HORN SONATA NO. 1 is the first piece I wrote with the horn as the featured instrument. As a horn player, I wanted to ensure it would be an excellent experience for both the listener and the horn player. The composition comprises three movements, which can be played together as a set or individually. The first movement starts with an assertive opening call, foreshadowing the mood of the rest of the movement. Long and winding, it builds towards a climactic fast-paced horn passage and a final fanfare at the end. The second is a polar opposite from before, being soothing in demeanor—the piano and horn blending to create an intimate setting. Like the first, the third movement wastes no time with the piano’s forceful opening statement. The whole sonata comes to a close with an extravagant finale finish.

From Thomas’s Program Note