Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra

The Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (also known as the Piano Concerto No. 1) is a piano concerto by Philip Glass. The composer wrote the work in 2000. On commission by the Festival Klangspuren in Stuttgart, it was written for the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. It is one of eight concerti in Glass' series The Concerto Project, an amalgamation of works in four volumes.

Structure

The piece is scored for solo piano, accompanied by string orchestra. Surprisingly small scale for Glass, whose other symphonic work is usually orchestrated for a large ensemble, the work displays the traditional minimalist elements which characterize the composer's music. Glass' choice for string orchestra was probably influenced by Dmitri Shostakovich, whose Piano Concerto No. 1 is also written for strings. Several recordings of the concerto have been made. The concerto is in three movements, the middle being the longest.