Piano Concerto (Cowell)

*Piano Concerto*
Piano Concerto
by Henry Cowell
	Photo of Henry Cowell c. 1924
Catalogue	HC 440
Composed	1928
Performed	December 28, 1930
Movements	3
Scoring	Piano concerto

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

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.

II. Tone Cluster

III. Counter Rhythm

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

References

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

External links

[1] Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project

[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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