German Composers and the Evolution of Horn Playing

Abstract

The horn is a musical instrument that has evolved in complexity, style, and performance practice. Major horn repertoire consists of music by German composers, allowing the horn to change and grow with composers from its country of origin. Original horns had no valves and used a player's dexterity with hand position to change notes, so a piece will be played on a valveless, "natural" horn to demonstrate performance practice for the Classical era of music. Other pieces will be included from the Romantic and 20th-century eras to show how German composers used the instrument in ways that reflect the time periods in which they lived and how the horn evolved with them.