One movement.
Maestoso
Andante
Andantino
Moderato
Moderato
Clefs
Treble, bass
Meters
4/4, 3/4
Key signatures
None
Range
Horn 1: g - bb2
Horn 2: a - a2
Horn 3: f# - a2
Horn 4: Bb - d2
Horn 5: g - g2
Horn 6: eb - g2
Horn 7: e - eb2
Horn 8: A - a2
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
Burton E. Hardin wrote Hornissimo for the 1981 HIS composition contest. It opens with 2-voice fanfare, slightly oddly divided into horns 1-3 and 5, and 4 and 6-8. Then the sections split and parts are put together in various combinations. The andante is based on a simple triplet rhythmic figure, with a muted theme on top. This section also requires some hand stopping. The triplet figure, now extended to take up the whole bar keeps going until the final moderato, where, after a short chorale-like section, rhythms of 2, 3 and 4 are played against each other. The finale picks up the triplet as defining element again, culminating in a fff D major (horn pitch) chord.