Mozart often made comic references to Joseph Leutgeb, the dedicatee, in the autographs of his horn concertos, calling him an 'ass, ox and fool'.
Composer Biography
Mozart's four horn concertos were written for his close friend, the horn virtuoso Joseph Leutgeb, who was also a native Viennese and worked at the Salzburg Court orchestra.
Composition History
For the D major Concerto, K 412, Mozart included written banter over the horn line, such as 'What, finished already?… have a little rest… at least get one note in tune, dickhead!'
Composition History
Mozart's first, unfinished attempt at a horn concerto, K 370b, was cut up by his son Karl to give away as souvenirs, but the fragments have since been largely reassembled.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mozart adapted the demands of his horn concertos over time to accommodate Joseph Leutgeb's declining physical stamina and technical security as he aged.
Compositional Technique
Some passages in the autograph manuscript of Mozart's Horn Concerto K 495 are written in red, blue, green, and black ink, possibly indicating performance hints.
Instruments
Mozart composed these horn concertos for the 'natural' horn, an instrument without valves, unlike the modern valved horn.
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