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In David Zinman's complete Beethoven symphonies with the Tonhalle orchestra, he uses the Barenreiter edition, modern instrument, and fast tempos.

In his performance the first movement of the 2d symphony, there are a number of prominent stopped horn notes. They are not marked stopped in any score I have access to and I have not heard these note played stopped before.

I do not have access to the Barenreiter score.

Does anyone know where these stopped note come from? Barenreiter? Possibly notes that would have to be played stopped on a natural horn?

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In response to comment:

Using the Dover score (available at IMSLP):

2d page, 1st system, 3d measure: F 3d page, 1st system, 1st measure: F 3d page, 2d system, 2d measure: F

A pattern.

BUT

3d page 2d system, 3d measure: F/G unstopped

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  • That confirms what I thought (see my answer). As for the exception: I assume they wanted to avoid the combination of stopped F with unstopped G
    – PiedPiper
    Commented Jun 8, 2019 at 15:08

1 Answer 1

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There are numerous F's in the score. On a natural horn these notes can be played open but very out of tune, or played stopped and in tune. Presumably Zinman wanted the horns emulating natural horns on modern instruments.

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