In 1826, Hanson wrote a Concerto for organ and large orchestra, based on thematic material written during his early twenties. In 1941 he reworked it, reducing the orchestration in order to make its concert use easier. The result is this Concerto for Organ, harp and strings. It comprises a single movement divided into several sections. The first one - Lento- opens with the strings providing a background for harp figurations. The entrance of the organ, contributing chords to the orchestral texture, is barely noticeable. But its presence soon becomes dominant. After a dialogue with the organ, the harp falls silent. Organ and strings intone a lyrical theme. Then, the organ is left playing alone.

The organ provides now the background for a passage for the strings, but it returns to the spotlight in the next section - Allegro e marcato -. A rhythmic theme alternates between the organ and the strings while previously heard material is combined, ending with a cadence for the organ. A calm, melancholic section follows, perhaps the most stylistically typical of Hanson in the whole work.

Gradually, the intensity builds up. The themes of the allegro reappear. Then, tempo and intensity diminish. The harp is heard over a distant organ background, before the soloist plays the fortissimo concluding cadence.

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