Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra

Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra is the composer’s doctoral dissertation. It was originally projected as a unified work with no pauses between movements, but tradition, along with greater ease of comprehension, seemed to indicate the advantage of separating the movements.

Serial techniques are used, with two rows used throughout. The rows have a definite relationship, although the second row is of subordinate importance. The formal structures used are rather traditional. The first movement, Allegro moderato, has a modified sonata-allegro form with double exposition. Ostinato and rhythmic figures lead to the climax of this movement. The second movement, Largo, has a very transparent texture, and an A B A formal design.

The closing Allegro vivo employs very vivid, rhythmic, virtuoso passages. Thematic material recalled from the first movement contributes to the feeling of the work as a whole as cyclic. This movement is also a modified sonata-allegro form with a canon in the middle section involving material from the exposition along with devices such as isorhythm. The recapitulation recalls the percussive effects of the opening of the movement. The coda includes all the preceding thematic material in a summation of the entire work.