Introduction
In this research paper, I will talk about the history of horn from past to present. Because horn in classical period was different, the valves of horn were not invented.
Mozart’s concerto in Eb major for Horn and Orchestra, K. 417 is the piece I choose, because every horn player knows this piece and want to play this piece. I want to analyze this piece to help horn player to understand more and to organize this piece how to play.
I will focus on the historical of horn, classical period and the rhythm, form textual, harmonic analysis and phrase structure about this piece. The first movement of this piece is a sonata form. In this research paper, I will talk about how Mozart puts sonata form in first movement and the key relation. I will discuss the analysis the form structure, but also the compression/expansion, rhythmic contrast and the transition parts. In the past, people thought this horn concerto was the second horn concerto that Mozart wrote. However, it is not. I will talk about all four-horn concerti of Mozart, particularly the years that Mozart wrote.
I’ve though the thesis about this topic, I know what I believe about it, and I know how to organize it.
First of all, I want to talk about the historical development of horn. In the past, horn was no valves. Every horn player has to use their right hand to control every notes. Mozart four horn concerti were the famous pieces of classical period. In the baroque era, horn means the horns from animal, speciously from goats. People in this period used horn to hunting.
Presently, some people said horn is ‘’French horn’’. However, it is no big relation with France. But why they called French horn? Because opera orchestra in France used so many horn in, and made people know horns. That is why they still called horn as French horn.
Horn was from England and develops in Germany. The original horn in Germany was natural horn. Players used right hand to control every notes. It means they cannot control every note clearly and perfectly. In the present, natural horn still popular in Germany and England. They believe natural horn can make the pure sound of horn.
In nineteenth century, the valves were invented. This invention made horn players play horn easily. Range for horn was easier from lower range to high range. Because horn players can play horn without right hand to control notes. Many skills were difficult for natural horn to play, such as lip-trills, hand-stopped, and rapid tonguing. However, Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber still used four natural horns to describe forest in the overture of Der Freischütz. At the act 3, he was keeping used natural horns to be hunting. It means the original horn was a important role for hunting.
Horn is one of the hardest instruments because mouthpiece is small and horn body can be 12.1 foot. Horn developed many different kinds, normally according to keys. Single horns used one key, F key. Double horns used F and Bb keys. Triple horns used F, Bb and High F key; High F key makes players play high notes more easily. Natural horns have no valves and Vienna horns use the piston valves. F key horn makes sound warmer. In the other hand, B flat key makes sound brighter. Horn in orchestra has a special position because horn has two different sounds. That makes horn to join brass or wind section more easily.
Second, I will talk about the form in this horn concerto. In classical period, sonata form was very famous and every composer in this era liked to use this form. Exposition has two themes in different key. Normally second theme is the dominant key of the first theme. Transition is between first and second themes. Composer in classical era always put same key when exposition ended. Development opening always the same key of the exposition ended and puts many different keys in. The end of development is a re-transition. This will take the development to recapitulation and the key of the recapitulation opening is the same key of the exposition. Recapitulation usually has same themes from exposition. But themes will be little different, like variation.
Rondo form has two parts what are five-part and seven-part, including ABACA and ABACAB’A or ABACADA. Rondo form always closes with a refrain’s presentation or a coda refers to refrain.
This is a concerto sonata form in first movement, which includes orchestral (ritornello), solo exposition, development and recapitulation. But the first horn solo exposition is different from the first orchestra ritornello. The development part of this piece also modulated to many keys: Bb minor, Db major, eb minor, f minor and back to the home key in Eb Major. The last development section to the Orchestral Exposition since measure 112-115 is basic on c minor and he puts two Germen sixth in measure 112 and 113 in c minor which is a relate minor key of the home key. Measure 112 is an octave lower than Measure 113. At measure 116-117, Mozart used a Perfect Authentic Cadence in Eb Major. It is a recapitulation in the first movement at measure 117. All the orchestral are the same like the orchestra opening. The recapitulation is the same themes until Mozart changed the melody and rhythm to make this theme more expansion. But, this theme still has the same idea of the second theme of the exposition.
Second movement of this horn concerto is an Andante in Bb Major. Mozart puts a melodic link in orchestral and solo part is the same melody like the orchestra beginning of this movement. Mozart used two themes and some melodic link to connect all movement. The first four measures of the solo part showed up three times in this movement and one bar before this showed up, Mozart puts the same melodic link in orchestra or solo part.
This third movement is a rondo form. A section repeated four times. Mozart putted coda in the last section. And speeded the tempo to make this piece more excited.
Third, Mozart wrote four concerti for Joseph Ignaz Leutgeb, who was the principal horn in the Orchestra of Archbishop of the Salzburg. Their friendship is evident in the original score that Mozart wrote so many teasing words for Leutgeb. Joseph Ignaz Leutgeb was a virtuosic player, for whom all concertos that Mozart wrote. Many skills were difficult for natural horn to play, such as lip-trills, hand-stopped, and rapid tonguing. The correct order of these four concertos is No.2 (1783), No.4 (1786), No.3 (1784-1787) and the No.1 (1791) horn concerto in D major (only one of Mozart horn concerti in different key). Many people thinking different way of Mozart no.3 horn concerto because some people thought Mozart wrote the second movement first around 1784, and he continue wrote first and third movement after 1787. In these horn concerti, everyone thought No.3 horn concerto is the fabulous concerto, compares other three concerti because his music was more clearly and rigorously. No.2 horn concerto of Mozart is one of Mozart two concertos without bassoons, and also includes horn in orchestra. Another piece is Mozart’s horn concerto in E flat major, K.495 (No.4 horn concerto). Mozart died on 5 December, 1791. His horn concerto No. 1 in D major was finished in 1791, eight years after his no.2 horn concerto. The incomplete first horn concerto was one of his last works, which consists of only two movements, not three movements. However, this piece was the last one that Mozart wrote, the first movement of this concerto was first horn concerto movement that Mozart wrote in 1782. Presently, we called different order that Mozart wrote horn concerti because the numbers of the order list by Köchel. He researched the works of Mozart and made number for each piece. Köchel made these order numbers by when Mozart started written.
To sum up, Mozart used many musical materials and hard kills in his horn concerti. And let us know the sonata form was popular form in classical period. Compare from past to present, natural horn was harder than horn because they do not have valves. That is why the range of Mozart horn concerti were not big. In fact, the numbers of Mozart’s horn concerti were different than he finished, but Köchel still used the started time to name them which was not finished time.