best orchestrations in a concerto?

[sevencircles]

What concerto has got  the best orchestrations in your opinion?

[pianistimo]

dvorak, smetana, and rimsky-korsakov are among three of my favorites in terms of orchestration alone. 

resphigi did a pretty good job on the 'fountains of rome' - but don't think he wrote a piano concerto.

i suppose that what one looks for in orchestration of a piano concerto is a little variety from the usual 'formula' as well as unusual instrumentation.  if i were going to orchestrate a piano concerto - i'd use four pianos and less horns.  maybe one or two.  really like to hear a lot of percussion.  make the percussion section as large as the strings and put three or four string players where the percussion usually sits (in the back).  it's not that i don't like violins.  they're just overrated.

every concerto needs a huge gong.  to me, this is the high point of a really good concerto.

[pianistimo]

ok.  i had to get out 'a history of the piano concerto' and remind myself of the ones that have unusual orchestrations.  i guess manuel de falla was pretty cool.  'nights in the garden of spain' being for piano and orchestra.  also, he composed a harpsichord concerto that wanda landowska played - and was scored for a chamber ensemble instead of full orchestra.  to me, that shows sensitivity to the instrument (harpsichord) and the volume compatible.  like both are weighed in the scales.  although, here it says that falla viewed all six of the instruments as solo instruments but gave the harpsichord greater prominence.

also, joaquin rodrigo is one of my favorites - but i think he only wrote a guitar concerto 'conceirto de aranjuez' - but, i like the colors used in this piece.

ravel was another great orchestrator, imo.  and poulenc.  who, also wrote a harpsichord concerto 'the concert champetre' - and whom adored wanda landowska also.  he wrote 'the pastoral concerto' also for a large orchestra.  and 'aubade:  concerto choreographique.'

[jre58591]

messiaen's orchestration is some of the best ive ever heard, even considering the "greats".

[tompilk]

messiaen's orchestration is some of the best ive ever heard, even considering the "greats".

i agree. I've only just started to listen to this music. I don't understand it all, but I enjoy it.
Tom

[mikey6]

Chopin - think about it from a pianist's point of view, the orchestra does nutin while the piano takes the spotlight! Who get's all the applause?
ok, doesn't quite work.  Tchiak , Rach, Mozart, Prokofiev.

[phil13]

I've always thought Brahms did a superb job orchestrating his concerti, particularly the 2nd one.

Phil

EDIT: Bortkiewicz as a runner-up. 

[frederic chopin]

Chopin - think about it from a pianist's point of view, the orchestra does nutin while the piano takes the spotlight! Who get's all the applause?
ok, doesn't quite work. Tchiak , Rach, Mozart, Prokofiev.

When I starting reading this thread, I was wondering when Chopin would turn up! The piano part is brilliant though!

[onction_terrible]

As you can probably tell from my username, I love Messiaen. His orchestration definitely gets a mention from me. His magnum opus for piano, ondes martenot, and orchestra, the Turangalîla Symphonie, is one of his best orchestrated pieces, along with Éclairs sur l'Au-delà for orchestra.

[steinwaymodeld]

I've always thought Brahms did a superb job orchestrating his concerti, particularly the 2nd one.

Phil

seconded.

[sevencircles]

I love Messiaen. His orchestration definitely gets a mention from me.

Agree 100%

[arensky]

Off the top of my head, Rachmaninov. He creates a perfect blend of piano and orchestra, a virtually seamless texture imo.

[pita bread]

Ravel
Ginastera (for sheer randomness and jungle fevah in the 2nd Piano Concerto)

[jacobwynn]

What concerto has got  the best orchestrations in your opinion?

Ravel and Bartok have excellent orchestrations.

Let's remember Gershwin, whose orchestration of the concerto is also good.

And all the classics orchestrated superbly in the conventions of their own time.

[mcgillcomposer]

Ravel...not much debate about that.

Beethoven 5th, second movement...the opening...not only a great idea, but beautifully orchestrated.

[communist]

Rachmaninoff concerto no 4

[retrouvailles]

I agree with the others who said Messiaen. You just cannot beat it. It is so lush and beautiful. It often makes you forget that there is a piano solo there because of how much it can captivate you.