What are the greatest works for solo French horn?

The French horn is one of the loveliest, most noble of instruments—Robert Schumann called it ‘the soul of the orchestra’, Hector Berlioz, said that it ‘is the voice of the hero, the poet, and the lover.’ It’s no surprise then to find that composers have chosen to write solo work for this marvellous instrument. Here are our picks of the absolute best. Follow the links to find copies of the sheet music.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—4 Horn Concertos

We start with not one piece, but four. One of Mozart’s longest standing friends was the celebrated horn virtuoso Joseph Leutgeb. He wrote four marvellous concertos for him between 1783 and 1791. Of these, Concerto No.1 in D major was actually written last and left unfinished at his death. The second is specially known for its last movement, which was used in the movie JFK and the TV show Little Einsteins. The third has a wonderfully catchy opening movement and a final movement reminiscent the theme from the rondo of the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 22. The fourth concerto is especially known for its tuneful final rondo, which Flanders and Swann memorably parodied in their song ‘Ill Wind’:

Joseph Haydn—Horn Concerto No.1

Haydn wrote two horn concertos, though the authenticity of the second in uncertain. The lively and charming Horn Concerto No.1, composed around 1762–1765, is in any case the most performed of the two. It precedes Mozart’s more popular concertos by almost two decades and serves as an important bridge between Baroque hunting horn traditions and the fully developed classical horn style.

Ludwig van Beethoven—Sonata for Piano and Horn in F major, Op. 17

Beethoven was a relatively unknown composer when, in 1800, he wrote his Sonata for Piano and Horn for the celebrated horn player Giovanni Punto. Still very much indebted to the classical style, its deployment of dramatic gestures, sharp contrasts and playful rhythms nevertheless hint at the mature Beethoven. It is also an important for being one of the first major chamber works for French horn.

Schumann—Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70

Schumann wrote his Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70 in 1849, one of his most productive years for chamber music. Though originally intended for horn, and still most associated with that instrument, he also made version of it for violin, viola and cello. It is significant for being one of the first major Romantic works written for the recently developed valved horn. Clara Schumann wrote that it was ‘"just the sort of piece that I like, brilliant, fresh and passionate.”

Franz Strauss—Nocturno Op. 7

Though less well-known than his more illustrious son Richard, Franz Strauss was nevertheless considerable figure in his day— a conductor, composer and player of the guitar, clarinet, viola and, above all French horn. This gorgeous one movement Nocturno, Op.7 is one of his most famous works. It is defined by a long singing phrases over a richly expressive piano accompaniment.

Richard Strauss—Horn Concertos

Like father, like son. The composer Richard Strauss was profoundly shaped by his horn virtuoso father, so it is no great surprise that he developed an especially affinity for the instrument. This is manifested in his magnificent Horn Concerto No. 1 in Eb of 1882-3 and towards the end of his life his Horn Concerto No.2, finished in 1942. The first concerto, written when he was just 18, is lyrical energetic work in the Romantic tradition. Concerto No.2, originally dedicated to his father is more refined, with a lighter, neoclassical feel. Both are cornerstones of the repertoire.

Camille Saint-Saëns—Morceau de Concert, Op.94

Saint-Saëns wrote his Morceau de Concert (literally ‘Concert Piece’) in 1887, by which time he was an internationally acclaimed composer. For horn and orchestra it is a kind of one movement mini-concerto. It remains one of the most performed solo works for French horn, celebrated for its elegance, emotional depth and virtuosic flair.

Paul Dukas—Villanelle for French Horn and Piano, Op. 37

One of music history’s most self-critical composers, Dukas allowed relatively few of his works to be published. One of these was his was his Villanelle for horn and piano, which was written as a test piece for the Paris Conservatoire in 1906. As befits the title, the piece is light and pastoral in style—a villanelle is a type of rustic dance—though with plenty of virtuosic brilliance.