The Improbable Connection
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Concertos have been written for the mandolin (top left), Swiss alphorn (top right,) glass armonica (bottom left), and marimba (bottom right).
In the orchestra, as in the movies, there are stars and there are supporting players.
But every so often there’s a breakout role for an instrument that’s most often relegated to the background. And sometimes, a showpiece for an instrument that’s not part of the standard concert hall line-up to begin with.
Just consider the challenge of writing a concerto for the mandolin, tuba, saxophone, harmonica—or the 12-foot-long Swiss alphorn.
In this hour, we’ll hear how it’s done—and done amazingly well—by Vivaldi, Mozart, Villa-Lobos, Haydn, Vaughan Williams—and more.
4:00 p.m.
Dennis James
Mozart
"Adagio and Rondo in C minor, K.617"
Salzburger Solonisten "Dennis James, glass armonica"
4:01 p.m.
Vivaldi
Vivaldi
"Concerto for Mandolin in C major, RV 425"
Europa Galante "Giovanni Scaramuzzino, mandolin"
4:05 p.m.
Vaughan Williams
Concerto for Bass Tuba (1954) - 2. Romanza. Andante sostenuto
London Symphony Orchestra; Andre Previn, conductor "John Fletcher, tuba"
4:11 p.m.
Mozart
Mozart
Sinfonia Pastorella - Presto
Camerata Bern "Jozef Brejza, Swiss alphorn"
4:15 p.m.
Dennis James
Mozart
"Adagio and Rondo in C minor, K.617"
Salzburger Solonisten "Dennis James, glass armonica"
4:23 p.m.
Villa-Lobos
Harmonica Concerto, Op. 86, W524 II. Andante. Piu mosso
New York Chamber Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor Robert Bonfiglio, harmonica
4:30 p.m.
Vaughan Williams
Concerto for Bass Tuba (1954) - 2. Romanza. Andante sostenuto
London Symphony Orchestra; Andre Previn, conductor "John Fletcher, tuba"
4:31 p.m.
von Dittersorf
Double Bass Concerto No 2; Allegro
Swedish Chamber Orchestra; Paul Goodwin, conductor Chi-Chi Nwanoku, double bass
4:36 p.m.
Virtuoso Timpani Concertos
Druschetzky
Concerto for timpani & orchestra - 2 Andante
"Dresden Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, "; Alexander Peter, conductor "Alexander Peter, tympani"
4:38 p.m.
Hovhaness
"Soprano Saxophone Concerto, Op. 344 - III. Andante, Allegretto"
Eastern Music Festival Orchestra; Gerard Schwarz, conductor "Greg Banaszak, soprano saxophone"
4:45 p.m.
Haydn
Concerto in D major - I. Andantino
Northern Sinfonia; Alain Trudel, conductor "Alain Trudel, trombone"
4:53 p.m.
Sergiu Celibidache
Milhaud
"Concerto for marimba and vibraphone, op.278 - I. Anime"
Munich Philharmonic; Sergiu Celibidachi, conductor "Peter Sadlo, marimba and vibraphone"
4:57 p.m.
Mozart
Mozart
Sinfonia Pastorella - Presto
Camerata Bern "Jozef Brejza, Swiss alphorn"
