Blockbuster concertos?

[Petter]

What are the most popular piano concertos? So far I´ve listened and gotten acquainted with Rach 2 and 3, Tchaikowsky 1st, Beethoven emperor and nr4, Brahms 2nd, Various Mozart concertos, Grieg 1st (only?).

[tompilk]

for most popular, brahms 1 is also fairly frequently played. so is beethoven 3. of course, there is prokofiev 2 and 3, bach d minor, ravel, liszt 1 and 2, schumann, saint-saens (no. 2 is especially often played, but I think no. 5 is the best. No. 4 is also a cracker). Gosh, there's so many more. For Mozart, I've only really listened to No. 9, No. 17 and No. 27 although most of  Mozart always seems a bit predictable and jolly for me...

If I were you, I'd give the Liszt ones a listen. I think that's what I moved on to after Rachmaninov... then I went to Mendelssohn's and then Grieg (if I remember correctly!). then I started to listen to all the unplayed stuff... and only recently have I "retraced" my steps and started listening to Beethoven and Brahms.

The Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto series is fantastic as far as unknown piano concertos go: https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/s.asp?s=S_1



But I have to say, Medtner No. 2 and the Busoni are probably top of my list now. Along with brahms 1, scharwenka 1 and the henselt concerto (Raymond Lewenthal's recording of the Henselt is a belter!).

[slobone]

Bartok 2 & 3 are stunning masterpieces. Try and get the Schiff recording.

[retrouvailles]

Bartok 2 & 3 are stunning masterpieces. Try and get the Schiff Kocsis recording.

Fixed.

[dnephi]

On second thought, this Kocsis is the best I've heard by far.
It almost makes me considering learning the second.  I don't like the third as much, but it's some fine music.  It just doesn't indulge so much in virtuosity and primitivism.
Kocsis on Youtube:

(2nd)

(3rd)

[russda_man]

Rach 2 is supposed to be one of the most popular concertos of all time. I think the Chopin 1st is underrated. Everyone talks about the 2nd, and it is great, but I prefer the first because I like the melodies, and I just love the second movement!
Russ.

[thierry13]

Fixed.

Haha, best fixation ever. So true. Schiff sucks in anything else than Bach ... of what I've heard anyway.

[webern78]

Haha, best fixation ever. So true. Schiff sucks in anything else than Bach ...

That's because there's no real way to play Bach wrong, albeit he's not brilliant in there either.

[retrouvailles]

Indeed. The reason why Schiff is so famous as a pianist is a mystery to me. He should just stick to just giving lectures on Beethoven.

And back on topic, as far as concertos go (except for some more recent concertos that many people haven't heard) the Busoni takes the cake for being a real blockbuster.

[eddie54]

Rach 2 is supposed to be one of the most popular concertos of all time. I think the Chopin 1st is underrated. Everyone talks about the 2nd, and it is great, but I prefer the first because I like the melodies, and I just love the second movement!
Russ.

i agree, chopin 1 is very underrated.....it's in my personal top 3 favorite piano concertos.....plus i can play the whole thing, so it makes it that much better   lol

[retrouvailles]

I personally think both of Chopin's piano concertos are overrated. They both get played by every other conservatory student. I see it all the time. They seem to have a pretty good reputation and they overshadow quite a few other piano concertos of just as high or higher quality, including some contemporary piano concertos of Chopin. Take the obscure Litolff concertos, for example. The 4 surviving ones are all masterfully written (both the piano and orchestra parts), yet only the scherzo of the 4th is played. Talk about underrated and neglected.

[general disarray]

I personally think both of Chopin's piano concertos are overrated. They both get played by every other conservatory student. I see it all the time.

Hmm.  Well, they are over-played and they are really just Hummel taken to the "nth degree" of refinement, but the tunes are glorious and memorable.  That does count for something, don't you think?

[retrouvailles]

It certainly does, and they are great pieces that deserve (at least some of) their respect. But do they really need to be played by every other music student? The repertoire of most conservatory students needs variety! I should know, I see them everyday! It's not good to see great pieces die out unjustly.

[dan101]

Too many to list... I'm a big fan of the two Brahms concertos and Beethoven's fifth. I also hear the Schumann quite often.

[slobone]

Haha, best fixation ever. So true. Schiff sucks in anything else than Bach ... of what I've heard anyway.

Hmm, not often you hear somebody express an opinion and admit they don't know what they're talking about, both at the same time!

[general disarray]

It certainly does, and they are great pieces that deserve (at least some of) their respect. But do they really need to be played by every other music student? The repertoire of most conservatory students needs variety! I should know, I see them everyday! It's not good to see great pieces die out unjustly.

You know, you really raise a good point here.   I've often wondered how you can get students to tackle those off-the-beaten track works that have great value.  Most respond that they agree these works need champions and performances to pluck them from near-obscurity, but [and there's always that Big But] they respond with, "But I need to get the standard repertoire under my belt first."

Not a bad point and a rather depressing one when you consider that the keyboard standard concerto repertoire is enormous and just crammed with masterpieces.

Pianists ,I'm afraid are plagued with an embarrassment of riches.  It would seem that universities, conservatories and competitions would have to conspire to give the standards a rest and let those unknown masterpieces enter into the curriculum.

Otherwise, I don't see how you can pry pianists away from Chopin, etc.

[mike_lang]

Otherwise, I don't see how you can pry pianists away from Chopin, etc.

Nor why one would want to do so...(?)

[general disarray]

Nor why one would want to do so...(?)

  Not me, that's for sure!