Favorite 20th Century Violin Concertos

[Wanderer]

Elgar and Sibelius are perennial favourites; two extra votes for Szymanowski and Gubaidulina (do correct the spelling of her name in the poll, please) among the numerous very worthwhile choices.

[Christo]

I would have voted for Havergal Brian 2 (1935), Karl Amadeus Hartmann `Concerto funèbre' (1939),  Eduard Tubin 1 (1941), or Otar Taktakishvili 2 (1987).   

Instead, I opted for Barber, Shosta and RVW 

[Mirror Image]

Ravel has been deleted as it's more of a rhapsody than a concerto. It's no problem as he has received no votes.

To those composers I didn't mention, sorry, but I'm not going to add them now. People have already started to vote. There's always this "well why didn't you add (insert composer's name here)" phenomenon that happens with these types of polls. Do your best to choose from the ones I have listed.

[Maciek]

Without the Lutoslawski (which, personally, I consider the best latter-20th century VC), I am unable to vote...

[Maciek]

You could at least add an "other" option to even things out a bit...

(Though I still say Lutoslawski is indispensable.)

[DavidW]

I bet Lutoslawski would get a ton of votes on a concerto for orchestra poll.   He might lose to Bartok, but it would a great versus.

[Scarpia]

Ravel has been deleted as it's more of a rhapsody than a concerto. It's no problem as he has received no votes.

To those composers I didn't mention, sorry, but I'm not going to add them now. People have already started to vote. There's always this "well why didn't you add (insert composer's name here)" phenomenon that happens with these types of polls. Do your best to choose from the ones I have listed.

It would make sense to add more composers if you changed the voting option so people could change their votes.

[knight66]

Perhaps there should be a poll to see what ought to be included within these polls.

For me it is the Prokofiev 2nd. I told this story elsewhere on the site some time ago:

Years ago I in Luxor, Egypt, just having landed we were ushered out into the balmy night and put onto an ancient bus to go the mile or so to the town. Very gradually the bus filled up and there was chatter. Then suddenly the slow movement of that Prokofiev started up. The reception was crackly, but that music cast its spell. at the end of the movement there was a collective contented sigh and an extended magical silence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2wG9tzIAwE&feature=related

That is a touch too fast, I cannot find one I really like on Youtube.

Mike

[Maciek]

It would make sense to add more composers if you changed the voting option so people could change their votes.

Or you could reset the vote counter. Though I guess Scarpia's solution is simpler.

[not edward]

I ended up with Berg, Ligeti, Prokofiev and Dutilleux, but it's really a case of drawing lots from many more options (I think the Berg would be in the list almost every day, though).

I think the Gerhard concerto might have got my vote if it were in the list.

[Sef]

Sibeliius, Shostakovich, Pettersson and Ligeti - That's Chronilogical order not favorite order. Takes me from beginning to end of the century! In a similar vein to above posts would have liked to see Hartmann, and also Vasks, though by that point I would have been drawing lots in order to choose just 4.

[Mirror Image]

As I stated above, I'm NOT going to add anymore composers to this poll. I'm also NOT going to alter the vote count, so you can vote for more than 4 and I'm also NOT going to reset the poll to where everybody's votes will be set back to zero. This isn't going to happen. You can vote for 4 or don't. This poll isn't going to be changed just because one of you has a problem with it.

This is a fine list the way it is, so good luck in your voting.

[Sid]

I can't believe that the Schoenberg is so low (currently 1%). I won't say anything else , but it seems that (maybe) people haven't heard Hilary Hahn's magical interpretation of this work. Perhaps if they did, it might be much higher than where it is now(?). But it's also the most difficult concerto to perform (technically), Heifetz having said that he'd need to grow a sixth finger to play it (& Schoenberg, with his dry humour, replying that he'd wait!). Anyhow, this is one of the reasons not many violinists have taken it on board, and it is rarely heard in the concert halls as a result...

[Mirror Image]

I ended up with Berg, Ligeti, Prokofiev and Dutilleux, but it's really a case of drawing lots from many more options (I think the Berg would be in the list almost every day, though).

I think the Gerhard concerto might have got my vote if it were in the list.

The Berg VC is one of the finest of the 20th Century I think. I also think that anybody who hasn't heard it is really missing out. It made a fan out of me.

[knight66]

I can't believe that the Schoenberg is so low (currently 1%). I won't say anything else , but it seems that (maybe) people haven't heard Hilary Hahn's magical interpretation of this work. Perhaps if they did, it might be much higher than where it is now(?). But it's also the most difficult concerto to perform (technically), Heifetz having said that he'd need to grow a sixth finger to play it (& Schoenberg, with his dry humour, replying that he'd wait!). Anyhow, this is one of the reasons not many violinists have taken it on board, and it is rarely heard in the concert halls as a result...

There are lots of these I have never heard. I suspect most of us do not know all that many of them. So we may well be overlooking works we would really be grateful to know. Think it is time for a Youtube plunder.

Mike

[Sergeant Rock]

There are lots of these I have never heard. I suspect most of us do not know all that many of them.

I've never heard the Part, Gubaidulina, Adams or Dutilleux concertos. The rest I own.

Sarge

[71 dB]

There are lots of these I have never heard. I suspect most of us do not know all that many of them.

Mike

Well, I haven't heard these if I can recall:

Schoenberg, Berg, Barber, Szymanowski, Britten, Vaughan Williams, Ligeti, Bartok, Dutilleux, Adams, Khachaturian, Stravinsky, Hindemith, Rautavaara, Part, Delius, Bloch, Schnittke, Martinu, Gubaidulina, Glazunov, Janacek, Pettersson, Martin, Bernstein, Walton and Penderecki.

So, from this list the only ones I have heard for sure are:

Sibelius, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Nielsen, Rodrigo and Elgar.

I have been into classical music almost 15 years and there is still that much and more to explore! 

[Luke]

I've never heard the Part, Gubaidulina, Adams or Dutilleux concertos. The rest I own.

Sarge

The Part Concerto is scarcely a year old - I'd never heard of it and it's unrecorded AFAIK, so not hearing it is no real surprise!

[Brian]

I've heard Berg, Barber, Szymanowski (one), Sibelius, Prokofiev (2), Bartok (2), Khachaturian, Rodrigo, and Glazunov, and out of those I'd choose Sibelius and Khachaturian. My other two choices I reserve for works I haven't heard yet.

[springrite]

Pettersson, Berg, Barber and Nielsen, with strong consideration for Gubaidulina.