Piano Concerto (Barber)
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The Piano Concerto, Op. 38, by Samuel Barber was commissioned by the music publishing company G. Schirmer in honor of the hundredth anniversary of their founding. The work premièred on 24 September 1962, in the opening festivities of Philharmonic Hall, now Avery Fisher Hall, the first hall built at Lincoln Center, with John Browning as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Erich Leinsdorf.
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[edit] History
Barber began work on the concerto in March 1960. John Browning was the intended soloist from the outset and the concerto was written with his specific keyboard technique in mind. The first two movements were completed before the end of 1960 but the last movement was not completed until 15 days before the world première performance. The work was met with great critical acclaim with Barber winning his second Pulitzer Prize in 1963 and the Music Critics Circle Award in 1964.
[edit] Music
[edit] Scoring
The work is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, percussion, harp and strings.
[edit] Movements
The work is in three movements:
- Allegro appassionato
- Canzone: Moderato
- Allegro molto
[edit] I. Allegro appassionato
The first movement opens with a piano declamation of one of the major themes, and then moves into a furious tutti section. The movement as a whole is based on a handful of evocative melodies, some highly dramatic, others more subdued. It contains plenty of complex interaction between piano and orchestra. It is basically in E minor.
[edit] II. Canzone: Moderato
The second movement, predominantly in C-sharp minor, is based primarily on one sweet but sad melody and is far more subdued than the first movement.
[edit] III. Allegro molto
The third movement, mostly in B-flat minor, is in a furiously fast 5/8 time, with a pounding ostinato that gives the piece a rather devilish sound. It makes heavy use of the brass instruments but ends in a dramatic piano part where the player climbs up the entire keyboard in a dazzling display of technique.
