Concertino in E major for Second Horn
– First Edition –
The Concertino in E major for "Second" Horn by the horn player Carl Oestreich (1800–1840) was written in 1830 and dedicated to his brother Eduard Oestreich.
The work is remarkable for its exceptionally low range: almost unique in the solo literature of its time, the horn part is notated down to sounding sub-contra A. It may be assumed that an early valve horn was used at the first performance. The playing style, however, was different from today's: valves were regarded as an extension of natural horn technique, allowing quick changes of crook and notes foreign to the key.
Published here for the first time, this single-movement Concertino makes manageable demands on range and stamina while offering particularly beautiful solo and orchestral harmony. It is therefore ideally suited as a solo piece for low horn players and advanced horn students. The edition includes one horn part in E and one in F.
A biography of Carl Oestreich can be found here (in German): Carl Oestreich – Biography
Listen: Concertino in E major