Knussen, Oliver : Horn Concerto

Described by its composer as ‘more concert aria than concerto’, this 13-minute work was written for the legendary Barry Tuckwell. A rich exploration of the horn’s many characters, from Mahlerian Nachtmusik to moments of clear, Mozartian brilliance, it was heralded as a ‘masterpiece of lucidity’ by the Guardian and has received over 80 performances since its premiere in 1994.

‘The Knussen is a masterpiece….a magical transfigured night, moonlight glistening on snow – the Concerto is full of the most marvellous sonorities, some clear, some only half-glimpsed…the horn part is so varied in range, timbre and dynamic that it scarcely seems to be emerging from a single instrument…’
Boston Globe (Richard Dyer), 25 November 1995