Miriam Hyde: Andante Tranquillo' From Piano Conce

Abstract

Of the six movements of the two piano concertos, the 'Andante tranquillo' of the second concerto lends itself best to a piano transcription. The listener will doubtless form some idea of the orchestration that prevails; it may be sustained string tone, a few chords on the brass, or an echoing woodwind phrase. A feature of the solo part is a series of descending bell-like chords. Sir Malcolm Sargent, who conducted a performance by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 1938, remarked: 'This movement is a real romance'. The first performance took place in London in 1935, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Constant Lambert. Both concertos have been recorded by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Geoffrey Simon.