Harmonica concerto

A chromatic harmonica

Since the 1940s, a number of concertos (as well as non-concerto works) have been written for the harmonica, both as a solo instrument as well as in conjunction with other solo instrument(s), and accompanied by string orchestra, chamber orchestra, full orchestra, band, or similar large ensemble. Nearly all harmonica concertos are composed for the chromatic harmonica, with the exception of the 2001 concerto for the 10-hole harmonica by Howard Levy.

The American classical harmonica soloist Larry Adler (1914-2001), for whom many composers wrote harmonica concertos

Such works include:

• Malcolm Arnold: Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra, Op. 46 (1954, composed for Larry Adler)
• Milton Barnes - Concerto for Harmonica and Strings (for Tommy Reilly)
• Arthur Benjamin - Harmonica Concerto (1953, for Larry Adler)
• Robert Russell Bennett - Concerto (1974)
• Jean Berger - Caribbean Concerto (1940, for Larry Adler)
• Francis Chagrin - Romanian Fantasy (1956, for Larry Adler)
• Henry Cowell Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra (1962, for John Sebastian)
• Norman Dello Joio - Concertino for Harmonica and Orchestra (1948, for John Sebastian)
• Brett Deubner - Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra
• Leo Diamond - Skin Diver Suite (1956)
• Robert Farnon - Prelude and Dance for Harmonica and Orchestra (1966 - for Tommy Reilly)
• Walter Girnatis - Concertino
• Sigmund Groven: Legends, for Harmonica and Strings (2003)
• Richard Hayman - Concerto (1978)
• Hugo Herrmann - Concertino (1948)
• Alan Hovhaness - Concerto No. 6, op. 114 (1953-4, for John Sebastian)
• Gordon Jacob
  • Divertimento (1957, for Larry Adler)
  • Gordon Jacob - Five Pieces for harmonica and piano (1957; also arranged for harmonica and orchestra, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Gordon Jacob: Introduction and Galop for Two Harmonicas and Strings (1976, for Tommy Reilly and Sigmund Groven)
• Egil Kapstad: Prelude for Harmonica and Orchestra (2008, for Sigmund Groven)
• George Kleinsinger - Street Corner Concerto (1942, for John Sebastian)
• Karl-Heinz Köper - Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra, Op. 12 (1961, for Tommy Reilly)
• Oddvar S.Kvam: Colours, for Harmonica and Strings (1996, for Sigmund Groven)
• Serge Lancen - Concerto (1958, for Larry Adler)
• Alan Langford: Concertante for Harmonica and Strings (1981, for Tommy Reilly)
• Howard Levy - Concerto for Diatonic Harmonica and Orchestra - first concerto for 10-hole harmonica and orchestra
• Frank Lewin - Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra (1960, for John Sebastian)
• George Martin
  • Three American Sketches for Harmonica and Strings (1980, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Adagietto for Harmonica and Strings (1985, for Tommy Reilly)
• Darius Milhaud - Suite anglaise for harmonica (or violin) and orchestra, Op. 234 (1942, for Larry Adler)
• James Moody
  • Toledo, Spanish Fantasy for Harmonica and Orchestra (1960, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Little Suite for Harmonica and Orchestra (1960, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Period Piece for Harmonica and Orchestra (1964, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Innis Fallen for Harmonica and Orchestra (1965, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Divertissement for Harmonica and Orchestra (1967, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Cosmos, for Harmonica and Orchestra (1970, for Tommy Reilly)
  • From Other Days, for Harmonica and Strings (1970, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Quintet for Harmonica and String Quartet (1972, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Suite dans le style français, for harmonica and harp (1979, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Jacaranda for Harmonica and Orchestra (1984, for Tommy Reilly)
• A. J. Potter - Concertino (1967)
• Les Reed: Niagara Suite for Harmonica and Orchestra (1985, for Tommy Reilly)^[1]
• William Russo - Street Music, A Blues Concerto
• Terje Rypdal: Modulations for Harmonica and Orchestra (1981, for Sigmund Groven)
• Henri Sauguet - The Garden's Concerto (1970, for Claude Garden)
• Max Saunders
  • Sonatina for Harmonica and Piano (1978, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Invention for Two Harmonicas, Strings and Harp (1976, for Tommy Reilly and Sigmund Groven)
• Kenneth Sivertsen: The Oak Tree, for Harmonica and Strings (1995, for Sigmund Groven)
• Øistein Sommerfeldt: Harmonica Fantasia (1979, for Sigmund Groven)
• Henning Sommerro: Concertino for Harmonica and Orchestra (2008. for Sigmund Groven)
• Michael Spivakovsky - Concerto (1951, for Tommy Reilly)
• Siegfried Steinkogler - Harmonica Concerto (2001, for Sigmund Groven)
• Vilem Tausky - Concertino (1963, for Tommy Reilly)
• Alexander Tcherepnin - Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra, Op. 86 (1953, for John Sebastian)
• Fried Walter
  • Ballade and Tarantella for Harmonica and Orchestra (1961, for Tommy Reilly)
  • The Adventures of Corporal Smith, for Harmonica and Big Band (1968, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Fried Walter: Duettino for two Harmonicas and Orchestra (1969 for Tommy Reilly and Sigmund Groven)
• Francis Ward: Kaleidoscope for Harmonica and Orchestra (1964, for Tommy Reilly)
• Ralph Vaughan Williams - Romance in D-flat for harmonica, piano, and strings (1951, for Larry Adler)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos - Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra (1955, for John Sebastian)
• Graham Whettam
  • Fantasy (1953, for Tommy Reilly)
  • Concerto Scherzoso, Op. 9 (1951, Larry Adler)
  • Second Concerto, Op. 34 (for Tommy Reilly)
• Rudolf Wurthner - Intermezzo Giocoso (1957)
• Corky Siegel
  • Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues – Chamber Blues (1994 – Alligator)
  • Complementary Colors – Chamber Blues (1998 – Gadfly)
  • Corky Siegel's Traveling Chamber Blues Show – Chamber Blues (2005 – Alligator)
  • A good portion of Chamber Blues material is written as a harmonic concerto. i.e. Opus 7, Opus 8, Opus 12 Filisko's Dream, Opus 13 Unfinished Jump, Opus 17, Opus 18, Opus 19, Opus 20, Opus 21, Opus 22, Five Planets in Harmonica Convergence, .. all for Harmonica and String Quartet with East Indian Tabla is some cases.

References

1. "DAWN - MAID OF THE MIST" (First movement) "The Niagra Suite", by Les Reed OBE on YouTube

External links

• Classical Harmonica
• http://www.chamberblues.com