CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FOR HORN

The horn’s unique blend of warmth, nobility, and expressive depth has always inspired my writing. This page gathers my contemporary music for horn across solo works, chamber pieces, and stage music. Performers and teachers will find repertoire that explores the instrument’s lyrical voice, coloristic possibilities, and dramatic character.

Contemporary Music for Horn

Modern horn repertoire has expanded significantly over the past century, with composers exploring new colors, extended techniques, and expressive possibilities. My works for horn reflect this evolution, offering pieces that range from intimate solos to vibrant chamber settings. The sections below present my contributions to the horn repertoire across solo, chamber, and theatrical contexts.

UNACCOMPANIED HORN

SOLO

Six Pieces for Solo Horn
11' 30" | French horn solo

HORN CHAMBER MUSIC

chamber music

Toward Stillness
for horn and piano
10' | horn and piano

Paper Tigers
for brass trio
9' 30" | trumpet, horn and trombone

Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn
5' | clarinet, bassoon and horn

Gitz & Spitz Suite
for brass quintet
14' | trumpets (2), French horn, trombone, tuba

Six Short Stories for Woodwind Quintet
12' | flute / piccolo, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon

Desperado Stoplight
for brass sextet
7'30" | 2 trumpets, 2 horns, 2 trombones

Flashes of Decay
for chamber ensemble
12' | flute / piccolo; English horn; clarinet / bass clarinet; horn; tuba; percussion (2); harp; piano

Tetris
for double wind quintet
18' | 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons

Three Episodes for Chamber Ensemble
for chamber ensemble
12' | flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, percussion (1), piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass

STAGE MUSIC WITH HORN

STAGE MUSIC WITH FLUTE

Gitz & Spitz
for actor and chamber ensemble
50' | actor; clarinet, alto saxophone, bassoon; horn; trumpet; trombone, tuba and percussion (1)

The Adventures of Pinocchio
for three actors and woodwind quintet / orchestra
61' | 3 actors (F,M,M), flute / piccolo, oboe / English horn, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano
OR:
3 actors (F,M,M), flute / piccolo, oboe / English-horn, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion (1), harp, piano, strings

Sheet Music for French Horn:

About Contemporary Horn Repertoire

The horn repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries includes a wide range of solo works, sonatas, chamber pieces, and concertos that have shaped the instrument’s modern identity. The list below highlights influential works that are frequently performed, studied, and recorded. This curated selection is offered as a resource for performers and teachers exploring contemporary horn music, alongside my own works for the instrument.

Key 20th–21st Century Horn Repertoire

Solo Unaccompanied Horn

Bernhard Krol: Laudatio (1966)
Lior Navok: Six Pieces for Solo Horn (1995) — A 15-minute suite portraying distinct characters.
Esa-Pekka Salonen: Concert Etude (2000)
Vincent Persichetti: Parable for Solo Horn (1973)
Malcolm Arnold: Fantasy for Horn, Op. 88 (1966)
Sigurd Berge: Horn Call (1972)
Olivier Messiaen: Appel interstellaire (from Des canyons aux étoiles...) (1971)
Vitaly Buyanovsky: España (from Four Improvisations) (1976)
Thea Musgrave: The Golden Echo (1986)
Peter Maxwell Davies: Sea Eagle (1982)

Horn and Piano

Paul Hindemith: Horn Sonata (1939)
Bernhard Heiden: Sonata for Horn and Piano (1939)
Eugene Bozza: En Forêt (1941)
Francis Poulenc: Elegie for Horn and Piano (1957)
Lior Navok: Toward Stillness (2024) — A slow, meditative work for horn and piano.
Paul Dukas: Villanelle (1906)
Halsey Stevens: Sonata for Horn and Piano (1953)
Jean-Michel Defaye: Alpha (1973)
Jane Vignery: Sonata for Horn and Piano, Op. 7 (1942)
Samuel Adler: Sonata for Horn and Piano (1947)