Leyer und Schwerdt

For 8 horns in F - score 25 p. & parts. Listen to the audio sample for an immediate impression of how this arrangement sounds.

Franz Liszt (1811–1886) was renowned for his virtuoso piano works, including paraphrases of opera arias, orchestral pieces, and folk songs. In Heroide (1848), he selected three male choruses from Carl Maria von Weber’s Leyer und Schwerdt, Op. 42, a patriotic song cycle. The original piano score even includes the instruction quasi corni (“in the manner of horns”), making it well suited for a horn arrangement. The result is a demanding eight-part work for horn ensemble, comparable in virtuosity to Weber’s famous Horn Concertino in E minor, Op. 45.

Each piece in this collection is paired with a preface that provides historical context and insights, enhancing the overall experience.