Topic: Please recommend me concertos for wind instruments

[Florestan]

Surprinsingly little concertante compositions for wind instruments have been written in the Classical, Romantic and Late-Romantic eras. Nothing by [...] Schumann [...]

What about his Konzertstueck for 4 Horns and Orchestra?

[Grazioso]

Rautavaara's flute concerto is gorgeous and unusual, too, in that it uses four different members of the flute family: bass, alto, standard, and piccolo. Here it's played by Patrick Gallois:

[Mark G. Simon]

Surprinsingly little concertante compositions for wind instruments have been written in the Classical, Romantic and Late-Romantic eras.

There are actually tons of wind concertos from the classical period. For instance, 12 clarinet concertos by Karl Stamitz, 2 by Rosetti, 2 or 3 by Krommer plus a lot of names you never hear of.  The trouble is, Stamitz, Rosetti and Krommer sound like weak tea next to Mozart and Haydn. Aside from people like Gurn who specialize in this period, there's little to keep a modern audience interested in this music. So you're left with the flute, flute and harp, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and 4 horn concertos by Mozart, and the trumpet concerto of Haydn. Plus there are some fine flute concertos by CPE Bach which shouldn't be forgotten.

[karlhenning]

What about his Konzertstueck for 4 Horns and Orchestra?

Right!  That must be worth seeking out.

[Lilas Pastia]

There are actually tons of wind concertos from the classical period. For instance, 12 clarinet concertos by Karl Stamitz, 2 by Rosetti, 2 or 3 by Krommer plus a lot of names you never hear of.  The trouble is, Stamitz, Rosetti and Krommer sound like weak tea next to Mozart and Haydn. Aside from people like Gurn who specialize in this period, there's little to keep a modern audience interested in this music. So you're left with the flute, flute and harp, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and 4 horn concertos by Mozart, and the trumpet concerto of Haydn. Plus there are some fine flute concertos by CPE Bach which shouldn't be forgotten.

That's pretty much my opinion. It's worth noting that huge advances in instrumental technique and instrument building occurred during that period (roughly 1780-1810). But in terms of musical stature, your description is appropriate. I don't see why someone should seek all wind works from the period simply because they were composed at that tme. Even Haydn and Mozart didn't compose more than highly proficient works for oboe, flute or bassoon. Composers too were in a stage of re-learning their trade with the increased possibilities the 'modern' instruments brought them.

About Schumann's Horn Konzertstück: it never crossed my mind, simply because I took the thread's heading litterally (meaning: excluding brass or symphonic works). Otherwise I'd have gladly mentioned works such as the trumpet concertos of Haydn, Jolivet or Weinberg. Or the Strauss horn concertos, or quite simply, Haydn's delightful Sinfonia concertante.  And Schumann's stunning work, of course 

[Lethevich]

Ralph Vaughan Williams (as has been mentioned by one other) wrote a very nice oboe concerto which sits quite well alongside his more picturesque style of composition. To expand a little, his tuba concerto is also rather interesting. Aho produced an interesting clarinet concerto (coupled on BIS with Nielsen).

I haven't heard this disc but it seems potentially very good for you.

Edit:

Spohr, Louis - Clarinet Concetos - Hyperion

I second Spohr, although I am unsure whether it is entirely worth buying two discs of them rather than just the one. I find it a little difficult to differenciate between them. I guess it depends how much there is to spend

[jimmosk]

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari!  He's known only for operetta, but he's got a good number of very well-made concert works, including an English Horn Concerto and a very Strauss-like Idillio-Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra.

And just to give a few horn concertos, of the late-romantic / early-20th-c. era, I'd recommend those of Reinhold Gliere, Kurt Atterberg, Knut Nystedt (neoclassical and playful) and Lars-Erik Larsson's horn concertino.  Benjamin Lees has a strong horn concerto, but it might be more modern than your criteria. Give it a try, though; amazon lists copies for under $6: http://www.amazon.com/Lees-Concerto-Orchestra-Zwilich-Bassoon/dp/B0000030JN.

-J

--
Jim Moskowitz
The Unknown Composers Page:  http://kith.org/jimmosk/TOC.html

[yoyoman_hey]

Though it really isn't a concerto, the Symphonies of Wind Instruments by Stravinsky might also be worth a look if only for the fascinating timbres and fiercely contrasting themes.

[Lilas Pastia]

Anybody mentioned Strauss' delightful Duett-Concertino? It's scored for clarinet and bassoon, with strings and harp accompaniment. Strauss was probably the 20th Century master of wind writing. Well, for the first half of that century, I suppose.

[The new erato]

Frank Martins Concerto for Seven Wind Instruments is a first choice here IMO.

[jochanaan]

Strangely, I'm not familiar with the Vaughan Williams oboe concerto; must remedy that ASAP!

There's a lovely Chamber Concerto for oboe by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.  And I've heard nothing but good things about the Paul Creston saxophone concerto.

Ned Rorem and Vincent Persichetti have both written concertos for English horn, and they're both very accessible--and on a fine album recorded by Thomas Stacy, English hornist for the NY Phil.

[karlhenning]

Some might consider Henning's Studies in Impermanence a sort of concerto for the English horn.

But it's inaccessible 

[pjme]

Only a couple of weeks ago a new CD has been issued with three (early to late Romantic) flute concertos by Belgian composers was issued : Fétis, Benoit and... Gaby Van Riet soloist. I cannot find info on the Internet - will check later at my work.

There are many more 20th century works, well worth exploring :

André Jolivet : concertino for trumpet, strings and piano ( Concerto nr 1) , the second trumpetconcerto, a short but very thrilling & virtuoso , jazz influenced work. Two concerti for flute : a more "classic one with string orchestra , the second ( Suite en concert) with 4 percussion ( a beautiful work!). ( written for Jean Pierre Rampal)

Jacques Ibert ( works for oboe, flute), Henri Tomasi, Honegger ( a lovely "Concerto da camera" for English horn & flute), Frank Martin ( Ballade for flute & chamber orch.). Dutch composer Hendrik Andriessen's Variations on a theme by Couperin ( flute & strings) is gorgeous - and so is Gunnar de Frumerie's Pastoral suite ( flute, harp strings) . Hamilton Harty's "In Ireland" ( flute,harp,orch.) is another little ,tuneful gem - not to be missed! ( check Naxos).

[Christo]

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari!  He's known only for operetta, but he's got a good number of very well-made concert works, including an English Horn Concerto and a very Strauss-like Idillio-Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra.

And just to give a few horn concertos, of the late-romantic / early-20th-c. era, I'd recommend those of Reinhold Gliere, Kurt Atterberg, Knut Nystedt (neoclassical and playful) and Lars-Erik Larsson's horn concertino.  Benjamin Lees has a strong horn concerto, but it might be more modern than your criteria. Give it a try, though; amazon lists copies for under $6: http://www.amazon.com/Lees-Concerto-Orchestra-Zwilich-Bassoon/dp/B0000030JN.
-J

This gem - there are a couple of recordings, but this one stands out in brilliance and great sound - is now available at JPC.de for less than 3 euros:

[pjme]

Here it is ... ten years later!
Sweet, lovely music to hum along.

[Jo498]

Bruch: Concertante for clarinet and viola
Reinecke: Flute Concerto

[some guy]

Günter Becker's concerto for electronically modulated oboe and orchestra.

Feldman's Oboe and orchestra is also quite fetching.

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

Nielsen's Concerti for flute and clarinet are de rigueur

[Jo498]

There is all kinds of oboe stuff written for Heinz Holliger in the last ca. 50 years. E.g. Lutoslawski (with harp because Ursula Holliger was a harpist), Carter and many others.

[Roy Bland]

Eastern music for Euphonium isn't well known but IMHO this disc is impressive