Clarinet Concerto (Piston)
Encyclopedia
Walter Piston
's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, was written in 1967. It was commissioned for the Hopkins Center Congregation of the Arts at Dartmouth College by its music director, Mario di Bonaventura, who conducted the world premiere on August 6, 1967 at the Congregation of Arts Festival, with clarinetist Donald Wendlant and the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra.
It consists of a single movement composed by Piston in four variations
without theme:
The Concerto is characterized by consistency and formal balance, which produces a satisfying sense of unity. Another prominent feature is the syncopated energetic rhythm that is typical of Piston's music. This is particularly prominent in the scherzo, which employs delicate percussion tapping also typical of the composer. The three fast movements are in each in an A-B-A temary form with a more lyrical B section providing contrast to the more vigorous outer parts. The last movement begins with a stately introductory Allegro in duple meter followed by the finale proper, a Vivo in changing meters (7/8, 5/8, 3/4, etc.). Instead of a cadenza there are short unaccompanied solos serving as transitions between the movements. The unusual structure was inspired by the success of the composer's earlier Variations for Cello and Orchestra (1966). The average performance time is around 12 minutes.
Walter Piston
Walter Hamor Piston Jr., , was an American composer of classical music, music theorist and professor of music at Harvard University whose students included Leroy Anderson, Leonard Bernstein, and Elliott Carter....
's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, was written in 1967. It was commissioned for the Hopkins Center Congregation of the Arts at Dartmouth College by its music director, Mario di Bonaventura, who conducted the world premiere on August 6, 1967 at the Congregation of Arts Festival, with clarinetist Donald Wendlant and the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra.
It consists of a single movement composed by Piston in four variations
Variation (music)
In music, variation is a formal technique where material is repeated in an altered form. The changes may involve harmony, melody, counterpoint, rhythm, timbre, orchestration or any combination of these.-Variation form:...
without theme:
- Variation I Con motoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
- - Variation II Poco piu mossoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
- - Variation III Assai lentoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
- - Variation IV AllegroTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
—VivoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
The Concerto is characterized by consistency and formal balance, which produces a satisfying sense of unity. Another prominent feature is the syncopated energetic rhythm that is typical of Piston's music. This is particularly prominent in the scherzo, which employs delicate percussion tapping also typical of the composer. The three fast movements are in each in an A-B-A temary form with a more lyrical B section providing contrast to the more vigorous outer parts. The last movement begins with a stately introductory Allegro in duple meter followed by the finale proper, a Vivo in changing meters (7/8, 5/8, 3/4, etc.). Instead of a cadenza there are short unaccompanied solos serving as transitions between the movements. The unusual structure was inspired by the success of the composer's earlier Variations for Cello and Orchestra (1966). The average performance time is around 12 minutes.