Concerto

Autorentext
Born in Chester in 1947, Howard Skempton has worked as a composer, accordionist, and music publisher. Renowned for the distinctive clarity of his musical language, he has composed over 300 pieces, many of which are miniatures for solo piano or accordion. His orchestral and instrumental works have been recorded by, among others, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Ensemble Bash. In recent years, Skempton has concentrated increasingly on writing vocal and choral music; his choral commissions include works for the BBC Singers and the Belfast Philharmonic Society. He is currently an Honorary Professor of Music at De Montfort University.

Zusammenfassung
for piano and string quartet Originally scored for solo piano and full orchestra, Skempton's Piano Concerto has been arranged by the composer for quintet, broadening its reach to smaller ensembles. The work consists of five short movements, each exploring dissonance in a different way. The first features an ethereal and expansive soundscape that drifts through ever-changing harmonies. Bitonality is suggested in the second movement, while in the third, imitative entries and a repeating sixteen-bar progression culminate in an affirmative E major chord. The fourth movement builds a thick dissonant texture as the strings echo the piano's semitone and tritone intervals. Defying listeners' expectations, the last movement is characterized by its lack of dissonance, and develops a recurring lilting theme as the concerto comes to a close.