Best Piano Concertos: The Poll

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Just a poll for fun. I was originally going to allow people to pick only one composer but to make it easier, I'll let you guys be able to pick two.  

[thalbergmad]

I pick none, as Henselt, Bortkiewicz, Rozycki, Borowski, Bowen & Melcer are not mentioned.

Thal

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

I pick none, as Henselt, Bortkiewicz, Rozycki, Borowski, Bowen & Melcer are not mentioned.

Thal

Don't forget, there's an "other" option. But a lot of people I've heard like Melcer and Henselt too, so I will add those options. And, a "little" more.     

[perfect_pitch]

Oh for goodness sake - if we put every single composer who ever wrote a Piano piece - we'd have a poll as long as my peni...

erm... my Metre ruler!

[djealnla]

Where is Medtner? 

[sevencircles]

Thank you for writing Ferenc Liszt and not Franz 

He did hardly write the greatest pianoconcerto though.

Personally I love Ravel´s concerto especially when Argerich or Michelangeli plays it 

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Where is Medtner? 

Hey, I can't list every composer, or this poll might make your computer freeze.  Use the other button.

[djealnla]

I pick none, as Henselt, Bortkiewicz, Rozycki, Borowski, Bowen & Melcer are not mentioned.

Thal

There's no need for garbage, when you can vote for Mozart.

[ahinton]

I pick none, as Henselt, Bortkiewicz, Rozycki, Borowski, Bowen & Melcer are not mentioned.

But Henselt and Melcer ARE mentioned! But do any of the above have the "best" ones? Hardly (although, of them all, I am perhaps most pleased to see Bowen in the list, especially now we have at last had opportunities to hear his). But what of this list anyway? No Medtner? No Busoni? No Sorabji (who wrote more of them than did most of the composers listed here)?
Hmmm...

I recall someone who realised that solo piano music features quite extensively in my own output asking me when I would write one, to which question I replied (without even thinking about it) "never - Busoni's already done that!".

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

There's no need for garbage, when you can vote for Mozart.

I take it you have heard all of those to be able to comment thus

I expect you are giving me just punishment for my comments on the shite you like

I would say bollocks but you have pointed out that you are a girl

Thal

[mephisto]

Busoni - Piano Concerto in C major, Op. 39 (BV 247)

[thalbergmad]

But Henselt and Melcer ARE mentioned!

They were not at the time of my post.

Blindness is not one of my disabilities.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

I recall someone who realised that solo piano music features quite extensively in my own output asking me when I would write one, to which question I replied (without even thinking about it) "never - Busoni's already done that!".

Schubert had already composed a string quintet, but that did not stop you.

Thal

[gep]

I would go for Mozart and Beethoven, for I think they found the best balance between soloist and orchestra. I'd name Mozart K466 and Beethoven 4.
Not Bach then? No. I greatly like is concerto's but, barring one, they all ara adaptions of other concertos, and I like the originals (known or reconstructed) better still.

I recall someone who realised that solo piano music features quite extensively in my own output asking me when I would write one, to which question I replied (without even thinking about it) "never - Busoni's already done that!".

Nevertheless, I'd love to see your Variations for Piano and Orchestra featured as the "concerto-item" at a concert!

Schubert had already composed a string quintet, but that did not stop you.

Well, Schubert's is for five musicians only, so there is a difference there!

all best,
gep

PS Thal, did you recieve that CD with Smulder's Concerto you said you were expecting from a Dutch friend?

[thalbergmad]

PS Thal, did you recieve that CD with Smulder's Concerto you said you were expecting from a Dutch friend?

Indeed not. I must remind honoured CPS member

Thal

[ahinton]

They were not at the time of my post.

Blindness is not one of my disabilities.

I'm sorry. I only came in on this thread today, so I had not realised that; thank you for pointing it out. There's still no Busoni, etc. however...

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Schubert had already composed a string quintet, but that did not stop you.

Mozart had composed several, mainly late in life, but that didn't stop me either; however, neither Mozart nor Schubert included a double bass in any of theirs.

Busoni, on the other hand, in his Op. 39, seems to have said so very much about all kinds of thing that the piano concerto can be - and his considerable skill as an orchestrator in that work is a substantial additional bonus. If one were to scatter some of the great piano concertos around a mountainside, Busoni's would simply have to be placed at the summit.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

If one were to scatter some of the great piano concertos around a mountainside, Busoni's would simply have to be placed at the summit.

Oh, that's the end of that then.

Nobody else should bother.

Thal

[ahinton]

Oh, that's the end of that then.

Nobody else should bother.

I did not and would not say any such thing! - but I would be very wary of trying to do it myself!

Best,

Alistair

[mephisto]

I did not and would not say any such thing! - but I would be very wary of trying to do it myself!

Best,

Alistair

Coward? I am not asking whether or not you are the Supreme Court Judge from Norway with the same name...

[thalbergmad]

however, neither Mozart nor Schubert included a double bass in any of theirs.

Therefore, why don't you compose a piano concerto with 20 banjos in the orchestra?

Busoni never did that.

Thal

[ahinton]

Beethoven 4

To me this stands head and shoulders above his other four.

I'd love to see your Variations for Piano and Orchestra featured as the "concerto-item" at a concert!

Thank you very much! I hope that you will do one day...

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Therefore, why don't you compose a piano concerto with 20 banjos in the orchestra?

Now, let me see if I can think of a reason (it may take some time); while I'm cogitating upon this, however, can you tell us if there was any reason why you specified 20 rather than any other number?

Busoni never did that.

No, indeed; you're quite right about that. He preferred a male chorus than a buch of banjoliers at the end of his; must have been a very hard choice to make between the two, though...

Best,

Alistair

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

But Henselt and Melcer ARE mentioned! But do any of the above have the "best" ones? Hardly (although, of them all, I am perhaps most pleased to see Bowen in the list, especially now we have at last had opportunities to hear his). But what of this list anyway? No Medtner? No Busoni? No Sorabji (who wrote more of them than did most of the composers listed here)?
Hmmm...

I recall someone who realised that solo piano music features quite extensively in my own output asking me when I would write one, to which question I replied (without even thinking about it) "never - Busoni's already done that!".

Best,

Alistair

Please, I can't list every one. This is my last exception. I shall not add anymore.

[overfjell]

For me it's Rachmaninoff's 2nd

[ch101]

i would love to say chopin's no 1 but taikovsky's no.1 is the best period

[thalbergmad]

Samuel de Lange Piano Concerto in G minor.

Wonderful rolling left hand patterns, memorable melodies, stunning octave passages, tear inducing slow movement and sweeps up and down the piano in majestic fashion.

Thal

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Samuel de Lange Piano Concerto in G minor.

Wonderful rolling left hand patterns, memorable melodies, stunning octave passages, tear inducing slow movement and sweeps up and down the piano in majestic fashion.

Thal

Hmm...Never heard about this one. Can you tell me more about it?

[thalbergmad]

It slightly reminds me of the Saint Saens PC2 old chap and you can tell the composer was an organist as the beginning of the last movement sounds like Bach to me. The main theme is used in both the first and last movements in different varations but in the 2nd music the theme is in almost entirely in the orchestral part with the piano accompanying.

I am not very good at describing things due to my lack of musical training. Seems to be standard romantic fare, but being composed in the 1890's is looking backwards to an earlier time perhaps.

There is a pretty impressive organ piece on youtube by this composer:

Thal

[djealnla]

Deleted

[orangesodaking]

I am a huge fan of Brahms' piano concerti. Beethoven who?

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Hmm...Not a lot of voters out there? 

[healdie]

Brahms 2 and the Schoenberg for me

although notable mentions go to Shostakovich 1 , Prokofiev 3 and Bartok

who voted for Chopin? have a word

[pradeep200417]

Where is Anton Rubinstein?

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Where is Anton Rubinstein?

Hehe I knew I was going to forget at least one major piano concerto composer so I put an other option there...Coincidentally, I'm listening to Rubinstein's Piano Concerto No.4 right now...  

[perfect_pitch]

What about Moszkowski... The way he brought back the original melody in the 1st movement to the final movement made the whole concerto come round full circle, and made it sound complete.

[nanabush]

Ravel G major.

I didn't know you could combine a western movie, a love story, and a video game in a 3 movement concerto 

[pianoplayjl]

Baroque: probably Bach
Classical: beethoven concerto 5
Romantic: Rachmaninoff concerto 3
20Th century: prokofiev concerto 2

[pianoplayjl]

I jsut listened to Thalberg concerto and it was amazing. I'm surprised no one has voted for his concerto yet. More people should hear his concerto instead of hearing a concerto over and over again or the more popular composer concertos.

JL

[thalbergmad]

Unusually, four out of the five most impressive concertos I have heard this year were composed by woman.

So top marks to Miriam Hyde, Dora Pejacevic and Ruth Gipps.

Looking forward to a concertingly good 2012.

Thal

[williampiano]

Darn! I would've liked to see Villa-Lobos on here! But then again, I guess you can't add everyone.

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Where is Anton Rubinstein?

When making the expanded version of this poll, I wasn't really familiar with his piano concertos, so sorry about that. But I've got to say, his Piano Concerto No. 4 is quite impressive.

What about Moszkowski... The way he brought back the original melody in the 1st movement to the final movement made the whole concerto come round full circle, and made it sound complete.

I had no idea that Moszkowski wrote a piano concerto when I revised this poll, but now that I've heard it, it's definitely one of my top favorites.

[patrickd]

Tough call, but my vote goes to Busoni for best piano concerto.

[pianoplayjl]

Tough call, but my vote goes to Busoni for best piano concerto.

Too long for my liking. It goes for something like 75 minutes. An ideal concerto for me would last between 20 and 30 minutes and have 3 movements, with the second one a calm romantic moment to savour by the audience. hmmm perhaps Rachmaninoff's Third piano concerto and the Second fit the discription. Romantic concerti are the best particularly the early era consisting of Mendelssohn, Herz, Thalberg, Chopin, Liszt, Pixis, Kalkbrenner and more.

JL

[thalbergmad]

I had no idea that Moszkowski wrote a piano concerto

He wrote two. The earlier work will hopefully be premiered this year depending how long it takes to create a performance edition of a dusty old 500 page manuscript.

Thal

[pianoplayjl]

He wrote two. The earlier work will hopefully be premiered this year depending how long it takes to create a performance edition of a dusty old 500 page manuscript.

Thal

Wow, the work is a hundred years old at least and it hasn't been premiered. Make way, Rachmaninoff!

JL

[thalbergmad]

Perhaps I should have said premier recording as I am guessing it must have been played at some time although the score was never published.

If memory serves, Liszt mentions a concerto by Moszkowski before the 2nd one was written, so he must have been referring to the first. Cannot remember where I read this.

The Moszkowski is hardly on its own when it comes to unrecorded romantic concerti.

Thal

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

He wrote two. The earlier work will hopefully be premiered this year depending how long it takes to create a performance edition of a dusty old 500 page manuscript.

Thal

Perhaps I should have said premier recording as I am guessing it must have been played at some time although the score was never published.

If memory serves, Liszt mentions a concerto by Moszkowski before the 2nd one was written, so he must have been referring to the first. Cannot remember where I read this.

The Moszkowski is hardly on its own when it comes to unrecorded romantic concerti.

Thal

I had no idea Moszkowski wrote another piano concerto. I can't wait to hear a recording!

Sometimes you have to look at musical obscurities (esp. from well-known composers) to find true music...So many great works are often overlooked, such as Rachmaninoff's 4th Concerto or Schumann's Introduction and Allegro appasionato. I also wonder why these composer's neglected so many of their work (like for instance, how Liszt never published his 3rd Concerto, or how Sibelius is believed to have destroyed his 8th Symphony). I guess we'll never know some things...

[mr_drm]

Samuel de Lange Piano Concerto in G minor.

Wonderful rolling left hand patterns, memorable melodies, stunning octave passages, tear inducing slow movement and sweeps up and down the piano in majestic fashion.

Thal

It's not on youtube.

[p2u_]

Samuel de Lange Piano Concerto in G minor.

Wonderful rolling left hand patterns, memorable melodies, stunning octave passages, tear inducing slow movement and sweeps up and down the piano in majestic fashion.

It's not on youtube.

This may be a good sign, actually. I'm not on YouTube either.

Paul