to perfection and over producing as much as possible. Folk music requires just as much dedication to technique and craft. Both genres require vulnerability, dedication, virtuosity, artistry, and transparency. Both genres explore the ideas of God, Nature, Love, Life, and Death expertly. Both genres are in the business of connecting us through sound and telling our very human stories through music.

I encourage you to approach the first five tracks of this album as a complete set, maybe even as a song cycle, following the fluidity of the two genres as they weave in and out of each other, coming full circle with Oh Death, the culmination of a full life.

Following selections include both my arrangements and interpretations on these ideas of fusion, as well as the original works from Vox Novus’ Fifteen Minutes of Fame Project — a collection of 15 one-minute works commissioned specifically for me, utilizing horn and voice as a medium for storytelling.

Of the most intimate and special to me of all these is Good and True. During a time where my husband and I were struggling with our journey to have a child, a friend gave me some writings of Sabonfu Somé where she speaks about the birthing song of the Dagara Tribe. While I have come to find out there are certain conflicts about what turned into a bit of a viral story, it touched me nonetheless.

The birth practice involves a Dagara woman going on a type of vision quest when the time comes she wants to conceive. She sits under a tree and meditates until she hears her baby’s song. While there’s more to the story, the element of sitting in peace and stillness until I literally hear my baby’s melody, moved me in a profound way. I had been on a strong internal meditation and prayer journey for some time, so I started dedicating that time to “listening” for my little one.

As his melody came, then the lyrics, I began to realize, this song was not just a song for my future unborn child, but also for my beautiful step-children, who are the so-very-loved bonus babies that have blessed my life these last 18 years. Though they are no longer babies, and may not have come from my body, they completely fill my heart. So, this song is dedicated to them as well, and all the mothers of all kinds, whether biological or spiritual, practical, or metaphorical.

This album is truly the manifestation of a labor of love. Through the course of recording it I experienced the birth of my first biological child and the death of my mother. My family and I experienced many losses during this time, family members, friends, beloved pets… and experienced amazing joys and successes. The blessing of my son came after many years of trying, and the opportunity to put my soul into my dream project became a reality. In short, a whole lot of life. So, let this album be a love letter to my life, and to yours.

— Mary Beth Orr