Olivia Esther, Victor Prado, Joyce Lai, Stephanie Chua - The Horn Speaks (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. 3 Miniatures: No. 1, Follow It Home
02. 3 Miniatures: No. 2, The Back of Your Ear
03. 3 Miniatures: No. 3, The Explanation
04. The Sun
05. 3 Pieces for 2 Horns: No. 1, Echo
06. 3 Pieces for 2 Horns: No. 2, Blackbird
07. 3 Pieces for 2 Horns: No. 3, Berserk
08. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Recitation For Winter
09. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Setting for Solo Horn For Winter
10. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Recitation Sometimes The Summer
11. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Setting for Solo Horn Sometimes The Summer
12. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Recitation A Blessing
13. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Setting for Solo Horn A Blessing
14. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Recitation The Red Deer
15. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Setting for Solo Horn The Red Deer
16. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Recitation Gifts
17. Gifts for Spoken Word & Horn: Setting for Solo Horn Gifts
18. Night Calls: I. Vesper
19. Night Calls: II. Umbra
20. Night Calls: III. The Witching Hour

What if a horn could speak? What stories would it tell? On THE HORN SPEAKS, the French horn becomes a singular voice, inviting listeners into an immersive world where music and poetry meet in quiet conversation.

Inspired by poetry and shaped by deep artistic collaboration, composer David Jaeger has created a collection of evocative instrumental art songs that place the French horn at the center of the narrative. Each work is tailored to the artistry of Olivia Esther, whose expressive performance brings these deeply personal compositions to life with sensitivity, warmth, and emotional depth.

Profoundly woven throughout the album are the poems that inspired the music. Spoken recitations are interspersed with the horn’s wistful and contemplative meditations, allowing words and music to illuminate one another. The result is an experience that feels less like listening to a traditional recording and more like attending an intimate live performance, where poetry resonates in sound and melody gives voice to reflection.

By turns pensive, lyrical, and deeply moving, THE HORN SPEAKS invites listeners to slow down, listen closely, and enter a rich artistic landscape, which lingers long after the final note has faded.

David Jaeger composer
Olivia Esther French horn

Sara Schabas soprano
Victor Prado French horn
Stephanie Chua piano
Joyce Lai violin