Concertos - Please Answer

[superman1980]

Hi Everybody,

I recently completed my ARCT exam with RCM with a mark of 86. 

Now, I hope to learn a few concertos so I'm wondering what suggestions you have for me.

What do you think about:
Saint-Saen's Piano Concerto in G Minor?
Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1?
Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1?
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2?
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3?

Or maybe you have other suggestions for me?

[prestoconfuocco]

Congratulations on completing your exam with such a high mark!
I can recommend you of a few great ones, but it depends -  do you want to play a complete concerto or just one movement? Do you want to pick an easy one or a beatiful one? (Though there isn't such a thing as a not-beautiful piano concerto...)
From the ones you listed, I'd go with the Saint-Saens. But if you care to specify a bit more about what you're planning on I can give you better ones

[awesom_o]

Congratulations.

Do you mind my asking what was on your ARCT programme?

The concerti you have listed are all very well-known and very difficult.

They won't be easy to pull off artistically since people will subconsciously measure your performance automatically to one they heard last week on the radio by Trifonov, Hough, or some other big-name pro.

I've been recently listening to Hummel concerti with great enjoyment. Imagine a cross between a Chopin concerto and a Mozart concerto, and you've got yourself a Hummel concerto!
 
More imaginative orchestral writing than in either of the Chopin concerti, and more imaginative piano writing than in some of the Mozart concerti!

Chopin himself kept a Hummel concerto in his repertoire!

[superman1980]

Congratulations on completing your exam with such a high mark!
I can recommend you of a few great ones, but it depends -  do you want to play a complete concerto or just one movement? Do you want to pick an easy one or a beatiful one? (Though there isn't such a thing as a not-beautiful piano concerto...)
From the ones you listed, I'd go with the Saint-Saens. But if you care to specify a bit more about what you're planning on I can give you better ones

Thank you very much.
I'm quite new to the whole concerto "concept" so I guess either a complete concerto or one movement would be okay. I would say either something beautiful yet exciting.
Once again thanks for your quick response.

[superman1980]

Congratulations.

Do you mind my asking what was on your ARCT programme?

The concerti you have listed are all very well-known and very difficult.

They won't be easy to pull off artistically since people will subconsciously measure your performance automatically to one they heard last week on the radio by Trifonov, Hough, or some other big-name pro.

I've been recently listening to Hummel concerti with great enjoyment. Imagine a cross between a Chopin concerto and a Mozart concerto, and you've got yourself a Hummel concerto!
 
More imaginative orchestral writing than in either of the Chopin concerti, and more imaginative piano writing than in some of the Mozart concerti!

Chopin himself kept a Hummel concerto in his repertoire!

Thanks for your fast reply.
My ARCT repertoire consisted of these pieces:
Partita #1 (Prelude, Sarabande, Gigue) - Bach
Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven
Fantasie Impromptu - Chopin
Sunken Cathedral - Debussy
Sonatina - Bartok

The Hummel concerto's are very interesting.

[cabbynum]

mozart no.20
grieg a minor (I hate that one)
Tchaikovsky Bb minor (lots of octaves if youre good at those)
Rachmaninov 2 (hard, but Do able)
beethoven 4th (one of my favorites written)

i havnt played these with anybody but i have read through and memorized movements from these except for the grieg i just hate that concerto

i have played most of the first movement of the tchaick and rach and first 2 movements of the beethoven
and the first movement of the mozart

so dont take anything i suggest to seriously

[prestoconfuocco]

Thank you very much.
I'm quite new to the whole concerto "concept" so I guess either a complete concerto or one movement would be okay. I would say either something beautiful yet exciting.
Once again thanks for your quick response.

Well, taking your repertoire in mind, and the fact that it's your first concerto I'd suggest you to start learning a Bach or Mozart concerto, just to get the gist of how a concerto feels (It shouldn't take too long) and only then take on a bigger one. (Bach's F minor and D minor are good as first concertos)
After that I'd suggest Shostakovich's F major concerto, or Ravel's G major, or Schumann's A minor. (If you do pick Schumann, start with the first movement, and only then decide if you want to continue.)
You can also take a look at various second movements - Grieg, Rach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Chopin, and plenty of others.
Good luck!

[thalbergmad]

Though there isn't such a thing as a not-beautiful piano concerto

Are you sure about that??

Thal

[thalbergmad]

I've been recently listening to Hummel concerti with great enjoyment. Imagine a cross between a Chopin concerto and a Mozart concerto, and you've got yourself a Hummel concerto!

One could describe the 2 concertos of Tomasek in a similar fashion.

Thal

[prestoconfuocco]

Are you sure about that??

Thal

You're more than welcomed to burst my bubble by refering me to a bad concerto

[prestoconfuocco]

Are you sure about that??

Thal

Wait, I stand corrected, I forgot Schoenberg composed a piano concerto :\

[thalbergmad]

I was thinking of another composer starting with Sch.

I don't think I am allowed to mention him any more.

Thal

[prestoconfuocco]

I was thinking of another composer starting with Sch.

I don't think I am allowed to mention him any more.

Thal

Well, I can think of about 7-8 composers that star with "Sch", but if you're refering to Schumann, I say "Blasphemy!"

[superman1980]

mozart no.20
grieg a minor (I hate that one)
Tchaikovsky Bb minor (lots of octaves if youre good at those)
Rachmaninov 2 (hard, but Do able)
beethoven 4th (one of my favorites written)

i havnt played these with anybody but i have read through and memorized movements from these except for the grieg i just hate that concerto

i have played most of the first movement of the tchaick and rach and first 2 movements of the beethoven
and the first movement of the mozart

so dont take anything i suggest to seriously

Thanks very much, cabbynum. I will keep your suggestions in mind.

[superman1980]

Well, taking your repertoire in mind, and the fact that it's your first concerto I'd suggest you to start learning a Bach or Mozart concerto, just to get the gist of how a concerto feels (It shouldn't take too long) and only then take on a bigger one. (Bach's F minor and D minor are good as first concertos)
After that I'd suggest Shostakovich's F major concerto, or Ravel's G major, or Schumann's A minor. (If you do pick Schumann, start with the first movement, and only then decide if you want to continue.)
You can also take a look at various second movements - Grieg, Rach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Chopin, and plenty of others.
Good luck!

Thank you, prestoconfuoco. I have listened to some recordings of those concertos and they sound great.

[ale_ius]

Perhap extended form not multi movement work?
just example (might be too much difficult for now but there are similar type works to be discover)
Was dedicate to Busoni

Musics sheet
https://imslp.org/wiki/Rhapsody_on_Ukrainian_Themes,_Op.28_(Lyapunov,_Sergey)

-Alee Marie.

[classicalnhiphop]

Do you think you are ready for Prokofiev 3? if u are its AWESOME!!

[prestoconfuocco]

Do you think you are ready for Prokofiev 3? if u are its AWESOME!!

You need seven hands and a bucket of steroids to be ready for Prok 3.

[kevinhall]

I also recommend the Schumann. The Beethoven 3rd is a good choice, given what your solo repertoire reveals about your skills. The Beethoven 2nd doesn't make much of an impression.

Other good choices would be the Ravel G Major, the Poulenc D Minor, or Gershwin's Concerto in F.