Duo no. 8 for two horns, KV 487: Allegro

About this work

Duet no. 8, K. 487 is a more extended Allegro than the neighbouring pieces in the collection. The two horns share a continuous motion in which stepwise motifs, repeated notes and answers regularly change register. Several fermatas briefly suspend the momentum before an exact return to tempo.
Resume together after each fermata
Choose an Allegro in which every articulation remains clear. Prepare each suspension through a shared relaxation, then agree on the breath that will launch the next phrase. When the roles reverse, the lower part should retain its direction and energy instead of becoming a discreet accompaniment.
The repeats offer time to refine the balance between both lines and the length of repeated notes. The complete score fits on one page and makes the entries, pauses and overall continuity of the movement easy to follow.
This engraving by Han-Wen Nienhuys is distributed in the public domain by the Mutopia Project. It joins the other horn scores available on LesPartitions.info.