Although Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf's Concerto for harp and orchestra in A major is a favorite of concerto-starved harpists the world over, the fact remains that Dittersdorf never composed an original harp concerto: this most attractive work is a transcription—by Dittersdorf himself—of one of his five harpsichord concertos. If, however, one considers the tonal characteristics of the harp and the harpsichord (and at the same time ponders the origin of the word "harpsichord"), one will quickly recognize that such a transcription makes pretty good sense. In this three-movement concerto we are reminded of just why it was that Dittersdorf was considered, during his lifetime, to be one of the top-ranked composers of the day (Haydn and Mozart included): grace, charm, sophisticated wit—they all find their way into the streamlined melodic contours of the piece.

Because the orchestra used in the concerto features a pair of oboes and a pair of horns, the work is sometimes called a concerto for harp, 2 oboes, 2 horns, and string orchestra. One mustn't, however, get the idea that either the oboes or the horns are part of some solo group—the spotlight is most assuredly on the harp and the harp alone, and sometimes the wind instruments are left out of the performance altogether. The three movements are: 1. Allegro, 2. Larghetto, 3. Allegretto (Rondo).

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