Although we now know that this Concerto in D Major was the last that Mozart wrote for his friend Ignaz Leutgeb (whose range and technic may have been “aging”) and the composer died before he could complete it, we generally refer to it as Mozart’s“Concerto No. 1.”
Sussmayer, Mozart’s student, completed the Rondo of this concerto and that edition was the only one available until recently when a new edition, based on Mozart’s sketches, was published. Written for D horn, the modern double horn player is faced with challenging fingerings. Soloists often record this concerto on an A horn (or B♭ horn with an A valve), however, for the younger hornists who often perform this solo at competitions, this is usually not an option. Using the fingerings listed below (on the B♭ horn), the technical passages are more approachable for the younger player. The fingerings for the third passage is recommended only for the “finger challenged” hornist and uses two “flat 7th” harmonics for written e and f. If this pattern is used, it is advisable to open the hand slightly to elevate those pitches.
