Top 20 Favorite 20th-c. Concerti

[Karl Henning]

. . . because, who knows? at any moment someone may opine that the concerto as a genre is no longer relevant . . . .

My quick list, in alphabetical order:

Bartók, Concerto for Orchestra
Bartók, Piano Concerto № 2
Bartók, Piano Concerto № 3
Carter, Double Concerto for Harpsichord, Piano & Two Chamber Orchestras
Elgar, Cello Concerto
Hartmann, Concerto funebre
Hindemith, Kammermusik № 6, Op.46 № 1 for viola d'amore and chamber orchestra
Lutosławski, Concerto for Orchestra
Nielsen, Clarinet Concerto
Prokofiev, Piano Concerto № 2
Prokofiev, Violin Concerto № 2
Rakhmaninov, Piano Concerto № 2
Rakhmaninov, Piano Concerto № 3
Schuman, Violin Concerto
Shostakovich, Cello Concerto № 1
Shostakovich, Cello Concerto № 2
Shostakovich, Violin Concerto № 1
Shostakovich, Violin Concerto № 2
Tippett, Triple Concerto
Wuorinen, Piano Concerto № 3

Obviously, the challenge was, to keep it down to 20 . . . pains me to have left Martinů out.

[DieNacht]

Another quick list:

Nielsen: Clarinet Cto
Maxwell-Davies: Bassoon Concerto
Saariaho: L´Aile des Songes, Flute Cto
Martinu: Harpsichord Cto
Schnittke. Viola Cto
Nørgård: Percussion Concerto
Shostakovich: 1st Cello Concerto
Barber: Cello concerto
Elgar: Violin Cto
Shostakovich: 1st Violin concerto

Pettersson (2.) Violin Cto
Pärt: Tabula Rasa, Double Concerto
Bartok: 1st Piano Cto
Stravinsky: Capriccio
Ravel: Piano Cto G
Medtner: 3rd Piano Cto
Prokofiev: 4th Piano Cto
Takemitsu: Riverrun
Keuris: Piano Cto
Nørgård: Piano Cto

but many others too.

[DieNacht]

Hmm neat thread, but I'm noticing that trend again, half of the century is mainly represented thus far .. hehe (just kidding)

Relevant GMG quick link: Best contemporary piano concertos

at least 50% post-1950 by me; it´s too early to find such a trend.

[Mirror Image]

Oh, Karl. What a wonderful thread idea!

Okay here goes nothing...

1. Berg: Violin Concerto
2. Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante
3. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2
4. Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 2
5. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
6. Ravel: Piano Concerto for the left-hand
7. Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1
8. Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 2
9. Britten: Diversions
10. Schoenberg: Piano Concerto
11. Tippett: Piano Concerto
12. Takemitsu: A String Around Autumn
13. Milhaud: Violin Concerto No. 2
14. Poulenc: Concerto for Two Pianos
15. Bartok: Violin Concerto No. 2
16. Barber: Violin Concerto
17. Copland: Clarinet Concerto
18. Stravinsky: Violin Concerto
19. Finzi: Cello Concerto
20. Alwyn: Lyrica Angelica

A very special mention to Lindberg's Violin Concerto which has been my favorite 21st Century concerto so far.

[some guy]

Um, Karl. The concerto is no longer relevant.*

But, having said that, here are a few of my favorites from after January, 1950:

John Cage, concerto for prepared piano and chamber orchestra
Norbert Moret, concerto for cello and orchestra
(His double concerto for violin and cello and orchestra is good, too)
Witold Lutosławski, concerto for cello and orchestra
Morton Feldman, Cello and orchestra
Morton Feldman, Piano and orchestra
Morton Feldman, Flute and orchestra
Morton Feldman, Oboe and orchestra
Roberto Gerhard, concerto for piano and string orchestra
Roberto Gerhard, concerto for harpsichord, string orchestra, and percussion
Roberto Gerhard, concerto for orchestra
Helmut Lachenmann, Air
Helmut Lachenmann, Harmonica
Simon Steen-Andersen, Ouvertures for guzheng and sampler and orchestra
Milko Kelemen, Drammatico
Milko Kelemen, Changeant
Günter Bialis, Concerto Lirico for piano and orchestra
Günter Bialis, Music for piano and orchestra
Klaus Huber, Tempora
Günter Becker, concerto for electronically modulated oboe and orchestra
Jonathan Berger, Lead Plates of the Rom Press
Goffredo Petrassi, eight concertos for orchestra
Nicola Sani, Elements (cycle of four concertish things: for bass flute and electronics; contrabass flute, organ, and electronics; percussion and electronics; and hyperbass flute and electronics)
Peter Dickinson, concerto for piano and orchestra

(I wasn't supposed to stop at twenty, was I?)

*Somebody had to say it. I mean, be fair, after being practically invited to say it....

[Wanderer]

Off the top of my head:

Ravel: Piano Concerto for the left hand
Bartók: Piano Concerto № 1
Bartók: Piano Concerto № 2
Bartók: Piano Concerto № 3
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto № 2
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto № 3
Medtner: Piano Concerto № 1
Medtner: Piano Concerto № 2
Medtner: Piano Concerto № 3
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto № 2
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto № 4
Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto
Korngold: Piano Concerto for the left hand
Skalkottas: Piano Concerto № 1
Skalkottas: Piano Concerto № 2
Skalkottas: Piano Concerto № 3
Skalkottas: Concerto for 2 violins
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto № 2
Elgar: Violin Concerto
Korngold: Cello Concerto

The concerto is no longer relevant.*

Maybe to you. Which in turn would make you non-relevant to the thread. Thank you for your list and time, security will rough you up on the way out. 

[Lisztianwagner]

Great thread

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2
Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No.2
Nielsen: Clarinet Concert
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.3
Martinu: Piano Concerto No.4
Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No.1
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No.1
Ravel: Piano Concerto for left hand
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No.2
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
R. Strauss: Oboe Concerto
Nielsen: Flute Concerto
Berg: Violin Concerto
Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
Korngold: Violin Concerto
Rautavaara: Piano Concerto No.3

I would like to mention Stravinsky's and Nielsen's Violin Concerto and R. Strauss Horn Concert No.2 too

[Karl Henning]

Um, Karl. The concerto is no longer relevant.*

(* chortle *)

[TheGSMoeller]

How can the symphony or concerti not be relevant anymore when pieces composed in recent years and several centuries in the past are still being performed, recorded and enjoyed?

Here are my choices for concerti...

Vaughan Williams: Tuba Concerto in F Minor
Henri Dutilleux: Tout un monde lontain, for Cello and Orchestra
Pascal Dusapin: A Quia, Concerto pour Piano Et Orchestra
Pascal Dusapin: Watt, Concerto pour Trombone Et Orchestra
Avner Dorman: Mandolin Concerto
Edward Elgar: Cello Concerto in E Minor
D. Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No.2 in F
Philip Glass: Concert Fantasy for 2 Timpanists and Orchestra
Philip Glass: Piano Concerto No. 2, After Lewis and Clark
Paul Schoenfield: Four Parables, for piano and orchestra
Paul Schoenfield: Vaudeville, for piccolo trumpet and orchestra
Michael Nyman: Double Concerto for Saxophone and Cello
Henryk Gorecki: Harpsichord Concerto
Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 4 in B Flat (Left Hand)
Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 5 in G
Benjamin Britten: Symphony for Cello and Orchestra
Alfred Schnittke: Concerto for Piano and String Orchestra
Astor Piazzolla: Concerto for Bandoneon
Francis Poulenc: Organ Concerto in G Minor
Francis Poulenc: Concert Champetre for Harpsichord and Orchestra

[Lethevich]

Stravinsky - Violin
Martin - Petite Symphonie Concertante
Vasks - Violin
Vaughan Williams - Oboe Stanford - Irish Rhapsody 3
Feldman - Cello
Rubbra - Viola
Schnittke - Cello 2
Janáček - The Wandering of a Little Soul
Korngold - Violin
Bartók - Violin 1
Tavener - The Protecting Veil
Françaix - Concertino
Ligeti - Piano
Medtner - Piano 2
Lutosławski - Cello
Rihm - Styx und Lethe
Pärt - Tabula Rasa
Martinů - Piano 4
Martinů - Concerto da camera
Holmboe - Chamber Concerto No.10

[some guy]

How can the symphony or concerti not be relevant anymore when pieces composed in recent years and several centuries in the past are still being performed, recorded and enjoyed?

Well, though we were just kidding around, there is a serious answer to this question. But do you really want it?

[TheGSMoeller]

Well, though we were just kidding around, there is a serious answer to this question. But do you really want it?

I wasn't being entirely serious myself. Should have put one of these ---> after it.

[vandermolen]

Off top of my head:

Pettersson: Violin Concerto No 2
Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Two Pianos
Bliss:  Piano Concerto
Walton: Viola Concerto
Stanley Bate: Viola Concerto
Stanley Bate: PC No 2
Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No 1
Malcolm Arnold:  Concerto for Two Pianos
Vagn Holmboe: Cello Concerto
Christopher Wright: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra ('And then there was silence...)
L. Berkeley: Concerto for Two Pianos.
Frank Bridge: Oration (Cello Concerto)
Rubbra: Piano Concerto
Walton: Sinfonia Concertante for Piano and Orchestra
Miaskovsky: Cello Concerto
Miaskovsky: Violin Concerto
Moeran: Cello Concerto
Gordon Jacob: Concerto for Two Pianos
Samuel Barber: Cello Concerto
Rawsthorne: Piano Concerto No 2

I've realised that this is a very Anglocentric list - still, I know that you'll all be celebrating her Majesty's Jubilee next week. 

[some guy]

I wasn't being entirely serious myself. Should have put one of these ---> after it.

Hahaha! Now whose face is red?

[TheGSMoeller]

Hahaha! Now whose face is red?

Not really.

[techniquest]

Not sure I could stretch to 20, but these are my faves form the C20 as things stand today (in no particular order):

Gerhard - Concerto for Orchestra
Henze - Piano Concerto No.2
Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No.2
Prokofiev - Violin Concerto No.1
Lutoslawski - Concerto for Orchestra
Liebermann - Concerto for Jazz Band & Orchestra
Poulenc - Concerto for Organ, Timpani and Strings
Shchedrin - Concerto for Orchestra No.1 "Merrie Ditties"
Rautavaara - Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra)
Jon Lord - Concerto for Group and Orchestra
Malcolm Arnold - Concerto for 2 pianos (3 hands) and orchestra
Khachaturian - Piano Concerto
Paoul Ruders - Concerto in Pieces

So, not all early 20C pieces 

[Karl Henning]

Just a note to thank everyone for taking part.  By design, the adjective favorite in the subject header disarms a great deal of potential argument. And I am enjoying the great variety of lists;  there are many pieces which I might easily have included, myself; and there are many pieces which, by their inclusion in your lists, I am curious to visit. ( Some of them, I have long intended to listen to, already.)

So: thanks!

[eyeresist]

I wasn't being entirely serious myself. Should have put one of these ---> after it.

What, you mean pieces composed in recent years AREN'T being performed, recorded and enjoyed?

[val]

BARTOK:   Piano Concertos 1, 2 & 3
BARTOK:   Violin Concerto 2
ALBAN BERG:  Violin Concerto
SCHÖNBERG:  Piano Concerto
RAVEL:    Piano Concerto in G
FALLA:     Harpsichord Concerto
PROKOFIEV:  Violin Concertos 1 & 2
PROKOFIEV:   Piano Concerto 3
BUSONI:  Violin Concerto
ELGAR:   Cello Concerto
DUTILLEUX:  Cello Concerto
SHOSTAKOVITCH:   Violin Concerto 1
FRANK MARTIN:   Cello Concerto
RICHARD STRAUSS:  Oboe Concerto
MARTINU:   Piano Concerto 4
MARTINU:   Double Concerto
BARRAQUÉ:  Clarinet Concerto

[mjwal]

Fascinating - especially because my favourite 20th c concerto seems to be missing from all those lists. I mean
Schoenberg Violin concerto
Otherwise I'm fine with all the Elgars, Bergs, Bartoks,Stravinskys, Prokofievs, Szymanowskis, Ravels, Martinus, Skalkottas, Henzes, Tippetts, Dutilleux, Gubaidulinas, Ligetis, Carters, and yes, definitely, Barraqué!!! (thanks val) - but am in favour of sweeping away the broken Glass & such.
I am out of sympathy with Shostakovich at the moment - that may change, as things tend to do.The Frank Martin concerto preferred by me is his Polyptique for violin, which I find very moving. Havergal Brian's violin concerto would have to be included, I think., and certainly the 2 Milhaud violin concertos - and 3 Brittens. Every so often I think I am going to break into Reger's 2 (piano and violin), but it never quite happens: they just go on to midnight like a damned old carthorse, as Beecham used to say of Götterdämmerung (which is however geradezu kurzweilig by comparison).
PS. thinking about adding Nordheim's 2 (violin and cello), but must re-listen first, been quite a while.