Twelve Waltzes, by Dragonetti
arr. for low horn by Shawn Hagen
$13
Domenico Dragonetti (1763–1846) was a virtuoso bassist from Venice whose playing revolutionized the Double Bass. He moved to London in 1794 and established international fame as a performer. His friendship and artistry influenced the bass writing of Haydn and Beethoven. As a composer, Dragonetti's works—eighteen volumes housed at the British Library—include concertos, orchestral pieces, quintets, duos, and solo works. His Twelve Waltzes for Double Bass Solo, written near the end of his life, showcased both his skill as a player and the instrument's surprising possibilities.
Before Dragonetti, bass parts were frankly a bit dull, often just shadowing the cello...much like the role of low horn. On horn, the low parts typically bounced about the lower harmonics while the upper parts had all the chromatic fun thanks to hand-stopping. I like to imagine that if valves had been invented a few decades earlier—and if dear Domenico had been the world's leading low horn virtuoso—we'd have Twelve Waltzes for Low Horn Solo.
I discovered these during the COVID pandemic, and they've kept me in shape and entertained ever since. A special thanks to Harrison Bruner for digitizing my penciled markings from my well-worn urtext copy. It's wonderful to see these in print, and even better, for hornists to find whimsy and nimbleness in this register of the horn. Whether on stage or in your basement, I hope you enjoy them. Make them your own and have fun.
- Shawn Hagen, 2026
Before Dragonetti, bass parts were frankly a bit dull, often just shadowing the cello...much like the role of low horn. On horn, the low parts typically bounced about the lower harmonics while the upper parts had all the chromatic fun thanks to hand-stopping. I like to imagine that if valves had been invented a few decades earlier—and if dear Domenico had been the world's leading low horn virtuoso—we'd have Twelve Waltzes for Low Horn Solo.
I discovered these during the COVID pandemic, and they've kept me in shape and entertained ever since. A special thanks to Harrison Bruner for digitizing my penciled markings from my well-worn urtext copy. It's wonderful to see these in print, and even better, for hornists to find whimsy and nimbleness in this register of the horn. Whether on stage or in your basement, I hope you enjoy them. Make them your own and have fun.
- Shawn Hagen, 2026