Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Concerto en ré pour cor, orchestre et basse continue, TWV51:D8 (2 versions)
Concerto en ré pour 2 cors, 2 hautbois, cordes et basse continue, TWV52:D2
Concerto en mi bémol pour 2 cors, cordes et basse continue, TWV52:Es1
Ouverture "Alster" en fa pour 4 cors, 2 hautbois, basson, cordes et basse continue, TWV55:F11
Ouverture en fa pour 2 cors, cordes et basse continue, TWV55:F4
Ouverture en mi bémol pour 2 cors, cordes et basse continue, TWV55:Es1

Christoph Förster (1693-1745)
Concerto en mi bémol pour cor, cordes et basse continue

Anonyme
Sonata da caccia en do, pour cor, cordes et basse continue

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Concerto pour cor n° 1 en ré, Hob VIId:3
Concerto pour cor n° 2 en ré, Hob VIId:4

Johann Beer (1655-1700)
Concerto en si bémol pour cor postal, cor de chasse, violons et basse continue

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Concerto n° 2 en fa pour 2 cors et basse continue, RV 539

Peter Johann Fick (?-1743)
Concerto en mi bémol pour cor, cordes et basse continue

Joseph Reicha (1752-1795)
Concerto concertant pour 2 cors et orchestre en mi bémol, op. 3

Johannes Sprenger (1750-1812)
Concerto en mi bémol pour cor et orchestre

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)
Concertino en mi mineur pour cor et orchestre, op. 45

Albert Lortzing (1801-1851)
Deux pièces de concert pour cor et orchestre en mi

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Morceau de concert pour cor et orchestre en fa mineur, op. 94

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Pièce de concert en fa pour 4 cors et orchestre, op. 86

Joachim Quantz (1697-1773)
Concerto en mi bémol pour cor, hautbois, cordes et basse continue

Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745)
Caprice en fa pour 2 cors, 2 hautbois, basson, cordes et basse continue

Johann David Heinichen (1683-1729)
Concerto en fa pour 2 cors, 2 flûtes, 2 violons, 2 altos, cordes et basse continue, op. 3

Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688-1758)
Concerto en ré pour 2 cors, 2 hautbois, cordes et basse continue, FaWVL:D18

Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806)
Concerto pour cor en ré

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Concerto pour cor en mi bémol, K 370b/371
Concerto pour cor n° 1 en ré, K 412
Concerto pour cor n° 2 en mi bémol, K 417
Concerto pour cor n° 3 en mi bémol, K 447
Concerto pour cor n° 4 en mi bémol, K 495
Mouvement de concerto pour cor en mi, K 494a

Joseph Fiala (1748-1816)
Concerto pour 2 cors et orchestre en mi bémol

Franz Xaver Pokorny (1729-1794)
Concerto en fa pour 2 cors et orchestre

Francesco Antonio Rosetti (?1750-1792)
Concerto en fa pour 2 cors et orchestre, C61
Concerto pour 2 cor et orchestre en mi bémol, C57
Concerto pour cor en mi bémol, C49
Concerto pour cor en ré mineur, C38
Concerto pour cor en mi, C51
Concerto pour cor en fa, C53

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Concerto pour cor n° 1 en mi bémol, TrV117
Concerto pour cor n° 2 en mi bémol, TrV823

Othmar Schoeck (1886-1957)
Concerto pour cor et orchestre à cordes, op. 65

Hans Georg Pflüger (1944-1999)
Concerto pour cor et orchestre

Peter Damm, cor, cor piccolo, cor postal, cor de chasse
Felix Klieser, cor
Herman Jeurissen, cor
Ivo Hadermann, cor
Alex van Aeken, cor
Istvan Vince, cor
Zdenek Tyslar, cor
Bedrich Tyslar, cor
Klaus Pietzonka, cor
Dieter Pansa, cor
Johannes Friemel, cor
Zdenek Divoky, cor
Andrew Joy, cor
Hans Otto, orgue
Kammerorchester C.P.E. Bach
Hartmut Haenchen, direction
Staastkapelle Dresden
Siegfried Kurz, direction
Capella Sagittariana
Eduard Melkus, direction
Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn
Ruben Gazarian, direction
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Roy Goodman, direction
Collegium Instrumentale Brugense
Patrick Peire, direction
Capella Istropolitana
Frantisek Vajnar, direction
Czech Chamber Orchestra
Ondrej Kukal, direction
Orchestre Symphonique de la radio de Cologne
Werner Andreas Albert, direction
Wolf-Dieter Haschild, direction

Après leur passionnante exploration des concertos pour hautbois (BRIL95410), les habiles défricheurs du label Brillant Classics poursuivent leur découverte des instruments à vent avec ce beau coffret consacré aux concertos pour cor. Instrument vieux de plusieurs siècles, le cor tire son nom des cornes animales utilisées à l’origine par l’homme comme signal ou lors de rituels. Au fil des époques, nombreuses sont les améliorations techniques qui ont contribuées au développement d’un instrument dont le caractère festif et jubilatoire confère aujourd’hui une place de choix, tant en soliste qu’au sein de l’orchestre. De Telemann à Haydn, de Vivaldi à Mozart, sont réunies ici les grandes œuvres concertantes de l’instrument, mais les 10 disques qui composent cette édition regorgent également de trésors, souvent méconnus. D’impeccables interprètes parmi les grands cornistes d’aujourd’hui, de la référence Peter Damm à la nouvelle garde incarnée par Felix Klieser, défendent avec vigueur et précision un solide répertoire qui fera date dans la discographie de l’instrument.

An instrument in evolution, today's French horn bears little resemblance to the horns of the past. Even before it was first used in classical music, the horn was frequently found in religious ceremonies as a useful way of calling people to prayer, and of course played a vital role on the hunting field. Since then, the instrument has undergone vast transformation, the most important being the addition of valves, allowing players access to all notes rather than just the natural ones. Its first recorded usage comes around the end of the 16th century, when Cavalli's opera Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo calls for a 'chiamata alla caccia'. However, it did not appear as a solo concerto instrument until years later; one of the first examples is an anonymous Sonata da caccia, included on this release, with the horn playing hunt-like motives in a concertante relationship alongside strings and continuo. The Baroque period saw a flurry of composers adding horn concertos to their repertoire, often in a group with other instruments. Telemann wrote several concertos and overtures that feature the horn. His Italian contemporary Vivaldi wrote two concertos for two horns, the second of which features here. Other lesser-known composers are also represented: the horn player Peter Damm has discovered and now champions neglected pieces for the horn repertoire, including concertos by Peter Johann Fick and Christoph Förster, who were both active in the first half of the 18th century. Their German contemporaries include Johann Friedrich Fasch, Johann David Heinichen and Johann Joachim Quantz, all of whom wrote a great quantity of horn music. Jan Dismas Zelenka, a Bohemian composer active in the same period, would later be championed by Smetana. His Caprice in F for two horns includes some playful writing between the two solo instruments. Another Bohemian composer, Franz Anton Rösler – who would later Italianise his name to Francesco Antonio Rosetti – composed several horn concertos, and CD9 is given over entirely to these. He inspired none other than Mozart (found on CD6), possibly the most famous composer of horn concertos, whose highly idiomatic writing for the instrument has never been surpassed. Mozart's contemporary Haydn also finds a place, with his Concerto No.1 featured alongside a spurious Concerto No.2 generally attributed to the composer. Michael Haydn's Horn Concerto has received more attention recently, and is certainly no pale imitation of that of his older brother, beginning as it does with an unusual slow movement. In the Romantic period, Carl Maria von Weber was the first to imbue the horn concerto with the spirit of the period, in his Concertino in E minor. He was followed by Schumann, who composed his technically demanding Konzertstück a few months after the Adagio and Allegro Op.70. Richard Strauss did not shy away from challenging repertoire; both of his horn concertos ask much of their soloist. Lesser-known Othmar Schoeck and Hans Georg Pflüger, both active in the 20th century, make up the last CD of this set, demonstrating why the renewed attention they currently command is very deserving. This set features some of the biggest names of the horn world: Peter Damm is present not only as a performer but also as arranger. Australian hornist Andrew Joy is a very highly regarded performer; among others, he plays Pflüger's concerto, which he himself premiered in 1986. The young player Felix Klieser is an extraordinary musician; having been born without arms, he plays with his toes, on this CD of music by Haydn and Mozart described as 'remarkable' by Gramophone magazine. Czech brothers Zdenek and Bedrich Tyslar are well known in their homeland for championing neglected Czech music; characteristically eastern European, they play on modern double valve horns, allowing for a superbly focused sound. This 10CD box is unique in featuring not only the best of horn repertoire but also those unjustly neglected pieces that deserve to be rediscovered. Amateurs and aficionados alike will be highly satisfied with this set.