Concertino for Harpsichord and String Orchestra

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Concertino for Harpsichord and String Orchestra is a short harpsichord concerto written in 1934 by English composer Walter Leigh.

Movements: 1. Allegro 2. Andante 3. Allegro vivace

In the first movement, a lively, chattering dialogue between soloist and orchestra culminates in a brilliant barred cadenza for the harpsichord, followed by a reprise of the opening paragraph. The Andante is a saraband-like movement, in ABA form. The ten-bar theme stated by the soloist is repeated by the orchestra. In the B section, elements from the first theme are reassembled into new sentences. The first theme is shared between cellos and violins on its return, harpsichord supplying decorative arpeggios. The last movement is a brisk and light-footed six-eight, in which a number of short themes succeed each other rapidly. Another shorter cadenza-like passage leads to an 11-bar reprise incorporating elements from three of the movement's themes.

Piano has occasionally replaced harpsichord in performance, owing to the relative obscurity of the harpsichord at the time of composition, and the needs of publishing.

It has been recorded by Trevor Pinnock on Lyrita; George Malcolm on BBC radio classics; Colin Tilney on CBC.

Length: c. 9 minutes.

It is published by Oxford University Press.