Saverio Mercadante

Concerto for Horn

While Saverio Mercadante (1795-1870) may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as either; and his development of operatic structures, melodic styles and orchestration contributed significantly to the foundations upon which Giuseppe Verdi built his dramatic technique. In 1817 Mercadante was made conductor of the college orchestra, composing a number of symphonies, and concertos for various instruments - including six for flute and a concerto for Horn. Dutch arranger Roger Niese transcribed this "Concerto for Horn" for the Brass Ensemble of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam