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A keyboard concerto is a work written for harpsichord, fortepiano, piano or any other keyboard instrument (for example, the celesta) and orchestra. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Harpsichord in the Flemish style A harpsichord is any of a family of European keyboard instruments, including the large instrument currently called a harpsichord, but also the smaller virginals, the muselar virginals and the spinet. ... Fortepiano designates the early version of the piano, as it existed from its invention by Cristofori around 1700 up to the early 19th century. ... A short grand piano, with the top up. ... French type, four-octave Celesta The Celesta (IPA ) is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. ... A philharmonic orchestra An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually a fairly large instrumental ensemble with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. ...

History

Baroque

Concerti for the harpsichord were written throughout the Baroque era, notably by Johann Sebastian Bach (see list of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach for a list). Today these harpsichord concerti are often performed with a piano as the solo instrument. Harpsichord in the Flemish style A harpsichord is any of a family of European keyboard instruments, including the large instrument currently called a harpsichord, but also the smaller virginals, the muselar virginals and the spinet. ... Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750 (see Dates of classical music eras for a discussion of the problems inherent in defining the beginning and end points). ... Johann Sebastian Bach (pronounced ) (21 March 1685 O.S. – 28 July 1750 N.S.) was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. ... There are over 1000 known compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... A harpsichord concerto is a concerto for harpsichord and orchestra. ...

Concertos began to be written for the harpsichord in the baroque period (17th-18th century), when it was a very common instrument, but though Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a number, 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 continuo instruments, playing a harmonised bass part in nearly all orchestral music, and often played by the director of the orchestra. The term concerto (plural is concerti or concertos) usually refers to a musical work in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. ... Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750 (see Dates of classical music eras for a discussion of the problems inherent in defining the beginning and end points). ... Johann Sebastian Bach (pronounced ) (21 March 1685 O.S. – 28 July 1750 N.S.) was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator (usually a tube), in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set at the end of the resonator. ... Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervallic content (the intervals which make up a sonority), later chords, in relation to a bass note. ...

Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D major, BWV 1050, may be the first instance in which the harpsichord appeared as a concerto soloist. It appears in this work to be breaking out of its usual continuo role, which is alternated with prominent solo obbligato episodes in all three movements. Most notable is the first movement where the harpsichord, after rapid scales up and down the length of its range, embarks on an immense solo cadenza which lasts for about 3-4 minutes, while the orchestra is silent. In music, the BACH motif is the sequence of notes B flat, A, C, B natural. ... The six Brandenburg concertos (BWV 1046-1051) by Johann Sebastian Bach are a collection of instrumental works presented by Bach to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721, but probably composed earlier. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

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). Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678 – July 28 or 27, 1741), nicknamed Il Prete Rosso (The Red Priest), was a Venetian priest and baroque music composer, as well as a famous violinist. ... The Italian Concerto (properly entitled Concerto in the Italian Style), BWV 971, is a three-movement concerto for harpsichord (without accompaniment) composed by J.S. Bach in 1735. ... In music, the BACH motif is the sequence of notes B flat, A, C, B natural. ... There are over 1000 known compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

Classical and Romantic

As the piano developed and became accepted, composers naturally started writing concerti for it. This happened in the 18th century, and so corresponded to the Classical music era. The most important composer in the development of the form in these early stages was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart's body of masterly piano concerti put his stamp firmly on the genre well into the Romantic era. A composer is a person who writes music. ... The Classical period in Western music occurred from about 1730 through 1820, despite considerable overlap at both ends with preceding and following periods, as is true for all musical eras. ... Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (IPA: , baptized Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart) (January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. ...

Mozart wrote many of his 27 solo piano concerti for himself to perform (he also wrote concerti for two and three pianos). With the development of the piano virtuoso many composer-pianists did likewise, notably Ludwig van Beethoven, Carl Maria von Weber, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Sergei Prokofiev, and also the somewhat lesser-known Johann Nepomuk Hummel and John Field. Many other Romantic composers wrote pieces in the form, well-known examples including the concerti by Robert Schumann, Edvard Grieg, Edward MacDowell, Johannes Brahms and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Mozart wrote music in all the major genres of the classical era, but his most important works are the operas and the concertos, of which the piano concertos are the most numerous and substantial. ... Pianist Claudio Arrau, Carnegie Hall, 1954. ... A virtuoso (from Italian virtuoso, late Latin virtuosus, Latin virtus meaning: skill, manliness, excellence) is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability at singing or playing a musical instrument. ... 1820 portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler Beethoven redirects here. ... Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst, Freiherr von Weber (November 18, 1786 in Eutin, Holstein – June 5, 1826 in London, England) was a German composer. ... Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin (French: Frédéric François Chopin; English: IPA: or ; French: ) (March 1, 1810[1] â€“ October 17, 1849) was a Polish pianist and composer of the Romantic era. ... Franz Liszt (Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc) (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer of the Romantic period. ... Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (Russian: , Sergej Vasil’evič Rachmaninov, 1 April 1873 (N.S.) or 20 March 1873 (O.S.) – 28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej Sergejevič Prokof’ev; 15/April 271, 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... Johann Nepomuk Hummel Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel (14 November 1778 – 17 October 1837) was a composer and virtuoso pianist of Austrian origin who was born in Pressburg (present-day Bratislava, Slovakia). ... John Field (July 26, 1782 – January 23, 1837) was an Irish composer and pianist. ... The era of Romantic music is defined as the period of European classical music that runs roughly from the early 1800s to the first decade of the 20th century, as well as music written according to the norms and styles of that period. ... For others with the same name see Robert Schumann (disambiguation). ... Edvard Hagerup Grieg (15 June 1843 – 4 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist who composed in the romantic period. ... Edward and Marian MacDowell. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky[1] (Russian: Пётр Ильич Чайкoвский, Pëtr Il’ič ÄŒajkovskij;  ) (7 May [O.S. 25 April] 1840 – 6 November [O.S. 25 October] 1893), was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. ...

20th century and contemporary

The piano concerto form survived through the 20th century into the 21st, with examples being written by Béla Bartók, Arnold Schoenberg, Sergei Prokofiev, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Samuel Barber, Michael Tippett, Witold Lutosławski, György Ligeti, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Leroy Anderson, Philip Glass, George Gershwin, and others. 20th century classical music, the classical music of the 20th century, was extremely diverse, beginning with the late Romantic style of Sergei Rachmaninoff, Impressionism of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, the Neoclassicism of middle-period Igor Stravinsky, and ranging to such distant sound-worlds as the complete serialism of Pierre... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Béla Viktor János Bartók (March 25, 1881 – September 26, 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and collector of Eastern European and Middle Eastern folk music. ... Schoenberg redirects here. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej Sergejevič Prokof’ev; 15/April 271, 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Russian: Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский, Igor Fëdorovič Stravinskij) (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971) was a Russian composer, considered by many in both the West and his native land to be the most influential composer of 20th-century music. ... Dmitri Dmitrievich Shostakovich   (Russian: , Dmitrij Dmitrievič Å ostakovič) (September 25 [O.S. September 12] 1906–August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period. ... Samuel Barber, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1944 Samuel Osborne Barber II (March 9, 1910 – January 23, 1981) was an American composer of classical music ranging from orchestral, to opera, choral, and piano music. ... Sir Michael Kemp Tippett, O.M. (2 January 1905 – 8 January 1998) was one of the foremost English composers of the 20th century. ... Witold LutosÅ‚awski at his home. ... György Sándor Ligeti (May 28, 1923 – June 12, 2006) was a Jewish Hungarian composer born in Romania who later became an Austrian citizen. ... Einojuhani Rautavaara (born October 9, 1928) is a Finnish composer of classical music, probably the best known Finnish composer of his generation. ... The Best of Leroy Anderson: Sleigh Ride Leroy Anderson (June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975) was best known as an American composer of short, light concert music pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. ... Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an Academy Award-nominated American composer. ... // George Gershwin (September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer who wrote most of his vocal and theatrical works in collaboration with his elder brother lyricist Ira Gershwin. ...

There are examples of piano concerti written to commissions by pianists. Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm during World War I, on resuming his musical career asked a number of composers to write pieces for him which required the pianist to use his left hand only. The results of these commissions include the concertante pieces for orchestra and piano left hand by Benjamin Britten, Franz Schmidt, Maurice Ravel, Sergei Prokofiev (Piano Concerto No. 4) and Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Paul Wittgenstein (May 11, 1887 – March 3, 1961) was an Austrian-born pianist. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert Henry Asquith Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow... Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH (November 22, 1913 Lowestoft, Suffolk - December 4, 1976 Aldeburgh, Suffolk) was a British composer, conductor, and pianist. ... Franz Schmidt (December 22, 1874 – February 11, 1939) was an Austrian composer, cellist and pianist. ... Joseph-Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937) was a French 20th century composer and pianist, known especially for the subtlety, richness and poignancy of his music. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej Sergejevič Prokof’ev; 15/April 271, 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897 – November 29, 1957) was a composer. ...

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. Wanda Landowska (July 5, 1879 – August 16, 1959), harpsichordist whose performances, teaching, recordings and writings played a large role in reviving the popularity of that instrument in the early 20th century. ... Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (IPA: ) (January 7, 1899 - January 30, 1963) was a French composer and a member of the French group Les Six. ... Manuel de Falla y Matheu (November 23, 1876 – November 14, 1946) was a Spanish composer of classical music. ...

Other notes

Composers continually extended the scope of the piano concerto. For instance, Henry Charles Litolff explored the symphonic possibilities of the form, and Ferruccio Busoni added a male choir in the last movement of his hour-long concerto. Henry Charles Litolff (6 February 1818–August 5, 1891) was a keyboard virtuoso and composer of Romantic music. ... Ferruccio Busoni Ferruccio Busoni (April 1, 1866 – July 27, 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, music teacher and conductor. ... The Piano Concerto by Busoni, Opus 39, is one of the largest works written in this particular genre. ...

The few well-known piano concerti which dominate today's concert programs and discographies account for only a minority of the repertoire which proliferated on the European music scene during the 19th century. Critical opinion has often dismissed the bulk of the Romantic piano concerto repertoire for its vapid mediocrity (many pieces were slavish variations on opera tunes). However, many of these compositions were more than just flashy calling-cards churned out by composer-virtuosi for their sensational tours of Europe and America. These "showpieces" were also a formative influence on the training, techniques and styles of the composers whose concerti have been accepted into the canon [1]. In music, variation is a formal technique where material is altered during repetition; reiteration with changes. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ...

Characteristics

Form

A classical piano concerto is often in three movements.

1. A quick opening movement in sonata form including a cadenza (which may be improvised by the soloist).
2. A slow expressive movement
3. A lively finale in rondo or sonata form

Examples by Mozart and Beethoven follow this model, but examples abound which do not. Beethoven's fourth concerto includes a last-movement cadenza, and many composers have introduced innovations - for example Liszt's single-movement concerti. Sonata form is a musical form that has been used widely since the early Classical period. ... A cadenza is usually now taken to mean a portion of a concerto in which the orchestra stops playing, leaving the soloist to play alone in free time (without a strict, regular pulse) and can be written or improvised, depending on what the composer specifies. ... Philosophically, improvisation often focuses on bringing ones personal awareness into the moment, and on developing a profound understanding for the action one is doing. ... a rondo is played between episode which are played by non solo people Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also in reference to a character-type that... Sonata form is a musical form that has been used widely since the early Classical period. ...

See also

• List of compositions for keyboard and orchestra
• Works similar to keyboard concertos

This is a list of musical compositions for keyboard instruments such as the piano or harpsichord and orchestra. ... This is a list of musical compositions for keyboard instruments such as the piano or harpsichord and orchestra. ...

External links

• Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto Series A project to record and reassess the work of Romantic composers whose contributions to the development of the piano concerto (in some cases entire careers) have been neglected or forgotten. Contains the sleeve notes of many of the recordings, offering both musical and biographical analysis. Streaming audio of selected movements also available.
• Rachmaninoff's Works for Piano and Orchestra An analysis of Rachmaninoff's Works for Piano and Orchestra including the Piano Concertos and the Paganini Rhapsody.
• Classical and Romantic Piano Concertos, an extensive list of Classical and Romantic piano concertos, and other music for piano and orchestra from the same period.