As with Schumann's "Concert Piece for four Horns" opus 86 Saint-Sa‰ns' "Morceau de Concert" was also composed with the idea of exploiting the technical possibilities of the new valve-horn mechanism. In this case, the French horn player Henri Chaussier provided the impulse. He had developed a novel "Cor omnitonique" and wanted to demonstrate the merits of his instrument with Saint-Sa‰ns' composition. Chaussier's invention did not gain acceptance amongst horn players - although the "Morceau de Concert" did! From today's standpoint the popular work with one movement is not overly demanding technically; in addition, Saint-Sa‰ns himself suggested two abridgements to simplify the piece.