Strauss’s early Horn Concerto op.11, which he intended to be accompanied by either orchestra or piano, is far more than a mere audition piece. Strauss’s first biographer Max Steinitzer described op.11 as “beautiful in its form”, “brilliant” and “appetising”, making special reference to the lyrical sentiment and song-like nature of the thematic and motivic progressions, which eclipse the actual development of such themes.

The 2018/2019 season is Christian Thielemann’s seventh as Principal Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Following engagements at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, in Gelsenkirchen, Karlsruhe, Hanover and Dusseldorf, in 1988 he moved to Nuremberg to occupy the post of General Music Director. Christian Thielemann has contributed to the birthday celebrations for Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss with numerous Staatskapelle concerts in the Semperoper and on tour. His programmes have also featured a wide range of music from Bach to Henze, Rihm and Gubaidulina.

Born in Chemnitz, Robert Langbein has been the principal horn player of the Dresden Staatskapelle since 2005. Robert Langbein has taught at the Berlin University of the Arts; since 2009, he has taught at the Carl Maria von Weber College of Music in Dresden, where he was appointed a professor of horn in April 2013. He also teaches on numerous brass courses.