Camille Saint-Saëns composed his two Romances for Horn for two of the most respected French horn players of the time: Opus 67 in E major from 1866 is dedicated to Henri Chaussier; Opus 36 in F major from 1874 was written for Henri Garigue. Despite the illustrious recipients, they are not virtuosic showpieces but – as the term Romance suggests – short “Songs without words” that fully savour the typical romantic sound of the horn. Alongside the orchestral version, Saint-Saëns also prepared a piano accompaniment for chamber music performances. Due to the fact that they are not overly technically demanding the Romances are also suitable for advanced students.
