Horn 1: f1 - g2
Horn 2: bb - d2
Horn 3: bb- g2
Horn 4: f - a1
Horn 5: f - a1
Horn 6: A - c1
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
Panis angelicus is part of the liturgy of the Feast of Corpus Christi, and has, as many other parts of various masses, been set to music as a single work. Franck originally arranged it for tenor, organ, harp, cello and double bass, and later reworked it into his Messe solenelle op.12 for soli, choir and orchestra.
Martinet’s arrangement yet again makes a compromise between faithfulness and convenience, with the harmonic and melodic structures intact, but a transposition of the original key of A major into F major (B flat major horn pitch). In this case the compromise is a big advantage, as the level of difficulty was reduced significantly in order to allow even beginner’s ensembles to give it a try. Both the pedal and upper range are limited, the tempo is moderate, the melodic lines are horizontally oriented, and the accompaniment figures are simple, broken triads.
As for the work itself, it’s quintessential Franck, and rather than describing it in words, one of the many recordings available should be consulted. For a bit of French Romanticism, e can hardly do better.