Louis Dauprat (1781-1868) was born in Paris. He studied at the Paris Conservatory and subsequently became principal horn of the Paris Opera and a Professor of Horn at the Paris Conservatory. He studied composition with Anton Reicha. Most of his compositions are for horn, a considerable number of which are in chamber music settings.
It was Mozart's Horn Quintet that put the genre on the map, and may have served as an example for Dauprat. Being a virtuoso, however, the writing for the horn is more spectacular than that of Mozart. Horn Quintet No.3 in E flat Major is the third of a set of three which date from around 1813. It opens with a substantial Adagio introduction, which leads to a bustling Allegro sostenuto. The middle movement, Andante, is a theme and set of interesting variations. The finale is a lively and flowing Allegro sostenuto.
Our new edition is based on the original Bochsa edition from Paris. This is a good choice when an evening of horn quintets is planned, and makes an attractive addition to the Mozart.