On the following pages you will find our attempt to present a complete and error-free collection of orchestral excerpts required in auditions (both high and low horn) for general use.

Every auditioning player or student is familiar with the usual problems: either incomplete or faulty material is provided, or rare excerpts are assigned for which music is hard to find.

The selection on these pages is the result of intensive research, and each of the excerpts included here has appeared on at least one orchestral excerpt list for a horn audition (in Germany or abroad) in the last 25 years – even if this may seem unlikely in some cases.

I would like to draw attention to the fact that multiple sources were consulted for nearly every example included here.
Those who work with scores will quickly realize that different editions often show great variation in markings and sometimes even vary with regard to specific pitches. Therefore, it was often necessary to make a "subjective" decision between contrasting versions of articulation or phrasing.

Metronome markings are not included here, for two reasons:
First of all, the markings given by composers or editors (if present at all) are often far removed from current performance norms. Secondly, lack of knowledge of the orchestral work as a whole is often a point of criticism in auditions. The missing metronome number will hopefully encourage you to listen to an unfamiliar passage in a recording. If you find yourself completely stumped by a particular excerpt, please feel free to contact me.

You will also find here a selection of orchestral passages for two horns, which is in no way complete or in a meaningful order.
This random selection should help horn players, especially on low horn, to train ensemble playing and intonation.

I hope you find everything you need, and I wish you the best of luck in all auditions!

Hasko Kröger