Sinfonia concertante

for orchestra with piano obbligato

General Information – Instrumentation – Manuscript – Publication – Arrangements – Adaptations – Recordings

General Information:

Composition:
Original composed as a ballet in 1925–6. Reworked into a concert piece in 1927. Revised extensively, removing orchestral counterpoint and simplifying the solo piano part, in 1943. Many prefer the original version, and both versions are performed today.

First Performance, Original Version:
5 January 1928. Queen's Hall, London. York Bowen piano, Orchestra of the Royal Philharmonic Society. Ernest Anserment conductor.

First Performance, Revised Version:
9 February 1944. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. Cyril Smith piano. Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent conductor.

Duration:
About 18 minutes

Movements:

Dedication:
In the original version, Walton dedicated each movement to one of the Sitwell family: first movement 'To Osbert', second movement 'To Edith', third movement 'to Sachie'. These dedications were removed in the 1943 revision.

Craggs Catalogue Number:
C21

Instrumentation:

Original Version:

Piano solo

2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, cor anglais, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon – 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba – timpani, 2 percussion (tambourine, cymbals, side drum, bass drum, glockenspiel, xylophone – strings

Revised Version:

Piano solo

2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinet, 2 bassoons – 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba – timpani, 2 percussion (tambourine, cymbals, side drum, bass drum, glockenspiel, xylophone) – strings

Manuscript:

Frederick R. Koch Collection. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Manuscript FRKF 587.
FRKF 587a - Autograph full score of the original version. 80 pages.
FRKF 587b - Copyist's manuscript of the piano part, with one page in Walton's hand. 30 pages.
FRKF 587c - Autograph full score of the revised version. 69 pages.

Publication:

Oxford University Press. Full score, 1928. Two-pianos score, arranged by the composer, 1928. Discontinued.

Oxford University Press. Study score, 1953, 019 3684063. Two-pianos score, arranged by Roy Douglas, 1947, 019 3684071.
            [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: Study score]
            [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: Two-pianos score]

Oxford University Press. William Walton Edition, Volume 13, 019 3683113, includes both original and revised versions. Score and parts are available on hire.

Arrangements:

Arranged for two pianos, by the composer. Original version.
Publication: Oxford University Press. Score, 1928 (discontinued).

Arranged for two pianos, by Roy Douglas. Revised version.
Publication: Oxford University Press. Score, 1947, 019 3684071.
            [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: Two-pianos score]

Recordings:

WilliamWalton.net – Catalogue of Works – Orchestral Music