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A few weeks ago [in 2006!] a question came up on “the hornlist” about Telemann and his works for horn. Someone asked what else there was out there besides the Concerto in D. Several works came up in the replies, but I did not have time at that point to add some more detail on the topic. Today I got to thinking about Telemann again, after speaking to a visiting hornist.
Baroque horn literature has become an interest of mine in the last couple years. There are quite a number of great Baroque works for horn out there that are only rarely performed!
Telemann really liked the horn
As to Telemann specifically, his Concerto in D is listed in the thematic catalog of his works as a concerto for Corno da caccia (hunting horn). This work was composed between 1708 and 1714 and is just one of a large number of works by Telemann that feature the horn in a soloistic role. In addition to this work Telemann composed at least six concertos for two horns and strings (two in D, two in E-flat, and two in F), a concerto in F with two horns in a larger solo ensemble, a concerto in D for three horns, violin, and strings, and at least nineteen overtures and suites which have two to four solo horn parts.
Many of these works would be well suited to performance on a descant or triple horn. Of these works above, those that are in print include:
Telemann: Concerto for 2 Horns in F, TWV 52:F3 (RD Editions)
Telemann: Concerto for 2 Horns in F, TWV 52:F4 (RD Editions)
Telemann: Concerto for 2 Horns in F, Oboe & Recorder, Bassoon, 2 Violins, 2 Cellos, and Strings (RD Editions)
Telemann: Concerto for 2 Horns in E-flat, TWV 52:Es1 (RD Editions)
Telemann: Concerto for 2 Horns in E-flat and 2 Violins, TWV 54:Es1 (RD Editions)
Telemann: Concerto for 3 Horns in D and Violin, TWV 54:D2 (RD Editions)
Telemann: Suite in F Major for 2 Horns in F (International)
Below is one of the many Telemann concertos for 2 horns, performed with a period instrument group. Audiences must have really liked the novelty of horns with orchestra at the time.
Tell me there is more!
Besides these, there are other works from the period very worthy of performance by composers such as Quantz, Rollig, Graun, and Vivaldi that are in print and easily available. Dare to perform a Baroque concerto, there are many to chose from, and a number of them lie in a favorable range for the modern horn player.
