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Harpsichord concerto

A harpsichord concerto is a concerto for harpsichord and orchestra.

In the Baroque period, when the harpsichord was a common instrument, several concertos were written for it (Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a number of examples), though it was never as popular as the violin or other string or wind instruments.

With the rise of the piano in the Classical period, the harpsichord fell out of use, and nothing was written for it by major composers through the Romantic era. In the 20th century, interest in performing Baroque music in a more historically accurate way rose, and the harpsichord began to be played once more. As well as playing old music, harpsichordists commissioned new pieces for the instrument: Wanda Landowska, an important force in returning the harpsichord to the concert hall, commissioned concerti from Francis Poulenc and Manuel de Falla, for example.

List of harpsichord concertos

• Johann Sebastian Bach (all 1720s-1740s)
  • BWV 1052 for harpsichord and strings in D minor, after a lost violin concerto
  • BWV 1053 for harpsichord and strings in E major, probably after a lost oboe concerto
  • BWV 1054 for harpsichord and strings in D major, after his violin concerto in E major BWV 1042
  • BWV 1055 for harpsichord and strings in A major, after a lost oboe d'amore concerto
  • BWV 1056 for harpsichord and strings in F minor, probably after a lost violin concerto
  • BWV 1057 for harpsichord, 2 recorders and strings in F major, after Brandenburg concerto no.4 in G major, BWV 1049
  • BWV 1058 for harpsichord and strings in G minor, after his violin concerto in A minor BWV 1041
  • BWV 1050 - Brandenburg concerto no.5 in D major, for harpsichord, flute, violin and strings
  • BWV 1044 for harpsichord, violin, flute and strings in A minor.
  • BWV 1060 for 2 harpsichords and strings in C minor, after a lost violin and oboe concerto
  • BWV 1061 for 2 harpsichords and strings in C major, after a lost concerto for 2 harpsichords unaccompanied
  • BWV 1062 for 2 harpsichords and strings in C minor, after his double violin concerto in D minor BWV 1043
  • BWV 1063 for 3 harpsichords and strings in D minor
  • BWV 1064 for 3 harpsichords and strings in C major, after a lost triple violin concerto
  • BWV 1065 for 4 harpsichords and strings in A minor, after Vivaldi's concerto for 4 violins in B minor, RV 580 (l'estro armonico op.3 no.10, RV580)
• Thomas Arne - 6 Favourite Concertos for harpsichord, piano or organ (late 18th century)
• CPE Bach - about 50 harpsichord concertos, including one for harpsichord and fortepiano.
• Manuel de Falla - Concerto for harpsichord (1926)
• Philip Glass - Concerto for Harpsichord and Chamber Orchestra (2002)
• Henryk Górecki - Harpsichord Concerto (1980)
• Frank Martin - Harpsichord Concerto (1951-52)
• Bohuslav Martinů - Harpsichord Concerto (1935)
• Francis Poulenc - Concert champêtre (1927-28)
• Roberto Gerhard - concerto for harpsichord, percussion and strings (mid 20th century)
• Walter Leigh - concertino for harpsichord and strings (early 20th century)

Several other works feature the harpsichord as a solo instrument alongside others, including:

Elliott Carter - Double Concerto (1959-61, for harpsichord, piano and orchestra)
Alfred Schnittke - Concerto Grosso No. 1 (1977, for two violins, harpsichord, prepared piano and orchestra)
Frank Martin - Petite symphonie concertante for harp, harpsichord, piano and double string orchestra.

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This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.