# Mozart Horn Concertos



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Mozart wrote four Horn Concertos which are a particular favourite of mine. They were written for his friend Joseph Leutgeb whom he had known since childhood. Leutgeb was a skilled player, as the works are very difficult to perform on the natural horn of the period, requiring lip trills, much hand-stopping, and rapid tonguing. Mozart had a curious joking relationship with Leutgeb, seen for instance in the mocking comments he placed in Leutgeb's horn parts. K. 417 bears the mock dedication: "Wolfgang Amadé Mozart takes pity on Leutgeb, ***, ox, and simpleton, at Vienna, March 27, 1783". Letters from the end of Mozart's life suggests that Leutgeb didn't mind the teasing and that the two had a good friendship.

There are many, many recordings available. What are ones you particularly like and why?


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

This one: 






Actually I have three sets, Brain/HvK (as part of a huge HvK box set). Civil/ASMF on Pentatone, (bought in the early days of SACD), and David Jolley/Orpheus. I probably listen to Orpheus the most.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

One cycle I like is Linder/Swarowsky/Vienna State Opera Orchestra. Jones/Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra also do a good job with these concertos.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

There are numerous versions out there and some are very good, but for me there's one which is *the* benchmark for the rest - Dennis Brain accompanied by the Philharmonia Orch.in its glorious heyday, conducted by Karajan with a brio and understanding which some might consider uncharacteristic but which worked superbly well on this occasion. This is one of the all-time great recordings, and I challenge anyone to come up with even one example of equally polished and musical French horn playing, let alone more so.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

in chronological order of recording - both terrific - 
Brain/Karajan/Philharmonia/EMI/ '53
Clevenger/Rolla/Franz Liszt CO/CBS-Masterworks/ '86

Both soloists are fabulous, and the accompaniments are skillfully done. with Clevenger, you get the Rondo K.371, and the incomplete concerto fragment, K.494A as well.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

My favorites:

Brain/Karajan
Civil/Klemperer
Tuckwell/Maag
Tuckwell/ECO
Tuckwell/Marriner
Jolley/Mayer
Brown/Brown


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## Star (May 27, 2017)

If you want the concertos as Mozart might have heard them then Halstead is superb.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Brain- Karajan and al the Tuckwell's recordings.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Pip Eastop is an exciting version with many occasional highly flatulent moments...authentic?


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