Concerto in One Movement, Op. 45

Composer: GOOSSENS, Eugene
  • In 1927, Goossens wrote his oboe concerto, otherwise known as Concerto in One Movement, for his brother, acclaimed oboist Léon Goossens. Léon Goossens had requested a new piece showcasing his virtuosity to take on tour to America.1
  • The concerto was first performed in 1929 at Jordan Hall in Boston. Interestingly, the piece premiered with Léon playing oboe and Eugene playing a piano reduction of the score because the composer hadn’t yet finished orchestrating the piece to his satisfaction.
  • Concerto in One Movement is unusual in that it’s organized into a single movement, whereas concerti are typically organized into three movements.2

Sources

  1. Christoph Vratz, Essay in accompanying booklet, Albrecht Mayer – Longing for Paradise performed by Albrecht Mayer and the Bamberg Symphony conducted by Jakub Hrůša, Deutsche Grammophon 483 6622, 2019, compact disc.
  2. Grace Ellen Woodworth, “A Background, Analysis, and Performance Guide for Eugene Goossens’s Concerto in One Movement for Oboe and Orchestra,” Ph.D. diss., (Louisiana State University, 2016).

Cut IDs

23046