Concerto for Orchestra

The Concerto for Orchestra is a four-movement concerto for orchestra written in 1969 by the American composer Elliott Carter. The work was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic to commemorate their 125th anniversary and was premiered by the orchestra under the conductor Leonard Bernstein in the Philharmonic Hall, New York City, on February 5, 1970. Composition The piece has a duration of approximately 22 minutes and is composed in four movements: Allegro Presto volando Maestoso Allegro agitato To compose the work, Carter split the orchestra into four harmonically juxtaposing sections designated by musical range: high, middle-high, middle-low, and low. Additionally, different percussion instruments were assigned to accompany each of the four sections. Instrumentation The work is scored for an orchestra comprising three flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling piccolo), three oboes (3rd doubling cor anglais), three clarinets (2nd doubling bass clarinet, 3rd doubling E-flat clarinet), two bassoons, contrabassoon (doubling bassoon), four horns, three trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, six percussionists, harp, piano, and strings.