Double Concerto (Previn)

The concerto has been praised by musicians and critics alike. Reviewing the world premiere, Janelle Gelfand of The Cincinnati Enquirer opined, "Sophisticated and well-crafted, Previn's new work [...] is a terrific addition to the double concerto repertoire." She added, "The heart of the concerto was the slow movement, where Previn's gift for melody was on display. Here the soloists performed its romantic theme seamlessly, and with beauty of phrasing. The movement included a soaring melody for the strings and evocative writing for horns and winds. The finale was bright, syncopated and witty, and sometimes reminiscent of Bernstein. Laredo and Robinson brought it to a stirring conclusion with deeply expressive dialogue."^[3] Libby Hanssen of The Kansas City Star said the work "leapt and crackled with unexpected colors and design" and wrote:

The thematic material of the first movement had a mercurial quality, starting angular then suddenly turning grandiose, with pockets of romanticism and more familiar-sounding resolutions. Frequent, fast tempo meter changes created evident concern for the orchestra, though the soloists’ virtuosity persevered. The second movement ("Slow") had a lovely sepia-toned quality, as though from another era, with a gorgeous simultaneous statement from the soloists. The pastiche effect returned in the final movement with aggressive strikes from brass and percussion, playful cello line and triumphant strings, culminating in a reverberant final chord.^[4]

The dedicatees Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson also praised the work, particularly the second movement. Laredo referred to it as "gorgeous" and "ravishing," while Robinson said, "It's a real gift, this movement. I think it's just so beautiful."^[5]

• List of compositions by André Previn
• List of double concertos for violin and cello