Description
The French composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) wrote two romances for horn. The Romance Op. 36 in F major was written in 1874 for the esteemed horn player Henri Garigue. It is not a virtuosic showpiece but, as the title suggests, is a romantic and lyrical piece with long, flowing lines showcasing the beauty and expression of the French Horn sound. It is structured in ternary form with a contrasting, impassioned middle section which subsides, making way for the return of the mellow, cantabile opening material.
Saint-Saëns produced versions for horn with orchestral or piano accompaniment as well another version for cello solo. Here, Saint-Saëns’ Romance is arranged for wind quintet – with the French Horn, quite rightly, taking centre stage with a part unchanged from the original. It’s, of course, lovely in its own right but also useful if you want to feature the horn, perhaps in a school performance?
