First piano concerto?

[ajlongspiano]

Hey guys. I was just curious as to what a good first piano concerto would be? I've heard the Mendelssohn in G Minor and the A Minor Grieg are good first concertos. Tell me what you think and let me know what the first piano concerto you learned was. Thanks!

[stevensk]

It depends of your level (naturally).
Grieg are a good starter, Beethoven no 1, 2 and 3 are even better to start with. Mozart?

[ajlongspiano]

It depends of your level (naturally).
Grieg are a good starter, Beethoven no 1, 2 and 3 are even better to start with. Mozart?

Thanks for your reply! My repertoire consists of the first Chopin Ballade, a Mozart Sonata (k332), some Chopin Nocturnes, and I'm working on a Moszkowski etude along with a piece from Prokofiev's op.10. I also plan on learning Chopin's op.10 no.10 for a competition. I guess you can assess my level from there. Mozart is great. I especially love k488 in A Major. However, I feel Mozart is a bit dangerous for a first piano concerto. I'm really in a knot between the Greig and Mendelssohn. I really love them both.

[chopin4life]

I'm actually learning my first concerto right now: Mozart concerto no 20 (d minor)

I think Mozart concertos are the best starters, but if you can play them perfectly, you are ready for any other concerto in the repertoire.

Good luck with it!

[ajlongspiano]

Thanks for the reply! And nice choice!

[classicalnhiphop]

If you can play something like the first ballade (well), you should be able to pull off slightly more difficult concerto's.  However, not having the experience of playing with either an orchestra or another piano as accompaniment would probably make something like Grieg, Mozart, shostakovich 2, or anything along those lines more appropriate.   

[visitor]

Kabalevsky

Berkovich

[thalbergmad]

Stamitz F minor for classical and Matucci 2nd for romantic would be good starters.

Thal

[ahinton]

Stamitz F minor for classical and Matucci 2nd for romantic would be good starters.

Martucci, Thal - but a welcome recommendation nonetheless!

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

I left me "r" out.

My playing is as accurate as my typing.

Thal

[pianoman1349]

Personally, I like the Grieg and Mendelssohn as first concertos, as they are not that difficult (solo wise and ensemble wise).

Most students in learn concertos in this order:

1. Haydn D major, or some other Mozart (usually 414, 466, 467, 488 or 595) -- before 10 yrs old
2. Grieg, Mendelssohn, Ravel or Prokofiev 3rd -- 10 - 13 yrs old
3. Totentanz, Liszt 1, Rach 2 or Tchaikovsky 1 -- 13 - 16yrs
4. Chopin 1/2, Brahms 1, Rach 3, Beethoven 4 or 5 -- 16 - 18yrs.

Occasionally Beethoven 1,2,3 are taught as a 1st concerto.  Shostakovich 2 is also taught as a first concerto.


The Paganini Rhapsody is being seen more frequently played by people who have just finished their second concerto, usually at 13-14 yrs. 

*** Please note that this concerto list is not my own, but a compilation of the concertos seen in multiple music festivals over several years in my city

[thalbergmad]

There must be some pretty talented people in your City.

Thal

[classicalnhiphop]

Personally, I like the Grieg and Mendelssohn as first concertos, as they are not that difficult (solo wise and ensemble wise).

Most students in learn concertos in this order:

1. Haydn D major, or some other Mozart (usually 414, 466, 467, 488 or 595) -- before 10 yrs old
2. Grieg, Mendelssohn, Ravel or Prokofiev 3rd -- 10 - 13 yrs old
3. Totentanz, Liszt 1, Rach 2 or Tchaikovsky 1 -- 13 - 16yrs
4. Chopin 1/2, Brahms 1, Rach 3, Beethoven 4 or 5 -- 16 - 18yrs.

Occasionally Beethoven 1,2,3 are taught as a 1st concerto.  Shostakovich 2 is also taught as a first concerto.


The Paganini Rhapsody is being seen more frequently played by people who have just finished their second concerto, usually at 13-14 yrs. 

*** Please note that this concerto list is not my own, but a compilation of the concertos seen in multiple music festivals over several years in my city

prokofiev 3 is not at the level of those lol.  I'd say it's even harder than rach 2.  Chopin's are not that hard either

[pianoman1349]

The first mvt is very approachable for many young people ... most kids play it at 10 yrs old and win national competitions with it.  A lot of students will make their concerto debut with a professional orchestra at 12 or 13 playing a movement from Tchaikovsky 1 or Rach 2

Chopin 1 seems to be left to later on in life, as it is a more mature concerto and requires more thought and consideration into the musical aspects of the concerto.

I think the reason why some of the concertos are taught in the order that they are taught is mainly due to the interpretive demands of some of these works.  Some of these works do require a lot more thought and consideration that a 10 or 12 year old may not understand.  Some of the technically harder concertos are better choices for the younger student as they require less interpretation and more technical work/clever fingerings that can achieve great success with extensive practicing.

[j_menz]

most kids play it at 10 yrs old and win national competitions with it. 

Most kids in fact do neither. 

[chopin4life]

Ok, but I think you are not really helping ajlongspiano, considering he is not the supertalent
you are making of him  .
Child prodigies are playing those concerto's at such a young age, but normal children....
I don't think so   ( Well I wish they did)

[pianoman1349]

Sorry about diverting this thread to somewhere else.  To answer the original question, Grieg and Mendelssohn 1 are perfectly appropriate for someone playing the chopin's first ballade.

Best of luck in your concerto.

[ajlongspiano]

Thank you for the responses everybody! You have all been very helpful and I like all the suggestions. So much great music out there..

[thalbergmad]

So much great music out there..

And a fair bit of crap as well.

Notably Grieg & Schumann.

Thal

[visitor]

And a fair bit of crap as well.

Notably Grieg & Schumann.

Thal

Pete Tchaikovsky 1 is a bit of stinker as well.  Now his Concert Fantasy for piano and orch. there's a winner (winner chicken-dinner!). Has what may be the greatest realized solo/cadenza of any concerto I have come across yet (he really didn't like writting for p and orch., he hated the two competing against each other-recall reading that somewhere, a good book or in a toilet/loo stall somewhere).

[goldentone]

Pete Tchaikovsky 1 is a bit of stinker as well.  Now his Concert Fantasy for piano and orch. there's a winner (winner chicken-dinner!). Has what may be the greatest realized solo/cadenza of any concerto I have come across yet (he really didn't like writting for p and orch., he hated the two competing against each other-recall reading that somewhere, a good book or in a toilet/loo stall somewhere).

It sounds like Tchaikovsky needed a more dimensional perception to see that in such (if true) apparent reception of piano and orchestra competing, he was looking at a vanishing point.  The ash can mock the air.

Chicken dinner--I'll be there!

[flashyfingers]

And a fair bit of crap as well.

Notably Grieg & Schumann.

Thal

AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA. Oh, Thal!

[flashyfingers]

What about the Warsaw concerto? Also, the Weber concert piece

[thalbergmad]

The Weber is bleeding impossible me old cutie.

Thal

[coda_colossale]

prokofiev 3 is not at the level of those lol.  I'd say it's even harder than rach 2.  Chopin's are not that hard either

Daheq is hard about Prok 3? I don't know about the second movement, since I don't like it, but the first and third movements are quite accessible.

[flashyfingers]

The Weber is bleeding impossible me old cutie.

Thal

Yes, that Weber was a terrible performance and is dying to be played right, for god's sake.

[classicalnhiphop]

Daheq is hard about Prok 3? I don't know about the second movement, since I don't like it, but the first and third movements are quite accessible.

its definitely on par with Rach's concertos

[superstition2]

Tveitt No. 1

A rarely played lovely optimistic piece that's a great choice for a young person. It's not particularly demanding technically except in the short central movement and a bit after the midpoint in the final movement. The simplicity of outer movements is good for helping a young person to relax, and will not tire the person. The beauty of the composition, as well as the brevity of the concerto will also please audiences.

The giocoso movement is definitely more challenging, but it's also only 5 minutes long and can be a good showcase of skills. The high drama the occurs for a short time in the final movement will also give the young person the ability to show both reflective tranquility (the predominant mode of the movement) and a small burst of deep intensity.

[eusebius12]

And a fair bit of crap as well.

Notably Grieg & Schumann.

Thal

Your bizarre vitriol towards Schumann is again noted, strange since you seem to be a champion of a vapid note spinning nonentity. Probably reflects your state of mind.

[eusebius12]

Mozart 11-19. All beautiful and none extravagantly difficult. Dussek is well worth exploring, having heard a few of his concertos.