Horn Quintet (Mozart)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed the Horn Quintet in E-flat major, K. 407 (386c), in 1782 for the soloist Joseph Leutgeb. The work calls for one horn, one violin, two violas and one cello, which differs from the typical string quartet^[1] arrangement that includes two violins.

Horn Quintet
by W. A. Mozart
The composer in 1782
Key	E-flat major
Catalogue	K. 407
Genre	Chamber music
Style	Classical period
Composed	1782 (1782)
Movements	Three (Allegro, Andante, Rondo – Allegro)
Scoring	Horn string quartet

Structure

The work consists of three movements: Allegro, Andante, Rondo Allegro with an approximate duration of 17 minutes. The inclusion of two viola parts gives the work a richer, deeper sound, complementing the range of the horn soloist.^[2][3]

History

This piece was composed in Vienna shortly after Mozart's marriage, around the same time as Die Entführung aus dem Serail. It is the first work Mozart wrote for his friend Joseph Leutgeb. Leutgeb's instrument, a natural horn, lacked the valves found in the modern French horn. The finale makes virtuosic demands on the soloist. The later horn solo pieces for an ageing Leutgeb by Mozart show lesser demands on the soloist.^[4] The Horn Quintet was first published by Breitkopf & Härtel in 1883. Since the original autograph score has been lost, modern performances are based on this first edition.^[5]