Most demanding orchestral parts in a concerto?

[sevencircles]

What are the most demanding orchestral parts you have ever heard in a concerto?

Some modern concertos tend to push the limits for the orchestra just as much as for the pianist.

[retrouvailles]

I wouldn't even know where to begin if I were to include modern concerto. I've seen a ton of them that have harder looking orchestral parts than the piano part. For example, Christopher Rouse's piano concerto "Seeing" has a very, very difficult celesta part that often mimics the piano part note-for-note, and it has some very involved percussion parts also. That isn't an extreme example, either, for there are tons more with similar situations. As far as standard repertoire concertos go, I would say that both of the Ravel concertos have difficult orchestral parts. There are lots of individual solos that are extracted from both concertos that are used for auditions in many universities, even. Look at the trumpet part in the concerto for both hands for an example.

[sevencircles]

I would say that both of the Ravel concertos have difficult orchestral parts. There are lots of individual solos that are extracted from both concertos that are used for auditions in many universities, even. Look at the trumpet part in the concerto for both hands for an example.

I love Ravel´s orchestrations, In general I don´t find the orchestrations to interesting in piano concertos. Some  contemporary concertos are propably a lot more demanding though.