Composed in 1883, the Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 11 is music of the young 19-year-old Richard Strauss.
“We sense his young confidence,” says William Caballero, Principal horn player of the Pittsburgh Symphony. “We also hear the gentle, warm, reflective side of Strauss.”
Even as a teenager, Strauss knew the horn intimately. His father, Franz Strauss, was the respected first horn player of the Munich Court Orchestra. Strauss inscribed the manuscript of the piano score with the words, “To my dear father.” But the elder Strauss found the Concerto to be unplayable. He passed it on to his student, Bruno Hoyer, who premiered it with piano accompaniment in Munich. The orchestral premiere came in March of 1885, with Gustav Leinhos and the Meiningen Orchestra.
The horn is an instrument associated with adventure and the majestic outdoors. Horn calls using conch shells or animal horns were used to communicate over vast distances during the hunt. The pitches of the natural (valveless) horn were limited by the harmonic series. Valves, introduced in the early 19th century, allowed the modern horn to play chromatically. Strauss’ Concerto pays homage to ancient sounds of the hunt, while simultaneously exploring the possibilities of the modern valved instrument.
The Concerto’s first movement (Allegro) begins with a bold and striking horn call, infused with the majestic dotted rhythms of a fanfare. Although Strauss would later embrace the dramatic progressivism of Wagner, this youthful music is rooted in the lightness and sparkle of Schumann and Mendelssohn. An intimate, jubilant dialogue unfolds between the solo horn and the instrumental voices of the orchestra.
As with Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, the second movement (Andante) begins without pause. Moving to A-flat minor, it is a tender and lamenting nocturnal romance. The clarinet and bassoon join in a wistful conversation. As the movement unfolds, the horn emerges as a tragic and heroic voice.
Beginning with an introductory bridge, the final movement (Allegro) is a rondo filled with blazing virtuosity. Amid sunny adventures, there are echoes of themes from the preceding movements. Just before the coda, there is a moment of serene introspection which foreshadows Strauss works to come. Then, with dazzling leaps in the horn from the highest to lowest register, the music gallops to its conclusion.
This 2018 Grammy-nominated live concert recording features William Caballero with conductor Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra:
I. Allegro:
II. Andante:
III. Rondo. Allegro:
Recordings
- Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 11, TrV 117, William Caballero, Manfred Honeck, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Reference Recordings
Featured Image: “Hunting near Hartenfels Castle” (1540), Lucas Cranach the Elder