Literature Review: Harmony Kopprasch Volume 1 by Jeffrey Agrell

Jeffrey Agrell, Professor of Horn at the University of Iowa, has added another wonderful and creative concept to his Millennium Kopprasch Series. These ten two-volume sets of Kopprasch’s 60 Etudes for Low Horn focus on performing original, standard etudes in a new, fresh perspective. With the first book focusing on Rhythm, Agrell’s second book focuses on the different harmonic approaches that can be utilized while playing a Kopprasch etude. Where in Rhythm Kopprasch, the music combined various, complex rhythms with the originals note, Harmony Kopprasch allows the focus to be on harmonic elements while maintaining original rhythms for each etude.

For example in Exercise #1, while the original etude starts in the key of C major, Agrell starts the exercise in C harmonic minor for the first eight measures, then switches to G Phrygian for four measures then switches to Ab natural minor. Many intervals are utilized throughout these etudes, and while not every etude is given a transformation in this book, there are enough to keep the musician occupied for a long time. All avenues of harmony are covered within these “new” etudes.

To glean the best results from this series, it is recommended to do the following:

1. Play the original Kopprasch etude in its original key and original rhythm.
2. Play either the Rhythm Kopprasch or Harmony Kopprasch version with a metronome or accompaniment beat (such as Groove Bank). Slow and steady practice helps with hearing the intervals clearly or feeling the proper pulse of the music.

With this series of books, Agrell is continually feeding horn players (and other musicians) an endless supply of creative examples to get them to place contemporary and complex techniques within the framework of standard etudes such as the Kopprasch.

Click here to read my review of Rhythm Kopprasch Volume 1

Click here to purchase the book

Click here to learn more about the book as well as other resources

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Jeffrey Agrell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”