Concerto in D for Oboe and String Orchestra

This concerto in six distinct movements, segueing from one to the next. The opening movement, allegretto assai, allows the strings to set the tonality and harmonic shape as domains shift, tonic to supertonic and back again, Massed divisi strings alternate with low strings, a feature which occurs in several movement to follow.

The entrance of a pastorale-like melody for the oboe at measure 19 allows an independent theme to sing over the earlier musical materials. The movement leads at its end to a next allegro in triple time.

The oboe sings a simple scale line in triple meter, as the relative minor alternates with the major tonic of the work.

Then, the oboe breaks into an allegro, solo at first and then with divisi strings to play their part. A fughetta ensues based on this 6/8 theme, jaunty and gay.

That fughetta begins at measure 207, pizzicati strings to accompany. As it develops, all the strings take up the subject and answer scheme enthusiastically.

A related subject, also in 6/8 follows a short cadenza for the solo oboe, and it too is taken up by all voices.

Thesolo oboe is then given a longer cadenza, spanning much of the range of the instrument, a piacere, and then an adagio introduction to the next movement further darkens the earlier lively mood. The next movement with its somber divisi lower strings undergirds a long-lined melody in the violins, which then the oboe above offers its further and independent voice.

The plaintive adagio cadences and string mutes are taken off, as yet another allegro fugue breaks out, related to the earlier by meter and gesture similarities. Strings at first allow the soloist a moment's rest.

The fugue as summary of earlier thematic and textural material rushes to its final cadence, with a slight meno mosso only in the last measures.

The score and parts are available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this score.