Have classical
composers written music for the accordion?
Yes, they have,
but the use of the accordion has been infrequent. The first
documented use of the accordion in a classical piece was 1836 by
Louise Reisner. The Russian composer Tchaikovsky had four optional
accordions in his 1883 Orchestral Suite No. 2 in C Major, op. 53, in
the third movement, Scherzo burlesque.
Tchaikovsky
Kurt Weill, a
German composer, included the accordion in several works, including
The Three Penny Opera (1928). This opera combines cabaret music with
jazz. The compelling visual aspect of the accordion has lent its
presence to many stage pieces, including Alban Berg's Wozzeck (1922).
Berg included the instrument in a scene which occurs in a tavern .
Berg
The intent of
this page is not to enumerate each piece written by composers of
art-music which integrates the accordion, but to give examples of
composers who have written for it. These include:
George Antheil
Accordion Dance
(1951)
Antheil
Marc Blitzstein
The Cradle Will Rock
(1937)
Henry Brant
All Soul's Carnival
(1949)
Brant
Paul
Creston Concerto for
Accordion and Orchestra (1960)
Pietro
Deiro Concerto in D
(1939)
Paul Dessau Mother Courage (1936)
David
Diamond Night Music for
Accordion and String Quartet (1962)
Diamond
Umberto
Giordano Fedora (opera)
(1898)
Jean Francais
Apocalypse According to St.
John (1939)
Pietro
Frosini Three Rhapsodies
(1939)
Anthony
Galla-Rini Accordion
Concerto in g minor (1931)
Galla-Rini
Anthony
Galla-Rini Accordion
Concerto in e minor (1976)
Roy Harris Theme and Variations for Accordion and
Orchestra (1947)
Hugo Herrmann
Sieben neue Spielmusiken
(1935)
Paul Hindemith
Kammermusick No. 1
(1921)
Hindemith
Mauricio Kagel
Orchestrion-Straat
(1996)
Mauricio Kagel
Pandorasbox
(1960)
Darius Milhaud
Prelude et Postlude pour
"Lidoire" (1946)
R. Murray Schafer
La Testa d'Adriane
(1977)
Virgil Thomas
"Acadian Airs and Dances"
from Louisiana Story
Virgil Thomas
Four Saints in Three Acts
(1928)
David Del Tredici
Final Alice
Del Tredici
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