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- Ole Schmidt
Symfonisk Fantasi og Allegro (1958)
(Symphonic Fantasy and Allegro)- Edition Wilhelm Hansen Copenhagen (World)
- 1.1.1.1/1.1.0.0/timp.perc/hp/str
- accordion
- 14 min
Programme Note
Four years ago I disliked the accordion immensely, but when I met Mogens Ellegaard, in less than an hour, my opinions on the instrument were completely changed. It was then that I decided to write for him Symphonic Fantasy & Allegro and I set to work in close collaboration with the interpreter.
As far as I know this concerto is one of the very few works available in this genre, due, no doubt, to the obvious lack of skilled interpreters. “Feel free to write with as much difficulty and virtuosity as you like,” said Ellegaard. “There are practically no limits to the possibilities of the instrument.”
My work is written in two movements. In the Fantasy the soloist has ample opportunities for free musical development in broad virtuoso cadenzas. The last movement, with its rhythmical, scherzando-like elegance comes to a close, not with the traditional grand finale of “four kicks and a pirouette” but fades away to a delicate pianissimo with the accordion having the final say.
Ole Schmidt,
Copenhagen, Autumn 1962
As far as I know this concerto is one of the very few works available in this genre, due, no doubt, to the obvious lack of skilled interpreters. “Feel free to write with as much difficulty and virtuosity as you like,” said Ellegaard. “There are practically no limits to the possibilities of the instrument.”
My work is written in two movements. In the Fantasy the soloist has ample opportunities for free musical development in broad virtuoso cadenzas. The last movement, with its rhythmical, scherzando-like elegance comes to a close, not with the traditional grand finale of “four kicks and a pirouette” but fades away to a delicate pianissimo with the accordion having the final say.
Ole Schmidt,
Copenhagen, Autumn 1962