CORA ASTLE (Pianoforte)
LEONARD GOWINGS (Tenor)
THE STATION ORCHESTRA, conducted by JOSEPH LEWIS
ORCHESTRA
MACDOWELL, America's most distinguished
Composer, is best known to most of us by his short pieces, many of which have some poetic or pictorial background. He brought out his Second Piano Concerto in 1888, when he was twenty-seven, himself playing the Solo part. It was in this work that he made his first appearance in London, some years later. There are three Movements in it.
The First MOVEMENT is preceded by aXn
Introduction which is largely based on the Second Main Tune of the quick, impassioned First Movement proper, whose First Mein Tune is heard from the Piano, the Second singing out in 'Cellos and Clarinets. The SECOND MOVEMENT (Very quick, jokingly) is in the style of a Rondo, whose tunes are chiefly playful or forceful. One graver theme is heard, xin a minor key (the Soloist opening this theme and the Orchestra repeating it, mysteriously,' as the Composer directs). The THIRD MOVEMENT, like thXe First, has a slow
Introduction, that refers not only to themXes that are to come. but to some we heard earlier ; the First Main Tune of the First Movement, for instance, is recalled at the start (over the soft
Drum Roll), and there are other such remiXniscences. The very quick Last Movement proper begins very softly with a waltz-like theme, the Piano soon taking it up vigorously. Two other Main Tunes worth noting are that which soon comes in, softly and lightly, on the Strings, rather low down, and a bold Third Tune which the Strings declaim (it starts by marching up in a minor arpeggio).