Horn Concerto No. 4 (Mozart)

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat major, K. 495 was completed in 1786. The work is in three movements:

  • I. Allegro moderato
  • II. Romance (Andante)
  • III. Rondo (Allegro vivace)

The manuscript was written with multicolored inks, perhaps in a jocular attempt to rattle the intended performer (Leitgeb). Flanders and Swann used the Rondo movement for the tune of their song "Ill Wind".

This concerto is one of Mozart's two horn concerti to have ripieno horns (horns included in the orchestra besides the soloist), though in contrast to K. 417, the solo horn in this one duplicates the first ripieno horn's part in the tutti passages.[1]

[edit] Discography

Given its duration (no more than 20 minutes) it is quite common to find this Horn Concerto on the same CD as Mozart's other three, or in boxed sets of Mozart's concerti for wind instruments or even all his concerti. The Naxos Records CD "Complete Works for Horn & Orchestra" includes, besides the concerti, three rondos for horn and orchestra completed by musicologists.

Fred Rizner has recorded this concerto together with K. 447 with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by José Luis García Asensio on a Summit disc which also includes the Clarinet Concerto, K. 622 (with clarinetist Joaquin Valdepeñas).

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ralph Leavis, "Mozart's Last Horn Concerto" Music & Letters 34, 4 (1953): 316
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Horn concertos by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart