Piano Concerto, Op. 38

Samuel Barber's Piano Concerto (1960-1962) served as the composer's final masterpiece, and arguably the zenith of his professional life. For its composition he received his second Pulitzer Prize (1963) and, one year later, the Music Critics' Circle Award; during this period, Barber was among the most honored and respected living American composers, both at home and abroad.

The concerto was commissioned in 1959 by G. Schirmer, Inc. -- Barber's publisher for most of his career -- in honor of the company's upcoming 100th anniversary. The work was to be among the first performed at Lincoln Center's new Philharmonic Hall, which was under construction at the time; John Browning, Barber's favorite pianist at the time, would be the soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Erich Leinsdorf.

The concerto is notable as an instance of the composer's self-borrowing; for the work's second movement, he orchestrated and elaborated upon the Elegy for Flute and Piano (1959). This movement, as well as the concerto's first, was complete by 1960, but the last movement was not completed until two weeks prior to the premiere, on September 24, 1962. Work was partly delayed by Barber's lengthy depression following the death of his sister; also, in the spring of 1962, Barber became the first American composer to attend the Congress of Soviet Composers.

As he had done in previous compositions intended for a soloist, Barber worked closely with Browning to shape the work around his style and technical skills -- apparently listening to three days worth of the pianist's repertoire in the process (similar partnerships were formed during the composition of the Cello Concerto (1945), with Raya Garbousova, and the Piano Sonata (1949), with Vladimir Horowitz).

The resulting masterwork incorporates Barber's natural affinity for flowing melody and rather traditional compositional demeanor into an imposing structure. Eschewing any need for an orchestral introduction, the first movement ends with a declamatory recitative for the soloist -- substantial enough to accommodate three distinct themes -- that gradually gives way to a more lyrical strain in the full orchestra. Over the course of the movement, which is roughly in sonata form, these two elements -- declamation and impassioned lyricism -- are ever more intricately entwined.

The previously mentioned second movement is considerably calmer in mood, very much like a song; true to its origins, it features the solo flute as a main protagonist, while the piano occasionally assumes an accompanimental role. The finale, much more rhythmic and active, seizes obsessively on an ostinato figure in the piano that, within the movement's persistent 5/8 meter, takes on a sinuous, ambiguous quality. ~ Chris Boyes, All Music Guide