(New) Piano concerto
Hi everybody,
I've composed a piano concerto that was premiered last October. It fuses jazz and classical elements: jazz piano, jazz harmony, ragtime, classical concerto form, etc.
Hope you enjoy and happy to receive feedback!
From the program notes by aulos (the orchestra of the world premiere):
With this large-scale concerto for piano and wind orchestra, Ralph Bernardy explores the possibilities of this ensemble to their very limits. […]
The piano concerto is a veritable sound laboratory in which seemingly opposing elements collide: a virtuosic piano part in the tradition of Chopin, Schumann, or Brahms stands alongside jazzy harmonies, ragtime rhythms, and folk-like motifs. The symphonic wind-orchestra sound adds an extra dimension of power and color.
The special appeal lies in the unpredictable: stylistic worlds “tilt” into one another, shift abruptly, are playfully contrasted, or unexpectedly fused. Despite this heterogeneity, an overarching arc of tension emerges that holds the work together. For soloist, orchestra, and audience alike, the concerto represents both a challenge and an adventure—a world premiere that could prove to be a milestone in the repertoire for piano and wind orchestra.
Many thanks to the outstanding musicians of both orchestras involved, who brought the work to life in close succession.