Recognize its sound from a commercial? This horn will take center stage at concert

At this year’s Kansas City Horn Club holiday concert, two horns are sure to stand out.

A Horns for The Holidays concert Dec. 7 in Leawood will include a performance by two alphorns.

“The alphorn, better known as the ‘Ricola’ horn from the commercial, is a historic instrument,” said Christian Straif, who will be one of the alphorn performers.

“From the 17th to 19th centuries, alphorns were used in the Alps for signaling between high pastures and communities in the valleys. The alphorn sounds can carry for several miles, producing a unique, colorful and rich sound different from modern horns. It will be an extraordinary opportunity for the audience to experience the sound of the Alps.”

Straif was born in Austria and began playing the French horn at the age of 9.

“I was enchanted by its beautiful sounds during my childhood,” he said. “My uncle also played horn and his playing inspired me.”

By 15, he was regularly performing as a soloist with a local community orchestra.

About nine years ago, Straif said he was searching the internet for new and unknown horn literature and came across a composition by Gavin Lendt.

“This was long before I knew my professional career would bring me to the Kansas City area, where I would eventually meet Gavin,” he said.

Straif has worked with Scheuch, an Austrian environmental technologies company, for more than 30 years. In 2023, he decided to relocate and work for the company’s U.S. division in Lenexa.

While looking for local music groups to play with, Straif found the Kansas City Horn Club and signed up for the group’s concert last April.

“At the first rehearsal, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Gavin is the music director of the KC Horn Club,” he said.

Lendt — who composes music, produces audio and video content, and plays the horn — said the group was going to perform a popular piece called “The Spirit of the Alphorn“ and acquired an alphorn from local player, Jerry Old.

“However, when we received the instrument, we realized it was in the key of A-flat, while the piece required an alphorn in F. As a result, we decided to set the piece aside for the time being,” Lendt said.

Straif mentioned to Lendt he had an alphorn in F.

“Since the horn club now had access to alphorns in both A-flat and F, I thought, ‘Why not arrange a Christmas piece for both?’,” Lendt said.

“However, due to the limited notes the alphorn can play, it was challenging to find a familiar Christmas tune that would work. So, I decided to compose an original carol called ‘Alpine Carol’.

“By incorporating both the A-flat and F alphorns, I was able to add unique harmonies and colors to the piece, creating a fresh, distinctive sound for the carol.”

Straif will play the alphorn in A-flat and horn club member Tracy Blizman will be playing the alphorn in F.

Lendt said there were particular qualities of the alphorn he wanted to highlight in his composition.

“I wanted to emphasize its rich, resonant tone and unique timbre, which has a deeply earthy and almost mystical quality,” Lendt said. “I aimed to highlight its ability to create powerful, sustained notes that evoke the natural beauty of mountainous landscapes.

“Additionally, I wanted to explore the instrument’s expressive range, including its harmonic overtones and dynamic shifts, to capture both its traditional alpine character and its potential for conveying a wide emotional spectrum.”

Straif said the alphorn has no lateral openings or means of adjusting the pitch, so only about 20 notes of the natural harmonic series are available over three octaves.

“Practicing the Alphorn involves getting used to the different resistance and resonance of the wooden instrument,” Straif said.

And finding a spot to practice has its challenges.

“The alphorn is almost 13 feet long and it is not very convenient to practice in small rooms,” Straif said. “Currently, I practice after office hours in our company conference room. However, I also enjoy practicing the Alphorn outside in nature, so do not be surprised if you hear the ‘Ricola’ horn from afar.”

Horns for the Holidays will be performed at 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Leawood United Methodist Church, 2915 W. 95th St.

For more information, go to kchornclub.org.