Schuncke - Duo concertant

Ludwig (Louis) Schuncke (1810 - 1834)
Duo Concertant for Piano and Horn

Ludwig Schuncke was the oldest son of the hornist Johann Gottfried Schuncke (1777-1861). Numerous hornists are represented in this family, the most living in the 19th century. For detail information to this family look under the address www.schuncke-archiv.de  .

Ludwig Schuncke learned the piano and was taught in composition by Lindpaintner and Anton Reicha. Together with his father or brother he gave concerti. For perhaps one of these concerts the duo on hand was composed. It shall have been composed (told by  Michael Schuncke ) for Ludwig's father.  However, either a data of  performance nor the data of composition is written Perhaps it was composed in Leipzig when in 1833 Ludwig Schuncke went to Leipzig and there developed in shortest time an intimate youth friendship to Robert Schumann, too. Together with Schumann he was the publisher of the "new magazine for music"in1834. At the beginning (27.1.1834) of this year Ludwig Schuncke played as soloist in the famous concert hall of Leipzig "Gewandhaus". Compositions for piano by Ludwig Schuncke appear at the publishing house Breitkopf & Härtel and Julius Wunder in Leipzig. The Duo Concertant seems to breathe the spirit of Schumann. Especially the similarity in the composing feeling and the longing for something new made the two musicians best friends in shortest time.

The title "...for piano and horn..." is to be literally understood as the horn accompanies the piano in the middle and deep tone register, however not does without some virtuoso jumps either. Ludwig Schuncke's Duo Concertant for Piano and Horn is transmitted in a copy from the year 1903 by the brother of Hugo Schuncke (he was violinist at the Stuttgart court) . Whether this piece was still thought for the natural horn or for the new valve horn is to be asked.  For the latter speak the unusual tones in the deep tone register
There is scientific evidence that the family Schuncke played the new valve horn at the life time of Ludwig Schuncke. They even bought a new horn in 1835 which is kept still today.      Horn von Moritz 1835, heute in Berlin
Ludwig Schuncke died of lungs tuberculosis on 12-7-1834. He is buried on the old Johannesfriedhof in Leipzig. 


The only picture of Ludwig Schuncke dates from the deathbed.

Robert Schumann kept this picture for the whole time of his life and remembered the early death of the friend.

https://www.french-horn.net/index.php/biographien/100-schunke.html