A harpsichord concerto is a piece of music for an orchestra with the harpsichord in a solo role (though for another sense, see below.) Sometimes these works are played on the modern piano; see piano concerto. For a period in the late 18th century, Joseph Haydn and Thomas Arne wrote concertos which could be played interchangeably on both harpsichord, fortepiano and (in some cases) pipe organ.
Contents |
Harpsichord concertos were written throughout the Baroque era, notably by Johann Sebastian Bach: see harpsichord concertos (J. S. Bach).
The harpsichord was a very common instrument, but it was never as popular as string or wind instruments in the concerto role, probably due to its relative lack of volume when in an orchestra. In this context, harpsichords were more usually employed as a continuo instrument, playing a harmonised bass part in nearly all orchestral music, the player often also directing the orchestra.
Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D major, BWV 1050, may be the first work in which the harpsichord appeared as a concerto soloist. In this piece, its usual continuo role is alternated with prominent solo obbligato episodes in all three movements. In the first movement the harpsichord, after rapid scales up and down the length of its range, embarks on a solo cadenza which lasts for 3–4 minutes, while the orchestra is silent.
It was also popular at this time to adapt Italian concertos for other instruments (such as violin and orchestra) for solo harpsichord (or organ), something that Bach did with many of Vivaldi's concertos. Bach's Italian concerto BWV 971 is in this transcription style, though it was written as an original piece for harpsichord. The concerto transcriptions Bach made for harpsichord are listed as BWV 972–987 (see List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach).
With the revival of the harpsichord in the 20th century, harpsichordists commissioned new pieces for the new 'revival' instrument: Wanda Landowska commissioned concerti from Francis Poulenc and Manuel de Falla. Though the 'revival instruments' have now fallen out of favour, concerti continue to be written for harpsichord, though are now more likely to be played on a copy of a historical instrument, perhaps with a small orchestra or some amplification to ensure it can be well heard. Philip Glass has also written a concerto for harpsichord.
Several other works feature the harpsichord as a solo instrument alongside others, including:
|
||||||||||||||