Chopin Piano Concertos

[kaiwin]

When I first started listening to concertos the first was Chopin's piano concertos. I listened to hundreds of concertos multiple times by like all the composers for about a year. Then I go back to listening to Chopin's concerto its like "wow".

Probably going to do one for senior concerto...

Whats your opinion on this?

[jre58591]

well, i too have hundreds or possibly even thousands of piano concertos, and sometimes i think it is a bad thing to explore as much as i do.  as i delve further and further into the infinite world of piano concertos, i forget the popular classics, such as those by chopin, beethoven, and rachmaninoff, which i will always love. then when i go back to them and listen to them, i experience a similar effect. however, i experience this effect with pretty much all other piano concertos, or even solo piano pieces, that i have neglected for a long time. i do respect chopin's piano concertos for what they are and their musicality, but theres more out there than just beethoven, chopin, mozart, liszt, rachmaninoff, etc.

[kaiwin]

Yes there is, the chopin concertos are especially pleasing to the ear. Saint Saens Piano Concerto No. 5 is also like this. It indulgences the audience into an "adventure". Apparently to me not all concertos do this for me.

[bartolomeo_]

The Chopin concertos are delightful works and are among my favorites.

The orchestral writing and the integration of the piano with the orchestra are perhaps not as strong as they are in other well-known concertos, but the piano writing is without peer.

[sportsmonster]

i have also heared loots of pianoconcertos.  and my no1 favorite is still chopin concerto no 1 (1st movement) and the whole 2 pianoconcerto (special the second movement)
but yes, i have many other ones i like to:
 
- rachmanoinov concertos  no2 / no3
- saint saens concerto no 2
- tchaikovsky pianoconcerto no 1 (3 mov)
- brahms pianoconcerto no 1 ( 3 mov)
- rhapsody in blue by gershwin
- schumanns concerto
- griegs concerto
- etc. etc.

[teccomin]

For some reason i never get sick of listening to Chopin's concertos. I was crazy for many other concertos once, more crazy than I have ever been for the Chopin concertos, but my love for the Chopin concertos have been more lasting. In terms of composition of the piano parts, the concertos are perfect. There not a single awkward note or passage, and the whole thing just flows as a story.

[gyzzzmo]

To my opinion Chopin's pianoconcerto's arent so good. Theyre more like (good) pianosolo's with some rather mediocre orchestra background.

[whitebutterfly]

Where's Op.21?

[camstrings]

The chamber(string quartet) versions of these concertos are a nice way to hear the detail of the piano parts.
Sinilar versions exist for some of Mozart's concertos. Anyone heard these? 

[1plus]

The first Chopin concerto I heard is no.2 op.21. My teacher played it with another student, that really woww me . But I really Mozart's concerto much more than romantic concerto, I love all of them. The one i really of romantic era is Schumann's concerto, for me it's the most beautiful concerto of all~

[kelly_kelly]

The chamber(string quartet) versions of these concertos are a nice way to hear the detail of the piano parts.
Sinilar versions exist for some of Mozart's concertos. Anyone heard these? 

Funny you should say that. In my opinion, the one problem that doesn't exist with Chopin's concertos is being unable to hear the details in the piano part, considering the orchestra doesn't do ANYTHING... 

[camstrings]

It's a different take on 2 great compositions.
Have a listen at the BIS website
(Chopin apparently may have had plans to hear the quartet version of one of these concertos in his final days, but was thwarted by his illness.)

[thalbergmad]

The one i really of romantic era is Schumann's concerto, for me it's the most beautiful concerto of all~

This is slightly concerning, but I am confident that the more you listen to, the further down your list of favourites the Schumann will be.

Thal

[birba]

The  f minor concerto was one of the first piano compositions I ever heard and it's always been my favorite.  And such a joy to actually play it.

[sephethus]

Is there no download for No. 2?

[cmg]

I appreciate the Chopin concerti for a practical reason, beyond their obvious beauty.  Because the orchestral part is so subordinate and relegated to a mostly accompanying role (unlike in Mozart), the concerti solo parts can be played without a second piano and enjoyed as huge solo sonatas.  Not a bad option when the Berlin players don't drop by to partner with you.   

[scott13]

I feel Chopin chose to reduce the Orchestra role to place more light on the soloist which is one of the primary roles of a concerto. Although the Orchestration is somewhat simple, when combined with soloist the harmony is extremely complex and typical of Chopin's writing style. We must not also forget that these concertos were written by him during his early years so they do at times lack the maturity of his other works such as the Op 25 Etudes and the Ballades. Never the less they are fantastic concertos, and the bright side is the Orchestra need not spend many rehearsals learning the piece.

[gerryjay]

Although Chopin's concerti are not his most significant output, they are nevertheless very effective. Also, his use of the orchestra is quite interesting. I wonder what if he did write a symphony or opera...
Best regards,
Jay.

[retrouvailles]

I wonder what if he did write a symphony or opera...

Oh, thank God he didn't. Chopin's piano concertos are basically sonatas with occasional orchestral interludes. You don't even need the orchestral part, and because of this, many people play the concertos with string quartets, or even as solo versions. I don't think Chopin had the compositional capabilities to write a symphony or opera. He was a piano composer through and through, even in his piano concertos.

[thalbergmad]

I don't think Chopin had the compositional capabilities to write a symphony or opera.

I very much doubt if he had the constitution either.

With his fragile health and habit of agonizing over short works, a symphony would probably have killed him.

Thal

[gerryjay]

Chopin's piano concertos are basically sonatas with occasional orchestral interludes.

I very much doubt if he had the constitution either.
With his fragile health and habit of agonizing over short works, a symphony would probably have killed him.
Thal

You both pointed out the motives of my curiosity: a composer who saw music with piano glasses, and an individual with an anti-public behavior, what if he had composed an opera? Fascinating, imho. For sure, the melodies would be remarkable, but the rest...yes, he wouldn't survive the process.

Perhaps it's just an overfertile imagination with too much time to daydream...perhaps it's time to find a serious job!

Regards,
Jay.

[djealnla]

I don't think Chopin had the compositional capabilities to write a symphony or opera. He was a piano composer through and through, even in his piano concertos.

Chopin once said something like "Mozart encompasses the whole of musical creation, while I only have a keyboard in my poor head." Enough said.

[davidedwards]

 
I just don't think I've ever heard anything so beautiful as the first concerto of Chopin.  I love the way the beauty of the themes seem to go on and on; the kind of thing that you want the most lovely, cool, Spring day to do.  I read though it again this morning on such a day... the music lies so gracefully under the hands... the decision of settling on this one to learn was easy. 

[jesc]

Oh, thank God he didn't. Chopin's piano concertos are basically sonatas with occasional orchestral interludes. You don't even need the orchestral part,

Good thing I'm not the first one to point this out. TBH initially I liked Chopin's piano concertos but someone made a similar comment. The next time I listened to his concerto I focused on the orchestra and indeed I was like, "what the... I didn't notice that before."

This thread made me listen again to his concerto after a long time (I'm listening to concerto 2 3rd now). That point still remains whenever I listen.

arrrgghhh necrothread! 2006 2010 2011 ...oh... nvm

[pytheamateur]

I like them too, but remember watching a video where Garrick Ohlsson said that he thought they were not Chopin's best works, at least not as good as his Nocturne Op 27, No2.

[revanyoda777]

The Chopin Concerto in E minor is probably my favorite concerto ever. Many say that it is not structuraly sound or that it doesn't end in the home key etc. But it's just one of those pieces that defies analysis.

[retrouvailles]

Many say that it is not structuraly sound or that it doesn't end in the home key etc. But it's just one of those pieces that defies analysis.

I haven't heard either of these things from anyone. It's a rather standard concerto for its time in those ways, really. The invention lies more in the pianistic configuration more than in any structural or harmonic ways (both of which are not out of the ordinary).