Three favourite harpsichord concertos

Started by Symphonic Addict, January 20, 2021, 11:58:48 AM

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Symphonic Addict

What are your three favourite harpsichord concertos? There are no as many as with other instruments, so I thought three or five would be a fair number to include. I find fascinating how this instrument blends into and interacts with an orchestra. There are nice and quirky instances in the genre, like Martinu's and de Falla's. I wish Hindemith and Arnold had composed each a concerto. I really enjoy the timbre of this instument, I feel it like sharp-and-metallic-sounding. Kudos for the composers who composed and those who keep writing works like these.

Having said that, mine are:


Poulenc: The level of quirkiness and depth and how both are represented into the work leaves me with a big smile on my face. Utterly charming creation.

Nyman: This is a sound beast, it's like LSD in music. The writing for the soloist is just insane, an incredibly tricky and complex work. It's about moods, mostly, and requires a challenging playing. Only solid players could play this. Few like or enjoy Nyman, but I do. He's certainly one of my favorite minimalist composers.

Kalabis: I don't have strong memories of this, but I remember being impressed when I heard it.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

In no particular order: Poulenc, Falla and Martinů.

amw


pjme

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 20, 2021, 12:06:22 PM
In no particular order: Poulenc, Falla and Martinů.

My choices aswell.

Allow me to add:
Hugo Distler : a composition (harpsichord and strings) from 1935. The fast movements are very motoric, almost manic. The last movement is an incredible "tour(billon) de force", a crazy whirlwind. The Andante poco Adagio is sad and mysterious.
Maurice Ohana: Sarabande for harpsichord and orchestra (1950). Short (ca 8 minutes), serious and rather spooky...
(Frank Martin's concerto and the Petite symphonie concertante, of course)....

André

Kalabis, Poulenc and Falla.

I haven't heard the Distler (hard to find and/or very expensive) but Distler is a favourite composer I've enthused about for his choral and organ music.

I don't know the Martinu either. Suggestions ?


Mirror Image

#6
Quote from: André on January 20, 2021, 01:16:04 PM
Kalabis, Poulenc and Falla.

I haven't heard the Distler (hard to find and/or very expensive) but Distler is a favourite composer I've enthused about for his choral and organ music.

I don't know the Martinu either. Suggestions ?

Check out this recording:



The recording with Zuzana Růžičková (w/ Neumann at the podium) is also worth looking into.

DavidW

Quote from: amw on January 20, 2021, 12:38:35 PM
Bach D minor, A major & E major

Yup same here.  And if I exhaust Bach then it is... CPE Bach.  And I believe Haydn's early keyboard concertos are typically played on harpsichord.

I will say for those thinking outside the Bach  ;) try Gorecki's harpsichord concerto.  It is pretty neat.

I wonder if anyone will mention Carter's double concerto.

André

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 20, 2021, 01:56:57 PM
Check out this recording:



The recording with Zuzana Růžičková (w/ Neumann at the podium) is also worth looking into.

Thanks, John !


MusicTurner

Poulenc, Martinu (recordings vary in their attractiveness though), Kokkonen.

And B1052.

vandermolen

#11
Walter Leigh
Poulenc
Kalabis
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

ritter

My list (all 20th century):

Elliott Carter: Double Concerto for Harpsichord and Piano with Two Chamber Orchestras
Roberto Gerhard: Concerto for Harpsichord, Percussion and Strings.
Francis Poulenc: Concert champêtre

André


DavidW

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 20, 2021, 01:56:57 PM
Check out this recording:



The recording with Zuzana Růžičková (w/ Neumann at the podium) is also worth looking into.

This was going to be an Ives day for me but I think I will be listening to this recording instead.

Mirror Image

Quote from: DavidW on January 21, 2021, 05:33:38 AM
This was going to be an Ives day for me but I think I will be listening to this recording instead.

An excellent choice if I do say so myself. ;)

Mirror Image


Mirror Image

Quote from: ritter on January 21, 2021, 12:25:05 AM
My list (all 20th century):

Elliott Carter: Double Concerto for Harpsichord and Piano with Two Chamber Orchestras
Roberto Gerhard: Concerto for Harpsichord, Percussion and Strings.
Francis Poulenc: Concert champêtre

Nice list, Rafael. I'm quite surprised to see that Falla wasn't on your list given your affinity for this composer.

vandermolen

Quote from: DavidW on January 21, 2021, 05:33:38 AM
This was going to be an Ives day for me but I think I will be listening to this recording instead.
Great soloist name.  8)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Symphonic Addict

The Croatian Boris Papandopulo also wrote a fine concerto for this instrument. Actually, all I've heard from him has been so gratifying.

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky