A brilliant new work for alphorn and piano, Laura Nelson’s Alphorn Concerto in F channels the clarity and grace of a Mozart horn concerto while staking out a distinctively 21st-century alphorn voice. Charming and lyrical yet technically demanding, the concerto balances classical poise with contemporary alphorn thought. The piano part is crafted as an idiomatic, readable partner—not an orchestral reduction—offering pianists genuine chamber dialogue with the solo alphorn.
First movement: serious and sonata-driven, developing two contrasting themes with poised drama and refined counterpoint.
Second movement: a pure romance—tender, singing, and intimate.
Third movement: rollicking and exuberant, a virtuosic, smiling finale that sends performers and audienceout buoyant and delighted.