Camille Saint-Saëns

Morceau de Concert f-moll op. 94

Similar to Schumann's 'Concert Piece for Four Horns' op. 86 (HN 1138), Saint-Saëns' 'Morceau de Concert' was also written with the idea of exhausting the technical possibilities of a new valve horn construction. In this case, the French hornist Henri Chaussier gave the impetus. He had developed a new type of "Cor omnitonique" and wanted to demonstrate the advantages of his instrument with Saint-Saëns' composition. Chaussier's invention did not catch on with horn players - but the 'Morceau de Concert' did! The popular one-movement work is technically very demanding in parts, but Saint-Saëns himself has provided some facilitating ossia variants and shortening possibilities, so that even advanced students can dare to play the piece.