Concerto grosso in D minor in the old style for small symphony orchestra (1949)

Concerto grosso is the first surviving composition in Baird’s post-war output. It is a schoolwork written as he was studying composition. The piece is written for a classic orchestral line-up and has a well-known traditional four-part structure (I. Grave e Allegro non troppo, II. Aria, III. Minuet, IV. Fugue). Just as traditional are its harmony, melody, rhythm and texture. The title of the composition is not reflected in the orchestral instructions, i.e. there is no division into concertino and ripieni. Baird’s Concerto grosso is not a neo-classical composition in the full meaning of the term, because it does not constitute a new look at older music, but, rather, is an attempt to reproduce it faithfully.

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