Rosetti, Antonio - RWV C39 Concerto d minor for Horn

Biographie Antonio Rosetti

Antonio Rosetti

Concerto for Horn d minor  (RWV C 39)

- first print -

According to Sterling E. Murray "Thematic Catalogue of the Music of Antonio Rosetti" there exist two concerti in d-minor with the numbers C 38 and C39. The concerto C 38 was already published about 1960 by Simrock. C 39 is similar in some subjects to the concerto C 38 in the first and third movement but is a completely own work. Why there are such similarities can only be guessed. It was often the case that Rosetti quoted himself - for instance in the flute concerto C 19, where the subjects of the first and the third movement are identical with a concerto for horn. There is also quotation in the quartet for two horns and two clarinets (B 17), where the Romance is thematically similar to a concerto for two horns. 

This new edition of C 38 is based on a print from the publisher Spehr about 1790 in Braunschweig. It is said that the state library Berlin had once kept a copy of this work, too. Unfortunately, it is lost. The title of the Spehr print says:" Concerto per il Corno secundo". It was the only Rosetti-work printed by Spehr.

The source of the new edition of horn concerto C 39 is a print by Sieber, published about 1786. Sieber, also hornist, probably published four concerti for horn and one concerto for two horns of Rosetti. Unfortunately, there is only one copy left in the whole world. It is kept in the parish Herrnhut in Christiansfeld. The first and second tutti-horn parts and the part of the first oboe is missing. The new edition contains conjectures of these parts.

This new edition should become famous again as it is more often mentioned in literature than the today known concerto C 38.

1. mov Allegro  (with natual horn )



The orchestral parts  is available on loan (hire)!