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In recent years I have seen repeated references to an “exposition” of the first Strauss horn concerto. What makes it very puzzling is the people I see making the assertion that Straus 1 has an exposition are people with college music degrees. Thus, our first Public Service Announcement of 2021.
Classical era concertos and sonatas almost always have a first movement in sonata form. Sonata form movements in brief have three sections:
- Exposition
- Development
- Recapitulation
This is something that should have been covered in college in an early music history or music theory class, and probably both. If you have not had these courses and are reading this now, the Wikipedia has a handy article on the topic well worth skimming over, as understanding sonata form is a must!
The first movements of the Mozart concertos are all in sonata form with a double exposition. It is pretty obvious how the exposition relates to the recapitulation and the overall form presented in the horn part.
Then we turn back to Strauss 1. The first movement does not have an exposition because it is not in sonata form.
At this point some of you are thinking wait, then what is the form of Strauss 1:1? There is a longer answer to this, but in the big picture, thinking simply, the movement is through-composed in terms of the horn part. Nothing comes back, it is just one musical idea after another. The orchestral materials that bookend the horn solo sections are related, but that does not make the movement sonata form.
The reason for this PSA is that I have seen audition requirements that ask for the exposition of Strauss 1. As near as I can tell those people are thinking of the opening call and the following lyric section with the high Bb’s as being the “exposition.” The first 1/3 of the piece roughly.
PLEASE, if you are creating an audition list spell out what you want clearly. And don’t ask for the exposition, because Strauss 1:1 is not in sonata form and does not have an exposition. Thank you.
