Piano Concerto (Cowell)

Henry Cowell wrote his Piano Concerto (formally Concerto for Piano and Orchestra) in 1928.

Piano Concerto
by Henry Cowell
Photo of Henry Cowell c. 1924
CatalogueHC 440
Composed1928
PerformedDecember 28, 1930
Movements3
ScoringPiano concerto

The piece contains many innovative uses of dissonance, cluster chords and extended uses of form.[1]

History

Cowell completed his Piano Concerto in 1928, and premiered the first movement as soloist with the Conductorless Orchestra of New York City in April 1930; he was also the soloist in the first complete performance on December 28, 1930, with the Havana Philharmonic conducted by Pedro Sanjuan. It was only until 1978, long after the composer's death, that its first full performance was done in the United States.[2]

Movements

The concerto is in three movements.

I. Polyharmony

The first movement, Polyharmony, begins with an orchestral tutti.

Instrumentation
Woodwinds
2 Flutes
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets
2 Bassoons
Brass
2 French Horns
2 Trumpets
3 Trombones (third doubling bass trombone)
Tuba
Percussion
Timpani
Unpitched percussion (snare drum, tam-tam, cymbal)
Piano
Strings
16 Violins
8 Violas
8 Cellos
4 Basses

See also

References
  1. Blumhofer, Jonathan (2018). "Rethinking the Repertoire #23 – Henry Cowell’s Piano Concerto". The Arts Fuse. Retrieved 13 June, 2022.
  2. Keller, James. "About Cowell's Piano Concerto". American Mavericks. Retrieved 13 June, 2022.
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