19th Century Drama in a 20th Century Concerto
One of the defining features of the instrumental concerto as a genre is the dialogue between orchestra and soloist. Posing the orchestra as a separate dramatic entity allows for the soloist to assume another character, and the second movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 is a prime example of this. The orchestra is stern, uncompromising, and scarce, and Beethoven sets these features against an intimate, harmonically driven piano solo. Almost two centuries later, this same dramatic approach appealed to American composer Victoria Bond, in the second movement of her piano concerto titled Black Light. Although the works develop differently, parallels abound between the two, as the timeless dramatic approach to dialogue continues between the massive orchestra and the single, yet multifaceted piano soloist. This session will explore the dramatic impetus of each work and the striking melodic harmonic, and textural similarities between the two, followed by a premiere of the two-piano version of Victoria Bond’s Black Light.
Make plans to attend the presentation and performance on October 21-22 of Victoria Bond’s Black Light at the Nebraska Music Teachers Association Conference hosted at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
Madeline Rogers 