Christian Dickhut
3. Serenade op.4 for Flute, Horn and Guitar
Unfortunately, only a few biographical information can be found about the composer Christian Dickhut. Dickhut is named as a hornist in the Mannheimer orchestra at 1812 in the Universal dictionary of Gustav Schilling of 1840. The musical Conversations dictionary by Hermann Mendel (1873) names Dickhut as horn and guitar virtuoso in Mannheim. The "general musical newspaper " (AMZ, November 18th, 1812) tells that an important invention for the horn by Dickhut. An inserted slide, moved by the thumb of the left hand, adds to the range of the horn a half tone. So the function is like the today's 2nd valve of the horn.
The AMZ in May 1815 mentions Dickhut who had composed a Concertante for 2 horns. Duos op.2 for 2 violoncellos are discussed in a short review in the AMZ in August 1815. The last entry writes about a serenade op.3 for flute, horn and guitar in May 1819.
The serenade of out new edition is without opus number and appeared at Schott in Mainz with the plate number 606 about 1812. It is dedicated to baron Ernst of Gemmingen-Hornberg.
Dickhut’s 1st serenade already uses his new invention, so that a performance on the nature horn becomes a problem. The composition uses tones which can only be played by the stuffing technique of the nature horn with difficulties. Using Dickhut’s invention, however, it can be intonated cleanly.
The trio op. 6 became about 1815 printedly at the music publisher Charles F. Heckel of Mannheim with the pressure number 30. Its serenade seemed thick hat-major for clarinet, horn and guitar to B for the same publishing house with the pressure number 283 as the last and most extensive work. The works with flute have alternative Viola part for the horn.
