Concerto for Horn and Strings

Quick Facts

• Written in 1951 for British horn player Dennis Brain
• Premiered that same year performed by Brain and the Riddick String Orchestra conducted by the composer at Wigmore Hall

About the Piece

• Concerto for Horn and Strings is known for its accessibility and doesn’t typically challenge the listener. However, that doesn’t mean the piece isn’t technically demanding for the soloist!
• Listen for –
  • Don’t be fooled by the unassuming start to the piece – the soloist eventually takes off in virtuosic flight in the first movement, particularly in the final cadenza.
  • In typical concerto structure, the mood of the first and third movements is contrasted with the evocative and lyrical middle one.¹

1. Lewis Foreman, Notes in accompanying booklet, British Horn Concertos performed by David Pyatt and the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Braithwaite, Lyrita 316, 2015, compact disc.