Friedrich Ernst Fesca (1789 - 1826)
Andante and Rondo F-Major for Horn and Orchestra op.39
Friedrich Ernst Fesca´s Andante and Rondo for Horn was composed in spring 1825. It was dedicated according to the print of Simrock 1826 to Johann Christoph Schuncke (1791 - ?) , one of the five sons of Johann Gottfried Schuncke senior. They became all excellent hornists. The brother of J. Christoph Schuncke, Gottfried (1777 - 1861) had a son, named Ludwig Schuncke. He wrote the Duo concertant that is also published here. There are more information about the family Schuncke on the following page.
Unfortunately, Fesca is not known anymore although almost everybody knows the melody of "An der Saale hellem Strande", which was composed by Fesca op.27/1. He was an excellent violinist, employed in Leipzig, Kassel and finally as concertmaster in Karlsruhe. The main part of his compositions are therefore written for string quartet.
Beside the known performance by Fuchs 1826 in Dessau, it can also be assumed that Christoph Schuncke performed the Andante and Rondo op.39, too. Fuchs was first hornist at the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig and played numerous solo concerti with this orchestra. In 1820, he moved to Dessau for a new employment. There is an article in the Berliner Allgemeinen musikalischen Zeitung, 20-6-1827, about the concerti in Dessau and they wrote about an excellent composition of Fesca.
There is an interesting remark in the letter of the publisher Simrock to Fesca. The composer had asked for publishing his third flute quartet op.40, Ouverture op.41 and this Andante and Rondo op.39. Simrock answered in March 1825: "Music for horn is only required by artists on this instrument. You can easily judge yourself how less this is case exists."
There is hope left, that time has changed, and this wonderful composition finds its way to the hornists after 175 years.
Friedrich Ernst Fesca
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