The horn is surely the most “romantic” of instruments, and it is a well-known fact that it plays a prominent role in Weber’s oeuvre. Der Freischütz and Oberon would be unthinkable without their horn calls, whether to signify yearning or the clarion call of the hunt. But Weber did more than give the instrument important solo parts in his operas; he also wrote a virtuoso concert piece that to this day is regarded as one of the most difficult in the whole horn repertoire – not least because the soloist has to play three-part chords (!) in the cadenza. This Henle Urtext edition is based on the autograph, the engraver’s copy (checked by Weber himself) and the first edition, and so offers the best possible musical text for those wishing to learn this highly effective virtuoso piece. The Preface also for the first time provides biographical details of Sebastian Rauch, the Munich horn player who commissioned this Concertino.
