Piano Concerto No. 3

Description

Piano 1, Piano 2 — My second piano concerto, written for Lara Downes, is a tranquil fantasy subtitled “The Peaceable Kingdom,” based on a series of paintings of the same name by Quaker minister and artist Edward Hicks.PIANO CONCERTO NO. 3, commissioned by Pacific Symphony for Jeffrey Biegel, is subtitled “The Way Things Really Are,” and reflects the opposite reality: the meanness and cruel belligerency in the world. Two wars began during the composition of the piece, serving as examples of that reality. The concerto includes a slight reference to a medieval Ukrainian lullaby.– Adolphus Hailstork This striking concerto unfolds in a single, multifaceted movement shaped by the composer’s personal reflections on the state of our world. Where Hailstork's second piano concerto, "The Peaceable Kingdom," envisions a hoped-for future, his third, "The Way Things Really Are," offers a stark meditation on present-day cruelty and aggression between individuals and nations. Subtle references to a medieval Ukrainian lullaby are woven into the score. This arrangement for two pianos is ideal for soloists preparing to perform the work with orchestra, as well as for recital performance.

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