John Burge

Instrumentation: 2222/422/2Perc+1Timp/Strings

Commissioner: Commissioned by the Kingston Symphony Orchestra.

Premiere: Brian Finley, piano, and the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Glen Fast, conductor, The Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON, March 11, 1992.

Duration: 36 Minutes

Movements:

1. Moderato ma maestoso
2. Andante expressivo
3. Vivace energico – Cadenza – Epilogue

Program note: John Burge's First Piano Concerto was written for pianist Brian Finley and the Kingston Symphony Orchestra for a premiere performance on March 11, 1992.  While the traditional three-movement form is audibly discernible in the work, the concluding Epilogue's process of drawing together thematic ideas from all three movements suggests a single unified structure.  The positioning of the soloist's cadenza between the third movement and Epilogue further emphasizes the larger form by dramatically returning to the chordal sonorities that begin the work.  The harmonic colour of these opening chords also permeates the entrie first movement and can be heard periodically in the remaining two movements.

The predominantly aggressive chordal texture of the first movement gives way to a more lyrical second movement which is marked by a recurring solo flute melody.  This movement's improvisatory feeling is momentarily lost during a brief trumpet melody which the piano accompanies with multi-textured gestures.  This trumpet melody is notable in that the piano uses it as a link between the cadenza and the Epilogue.

The third movement opens with a short orchestral tutti after which the soloist presents the movement's primary theme.  While this theme remains virtually unchanged in its subsequent occurrences, the shifting harmonic and contrpuntal surroundings constantly set it off in a different light.  During much of this movement the percussion battery is used to accentuate the music's strong rhythmic energy.