Diplomada

ROMANTIC CONCERTO GROSSO
FOR PIANO, SOLO STRING QUARTET AND STRING ORCHESTRA

DAVID JOHNSTONE
2010

SCORE - PARTITURA

ROMANTIC CONCERTO GROSSO
NOTES:
This is a most unusual work for 3 instrumental forces; firstly the piano soloist which often has independent writing, then the solo string quartet, and finally the entire main grouping of string orchestra. All three spheres have plenty ofinteresting moments, the work not being as such a composition for piano quintet and orchestra, nor a kind of quintuple concerto. The main undertaking by the composer has been to combine the ideals of the Baroque Concerto Grosso with fully late-romantic writing. A slow introduction – Largo – owes more than something to baroque writing whilst fully remaining romantic in its harmonies. After a brief pianocadence, the main Allegro movement is launched. There are two main subject groups of motives (generally consisting of short cellular figures), which are later developed alongside some occasional episodic passages. After arriving at an intense climax by both soloists and orchestra, the passion relents and points towards to the re-exposition. When we are supposedly about to arrive at a glorious coda,the work suddenly ‘evaporates’ by the unexpected return of the initial introduction, here serving as a kind of Postlude to the work. The closing bars are most tranquil, almost heavenly, perhaps with distant flavours of the late autumnal music of Bruch and Brahms. As in the Baroque models, virtuosity is not the principal aim for the soloists, though there are plenty of moments where they shine.There are indeed some difficult moments, but these are guided by a sonorous and delightful layering of the musical texts, and these string solo parts weave in and out of the orchestral textures in the main allegro movement. However, in the Introduction and again in the Postlude, the string soloists and piano have long cantabile lines. The harmonies are generally fully and unashamedly romantic,perhaps making this an obvious natural coupling with the Elgar Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet and String Orchestra. Lasting some 14 minutes or so, the composition would be ideal either for the orchestral principal string players (plus the orchestral pianist!), or for more regular piano quartets/quintets who wish to have a concerto-like work in which to display their musicianship … but amost interesting addition to orchestral/chamber repertoire for the very many string quartets playing romantic repertoire who might wish to invite along a pianist friend and try something rather‘ different’ from the norm ! Dedication: to the memory of the composer’s father, Eric John Johnstone Preparation: this excellent professional quality edition has been prepared by the conductor and cellistCarlos Ariel Gracia Baez. Availability: there are no current plans to commercially publish the work. Everything is available for FREE DOWNLOADING on the web page of Johnstone-Music – including the conductor score, the soloists parts, and the orchestral parts. www.johnstone-music.com // www.j-music.es

Dedicated to Eric John Johnstone

ROMANTIC CONCERTO GROSSO
Introduction - Largo (q = c.54)
DAVIDJOHNSTONE

Piano

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Viola

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Double Bass

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4

4

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