Mozart's Naughty Notes | Rondo from Horn Concerto No.1

Mozart illustrated the score for the Rondo from his Horn Concerto No.1 with a series of naughty notes and jokes aimed at his horn player friend, Joseph Leutgeb.

Read the notes as we perform it at Conway Hall with our Principal Horn Roger Montgomery.
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[tommasoboggian]

Being an Italian, these comments are even funnier! Mozart sure knew a lot of Italian swearwords lol

I hope the published Urtext editions have included these comments.

[zBeestBeest]

For all the naughty jokes, the really innocent jokes get the massive laughs. So much comedy gets dated quickly, but this little darling gets all the laughs 250 years later. And that's why he's the best.

[huntonpeck]

Mozart apparently had a marvelous sense of humor.

[inkajoo]

Mozart's personality shines through vividly

[Ikwigsjoyful]

And Mozart once again proves that he is awesome at ALL levels! Thanks for the good cheer my evening needed!

[ThreadBomb]

The jokes only make sense if the music is played on natural horn, as here. The musician can't just press buttons to get the notes - when you produce all the notes by lip pressure and hand movement in the bell, successful intonation is only a matter of degree, and there is so much that can go wrong!

[DirectorAmericanBeethovenSocie]

I have played this several times while someone narrated the remarks. Once or twice, the narrator was disguised as Mozart. That way you can introduce so byplay between the narrator and the soloist. I haven't heard this particular completion of the orchestration before: very nice.

[angelanavarrete]

I don't know which horn concert it is but in one of them, on a passage where the soloist has to play a really long note, he wrote something like "a secatura di coglioni, aspira" which translates to "if your balls get dry, take a breath"

[nicandknacksandseans]

A bit lost in translation, but balls are universal!

[zBeestBeest]

Is there really time for 15 snacks? Especially for a mouth instrument person? I feel like my violin playing is lower mediocre, but my ability to eat snacks is at a prodigy level. And still, the amazing Moz has me beat again!

[mattrebeccagehlhoff]

Hilarious. Well played Mr. Montgomery. Love your playing!

[gavinfarkas]

His really naughty notes are to his cousin

[johnsimca]

Question. The K412 I know had a heavy hand of Sussmeyer . The Rondo of K417 had some Mozart notes. Have more manuscript snippets been found?

[ottavva]

3:50 your comments finished too ?? THANK GOD

[MizzKittyBichon]

3 people thought there were too many notes.

[Discrimination_is_not_a_right]

This friend of his---before he told Mozart off, did he stuff his head in the bell?

[ProactiveYellow]

This is a very different version than I'm familiar with. I love the jokes, but was extremely confused by the piece. It appears my edition is an abbreviated version

[detectivehome]

The rondo was composed (completed) by Mozart's student Franz Xaver Süssmayr after Mozart's death.
He mistook the material of his requiem for this rondo.

[ripinpepperonies]

Based of the title of the vid, when Mozart wrote “come” and “finish” I initially thought he mean sex. Still funny though.