Robert Schumann

2 Scenes from Manfred

For horn in F and piano - score 5 p., horn part

Robert Schumann was very attracted to the supernatural, gothic elements in the work of English poet Lord Byron and felt a strong kinship with the protagonist in Byron's semi-autobiographical poem Manfred (1817). His incidental music to Manfred does not include major horn solos, but the music to Manfreds Ansprache an Astarte (Manfred's invocation to Astarte) clearly pre-echoes the introduction from the Adagio and Allegro op. 70. Schumann's Alpenkuhreigen depicts the idyllic setting in which Manfred wants to end his life. The Alpenkuhreigen, the traditional melody played on the alpine horn by Swiss shepherds as they gathered their cattle at sunset, obviously lends itself perfectly to a transcription for horn.

In the world of horn and brass ensemble music from the 18th and 19th centuries, original high-quality ensemble repertoire appears to be scarce. Additionally, students and advanced amateurs are rarely given the opportunity to perform important Romantic symphonic works by Bruckner, Mahler etc. and Wagner's great operas in their original versions. Orchestral part studies with only the original parts, and above all, a lot of rest are not always inspiring. For this reason, throughout his extensive career as a horn pedagogue, Herman Jeurissen wrote a considerable number of arrangements. These include shorter compositions by the great masters, allowing for an accessible introduction to their style and writing.