Flanders & Swann sing Mozart's Horn Concerto

Michael Flanders (1922-75) and Donald Swann (1923-94) were popular in concerts and recordings all across the English-speaking world in the 1950s and 1960s. Flanders contracted Poliomyelitis in 1942 during his time in the Royal Navy.

[@rob-rs2jp]

I first heard this years and years ago. Not only have I never forgotten the words (I love them!) but I can no longer just hear this Mozart horn concerto without singing along. I'm sure I'm not the only one.....

[@inesdeerausquin5658]

no... you are very much not the only one... :)

[@lilybean9585]

Your not, I also do that

[@didimagnin3744]

Since I heard it, it's been playing non-stop in my head....

[@michaelholloway2295]

Yes, that's me. And my son is always practicing it upstairs.

[@josephlovinsky8307]

I do that also. You are not alone. :)

[@helenswan705]

We just played this at my Dad's funeral today. and it's a very happy childhood memory

[@helenswan705]

@violin614 No! but my mum and dad had a recording of this. so I grew up with it. and it remains a very happy memory

[@helenswan705]

@violin614 He was Swann I think, and I am Swan

[@seekingfinding6204]

I grew up with this as well, my dad was definitely an Anglophile. Tweed suits and Flanders & Swann!

[@davidsweet6626]

Used it as the exit music for my mother's funeral yesterday (without the words but many of the gathered were singing under their breath).

[@erpollock]

I recently discovered this gem. Try to sing along with the words - it sprints! Quite a few tongue-twisters. That he can keep it up at this tempo and with such deadpan delivery - hat's off!

[@paulhough5941]

Poor you for not discovering it earlier and having the pleasure of knowing it for over fifty years, as I have! From now on you'll cheer yourself up each time you sing it, guaranteed!

[@suzanneantisdel4266]

Not only are Flanders & Swann the funniest who ever lived but the cleverest as well. Mozart would have loved what they did with his horn concerto!

[@briane5706]

Michael Flanders was a gifted singer and lyricist, and Donald Swann a gifted pianist and composer. Both legends.

[@Grobohalic]

My local classical public radio station plays this song without fail every year during the morning commute on April 1st.

[@russellhamilton8354]

"I found my horn..... Gone" Classic. Never grow tired of this or the other songs

[@MattAllenTeller]

I wish we still had this type of intellectual comedy nowadays instead of what we do. Sigh. Such fun and I'm so glad it can be found here.

[@stucker6085]

Fascinating Aida is a marvellous successor - clever words and music, but much ruder.

[@joannaboon1151]

I listened to Flanders and Swann with my Dad over 50 years ago. I loved it then and revisiting decades later appreciate just how incredibly professional and witty they are. I listened to the Gas Man Cometh today and had to chuckle. Nothing changes!

[@ElHedge]

Its actually 'Tutti' (All together) not 'Tricky'. But all the other lyrics are great.

[@dlaity107]

Glad you mentioned that. Now I shan't have to curse my Da for teaching me 'tutti'.

[@bathcovers]

I've known this song for over 50 years but I still love listening to it. The lyrics are so clever and very funny and they fit Mozart's tune perfectly - what real talent these two had! Brilliant stuff!

[@bazcuda]

I used to love Flanders and Swann when I was little. I had some of their vinyl albums. Then I got much older and Armstrong and Miller also added to my delight by doing a very passable parody of them but with much ruder lyrics 🤣 They're on KZbin if you're interested.

[@jamesdrynan]

I saw them in Toronto at the O'Keefe Centre when I was 10 years old. Flanders rolled over to where I was in the front row and smiled at me. A lovely memory! My favorite is The Slow Train. Their albums were produced by George Martin.

[@allensbankmusic]

The last line is the best (speaking as a Tuba player myself!!)

[@jamesdrynan]

The lyrics are devilishly clever and Swann's superb key-changing accompaniment clips right along.

[@mike6174]

Always loved their take on things - was extremely honoured later in life to discover that I did the same language course in the Forces as Donald Swann. Bet the bugger was better than me! Loved their turn of phrase. Yes, Tutti!!

[@Tocsin-Bang]

I was introduced to Mozart's Horn Concertos by my music teacher Lt Col S. Rhodes, I so wanted to play the French Horn, but my parent's couldn't afford an instrument or the lessons sixty years ago, so it never happened.

[@lindamanas6735]

So fantastic! What an amazing musical memory and sense of pitch Michael Flanders had. Donald Swann was an amazing pianist!

[@unlvqasl]

If my long ago memory is correct a Flanders and Swan concert was the 1st show I ever saw in a Broadway theatre.

[@grahvis]

It was a school friend who introduced me to Flanders and Swann back in the 50s.

[@austenobrian3757]

I once attended a concert where this piece was played by the orchestra and the concert notes asked the audience to please not sing along!

[@bruvvereccles5847]

"Tutti" not "tricky". Maybe someone else has already said this. A wonderful song.

[@CatalinaThePirate]

Heh! Watching a rerun of the tv series "Mozart in the Jungle" (S02E01) and there was the Mozart - which of course brought to mind this brilliant song by Flanders & Swann. 😊 Brought back many fine memories of listening to Chicago WFMT's Midnight Special, with Norm Pellegrini hosting and taking particular delight in playing F&S's "Ill Wind". 😁 Yeah, I'm an old fart - and I LOVE this. Thanks for posting. 💕

[@squifferpop]

Thank you so much for posting this. I’ve known the words to this off by heart for about 60 years! That bit in the middle where Donald Swann plays the piano on his own, is the Tutti, a musical term for the whole orchestra playing at once without the soloist. Have a look at this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutti. Thanks again. You made my day!

[@danabrousseau6579]

I searched the comments to find any reference to the word « Tricky » being used as opposed to the correct word « Tutti », which means the entire orchestra will play without the soloist. Thanks for picking up on this.

[@lindsaywarden1746]

I remember this from DECADES ago! It is still fresh and imaginative, and just downright funny!

[@maryhugo9741]

Grew up with Flanders and Swann. This is genius

[@sussexwoman]

He says TUTTI not tricky!

[@Herur22]

Wow! Ingenius! What an idea they had!

[@BazzasBest]

:)

[@didimagnin3744]

Brings me back memories - especially Mu, Mud, glorious mud:

[@stucker6085]

The correct pronunciation of gnu was nu, but now Gnu is an accepted alternative because of their song. That's fame. Hippopotamus is used as a trial word to test if people has lost any speech capacity. I told some baby paramedics about the song and chorus and they were going to look it up.

[@didimagnin3744]

@@stucker6085 I adored them! Actually I think hippopotamus is a really good word for detecting speech problems.

[@victorkievUA1]

Hi Barry, I tell you, that's the genius of it. It's been a wonderful character and I've enjoyed it thoroughly.

[@BazzasBest]

:)

[@ChristineOram]

Wonderful blast from the past

[@cantrips]

I love how there's a picture of a Euphonium in the video instead of a French Horn.

[@richardsearles435]

No it IS a French Horn shown! A Euphonium is like a smaller Tuba

[@cantrips]

@@richardsearles435 No, French Horn has paddle valves that rotate open. The drawing has stem valves that press down like a euphonium.

[@cantrips]

@@richardsearles435 Not to mention the tubing shape, mouthpiece, bell are the same as a euphonium. It looks nothing like a French Horn.

[@rowanchinn1465]

very good i like all of it

[@davidstedeford387]

Re the subtitling above: when the soloist is silent and there is an orchestral interlude during this song doesn't Flanders say "tutti" rather than "tricky"?

[@alicegobelin4287]

Delightful!😊

[@jrgboy]

And their recordings produced by George Martin..

[@ccbalexander]

I believe it's "tutti" not "tricky"

[@seekingfinding6204]

You're right! Good catch.

[@anthonyandersen2958]

Not heard this for yonks. .😂😂😂great stuff.

[@erikthenorviking8251]

As the legendary crooner Aznavour might have sung: I once had the horn and I had to preserve it And buy a french tickler in a 2nd-hand shop...

[@imogencarney3421]

Love love love

[@mozart2306]

Unas notas de humor en una de mis tres listas musicales. Gracias a BazzasBest...y a Mozart.

[@pablogarciadesola8110]

Y gracias también a Flanders, en silla de ruedas, y al pianista Swann.

[@wamozart2306]

Errata, lapsus. Unas notas de humor en uno de mis tres canales musicales (mozart2306, Pablo Garcia y Pablo Garcia de Sola). Sorry.

[@DieFlabbergast]

Corrections: 1. "(tricky)" should be "tutti" 2. *"gawn" should be spelled "gorn" 3. "Displaying my talent..." NOT "displaying of my talent..." Otherwise, well done!

[@timbarringer3177]

“Tutti” not “tricky’

[@mgconlan]

Flanders and Swann's records were made for the British Parlophone label and were produced by George Martin, who later recorded The Beatles. And Michael Flanders's daughter Laura Flanders became a Left-wing journalist and activist later, and she once wrote that she'd been radicalized by the shabby way her dad was treated because he was disabled.

[@highpath4776]

Its Tutti (everyone) , not Tricky.

[@patshaw51]

STELLAR!

[@philipstevenson5166]

british genius!

[@giocosovelasco]

How is this video 5 years old and no one points out that the video is just a repeating 5 second clip

[@rossbishop2468]

perhaps because the genius is in the song not the video?

[@G6JPG]

Well spotted - I hadn't! But, the video maker has managed to give the lyrics with greater accuracy than most (just "tutti", "gorn" and one other).

[@lookuptartaria7030]

Which concerto is it, please? Thank you.

[@andrewfloodeen5720]

Mozart’s 4th horn concerto 3rd movement (rondo)

[@j.a.motteux2785]

I think it's Tutti

[@Parkyz]

I think it's 'tutti' not 'tricky'

[@garyheaton1623]

Wonderful nonsense done to the highest standards!

[@batman51]

Cunning use of Madeira M'dear film.

[@MaryVanBuskirk-s9x]

It’s TUTTI, not Tricky’

[@AECEntertainment]

Tutti not tricky

[@acrobaticcripple8176]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tonywright8294]

Not as good as Armstrong and miller 🤣