The Piano Concerto in C is a concertante work by Ralph Vaughan Williams written in 1926 (

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1 & 2) and 1930-31 (movement 3). During the intervening years, the composer completed '' Job: A Masque for Dancing'' and began work on his Fourth Symphony. The concerto shares some thematic characteristics with these works, as well as some of their drama and turbulence.

Structure

#Toccata: Allegro moderato - Largamente - Cadenza #:The concerto begins with driving, energetic music from the soloist set against a threatening, rising theme in the orchestra. A faster, more scherzo-like idea, shared out equally between piano and orchestra, soon contrasts against the opening music. These two blocks of music alternate, forming the basis of the entire movement. It is as though the traditional dialogue between soloist and orchestra has been supplanted by a more generalised dialogue of musical types. At the movement's climax, a brief and thunderous piano solo is joined by the full orchestra. However, the orchestra suddenly cuts off to leave the piano musing alone in a short lyrical cadenza. This leads without a break into the slow movement. #Romanza: Lento #:The Romanza is more delicate, providing the listener with hints of Vaughan Williams's previous studies with Maurice Ravel. Vaughan Williams here quoted the theme from the ''Epilogue'' of the third movement of

Arnold Bax Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, (8 November 1883 – 3 October 1953) was an English composer, poet, and author. His prolific output includes songs, choral music, chamber pieces, and solo piano works, but he is best known for his orchestral musi ...

's Symphony No. 3. #Fuga chromatica con Finale alla Tedesca #:Again without a pause from the previous music, the closing movement begins with a fugue that is linked to a waltz finale by flights of virtuosity from the piano soloist. It closes with the ensemble repeating themes from the first two movements, and then abruptly closes.

Overview

The work was premiered on 1 February 1933 by

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, with the

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directed by

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. The Finale was edited shortly thereafter and the work was published in 1936. The concerto was not well received at first, being considered unrewarding to the soloist. Though the piece provides ample opportunity for virtuosity in all movements, Vaughan Williams treated the piano as a

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, as did Béla Bartók and

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...

during this period, with the

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at times impenetrably thick. While the concerto was rated highly by some—Bartók, for one, was extremely impressed—Vaughan Williams took the advice of well-meaning friends and colleagues and reworked the piece into a Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, adding more texture to the piano parts with the assistance of Joseph Cooper in 1946.Achenbach, 1.

References

Bibliography

* Achenbach, Andrew, Notes for EMI 75983, ''Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto; Delius: Piano Concerto; Finzi: Eclogue'';

Piers Lane Piers Lane (born 8 January 1958) is an Australian classical pianist. His performance career has taken him to more than 40 countries. His concerto repertoire exceeds 75 works. Early life Lane's English father and Australian mother met while au ...

, piano;

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conducted by

Vernon Handley Vernon George "Tod" Handley (11 November 1930 – 10 September 2008) was a British conductor, known in particular for his support of British composers. He was born of a Welsh father and an Irish mother into a musical family in Enfield, Middle ...

. * Max Harrison. Symphony #9 and Piano Concerto CD Booklet. Chandos Records. * Kennedy, Michael, ''The Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams'' (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1964). ISBN n/a. {{Authority control

Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

Concertos by Ralph Vaughan Williams 1931 compositions Compositions in C major