Violin Concerto No. 1 (Piston)

Walter Piston's Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra was written in 1939 and dedicated to violinist Ruth Posselt.[1] Posselt, backed by the National Orchestral Association under Léon Barzin, gave the first performance at Carnegie Hall on 18 March 1940.[2]

Amongst the audience was composer Benjamin Britten, who is quoted as telling Aaron Copland, "there was no composer in England of Piston’s age who could turn out anything so expert.”[1]

Structure

The work is in three movements:

1) Allegro energico 2) Andantino molto tranquillo 3) Allegro con spirito

A typical performance will last around 25 minutes.

References

1. Oja, Carol J. (29 March 2011). "American Symphony Orchestra - Concert Notes: Walter Piston (1894–1976)". American Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
2. Ledin, Victor; Ledin, Marina. "Liner Notes to Naxos 8.559003 (Piston: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Fantasia for Violin)". Retrieved 22 October 2016.

Further reading

• Davis, Rachelle Marie. 2004. "Walter Piston's Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra: Thematic and Motivic Transformation, Style, and Violinistic Issues". DMA dissertation. Austin: University of Texas. ISBN 0-496-74348-1.