Horn 1 / Solo: e1 - a2
Horn 2: a - f#2
Horn 3: g# - f#2
Horn 4: d - c#2
Horn 5: F - a1
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
Written some time between 1725 and 1739, the four Orchestral suites (or sometimes referred to as Overtures) BWV1066-1069 are sets of dance pieces in the French Baroque style. Suite no.2 BWV1067 was originally scored for solo flute, 2 violins, viola and basso continuo, and consists of 7 movements:
I Ouverture
II Rondeau
III Sarabande
IV Bourree I / II
V Polonaise
VI Minuet
VII Badinerie
It is mainly the final movement that has become popular as a show piece, and that is probably the reason Hugh Seenan requested it to be arranged for horn ensemble.
The distribution of parts is, similar to the original, a solo horn (horn 1) and four accompanying voices. The tessitura of the tutti horns descends from horn 2 to 5, with a 5th part that is mainly active in the pedal register. Being a difficult work already for a flute, the solo horn part does not reflect the flute part 100%, with some octave displacements, and a few places where the tutti horns help out. This creates about 5 bars rest in the solo horn, whereas the flute had none.
As is customary in Lynsdale-Nock arrangements, there are (7) hand stopped notes (as there is no time to handle a mute) in horns 3-5, 11 bars from the end where the 2nd part of the theme comes back (in the original in the flute, in this version in horn 2). The same technique could have been applied to the (n the original) "piano" marked parts right before the end, however it seems that there are differing versions of the piece around, and Lynsdale-Nock chose one with slight edits.
This can be observed in the added passing note additions in the tutti parts, the varied finale (with a different ending the 2nd time), and an ambiguity between trills and acciaccaturas. All these details have little influence on the overall sound of the piece though, so except for purists, few differences between the versions could actually be heard. The same is true for the key, which is original, hence making the work a bit more difficult than it would be in a more comfortable key, say B flat or G major (horn pitch).
Badinerie is definitely a challenge, but a worthy one, recommended for an ambitious solo horn who doesn't mind the 3 sharps in the key (and some added ones in the modulations) and a quartet that can appreciate a well known Bach work in the original key, sure to produce a feeling of instant familiarity within the audience.
Credits
Provision of review score: John Lynsdale-Nock (Corniworld)