Thistle, Robert

Robert Thistle was born in 1945 in Salem, Massachusetts. Music played a role in his life since his earliest days, when he came home from kindergarten singing Humperdinck’s “Fourteen Angels” from the opera “Hansel and Gretel” that he had learned that day. His musicality was furthered in the nest of the home, where all in the family were musically active. While searching for the appropriate musical instrument, the moment of decision arrived after hearing “The Waltz of the Flowers” from Tschaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite”: it had to be the horn! For his high school graduation ceremony and as audition piece for his college studies, R. Thistle played the Rondo of Mozart’s Fourth Horn Concerto. After his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, he went on for a Master’s in Horn, while receiving instruction in piano, composition and voice. He was active outside of college as an orchestral horn player, horn teacher, as well as tenor soloist in churches and in an opera club. Boston was and remains full of cultural inspiration, as were the summers spent at Dartmouth College, where R. Thistle made the acquaintance of Music Director Mario di Bonaventura and such famous composers-in-residence as Aaron Copland, Witold Lutoslawski and Hans Werner Henze. Before R. Thistle continued his musical life in Europe, he played many concert tours for three years of service in the U.S. Army throughout his native land.

Soon after arriving in Europe, R. Thistle won his first orchestral position with the Nuremberger Symphoniker and from there went on to play with the Philharmonia Hungarica and the Municipal Orchestral of Wuppertal before beginning his present position in Cologne with the Gürzenich Orchestra, playing horn and Wagner tuba and teaching his instrument at the Cologne music school. Composition and chamber music always played an important part of life. A significant moment was the discovery that his wife Ingeborg Thistle had written poetry under her maiden name of Reimann. Synesthesie was flowing strongly in the warm atmosphere of Ingeborg’s art studio in the moment that her words revealed their latent potential for a musical setting.


• Romantische Suite für Horn und Klavier (RTWV 14)
  Romantic Suite for Horn and Piano (RTWV 14)
  The premiere of this composition from 1992 took place in October, 1995 in a chamber music concert of the Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne.
  The recorded version is under ISMN M-50000-538-4, www.Haas-Koeln.de
  
  
• Duets for two horns (RTWV 17) Rhythmical contrasts and range increase from movement to movement. (ISMN M-2054-0950-0)
  Published at: www.Haas-Koeln.de Miniatures for horn and piano (RTWV 18)
  In these selections for the young horn player special consideration was given not only to the playing range in the first years of instruction, but also to motivation and broadening of musical interest. (ISMN M-2054-0951-7) Published at: www.Haas-Koeln.de
  
  
• Three Poems of Ingeborg Reimann (RTWV 15)
  Three emotional moments in the life of a young woman are expressed in both lyrics and in the musical setting for mezzo-soprano voice, horn and piano.
  The premiere took place in Eitorf, Germany on August, 1999.
  Published at: www.Haas-Koeln.com
  En three volumes:
  
• de Hope: ISMN M-50000-986-3;
  
• Autumn Day at Twilight: ISMN M-50000-987-0;
  
• Life: ISMN M-50000-988-7 Bagatelle for horn and piano (RTWV 13)
  
  
• This piece of two minutes length is a good choice as a humorous encore. Premiere in May, 1993. Published at: www.Haas-Koeln.de (ISMN M-50000-539-1)
  
  
• Cologne Concerto (RTWV 11) Horn and trumpet come together for a good time,
  whether at a party, a reception or whatever. Published at:
  www.Haas-Koeln.de (ISMN M-2054-0953-1)
  
  
• Visions for trumpet, horn and organ (RTWV 16) The premiere took place in 2000 in the Altenberg Cathedral near Cologne. The Visions were composed for the special acoustics in a large church. Published at: www.Haas-Koeln.de (ISMN M-50000-793-7)
  
  See the Flayer: Robert Thistle: PDF
  
  See the CD Composer Portrait

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