Top 10 Favorite Cello Concerti

[Karl Henning]

And actually, I've heard this Tavener piece, and MacMillan's Passion . . . and, while the MacMillan is all right, I think much better of the Tavener piece.

[kyjo]

Well, but are you talking about The Protecting Veil here?  This is not any cheap or forced music at all.

OK, the adjectives "cheap" and "forced" were a little too harsh, I'll admit. I've heard The Protecting Veil, and while it's one of Tavener's better works, I still can't say my impression of it is that favorable. It's a pleasant work at best. My tastes much prefer the grit and drama to be found in MacMillan's music.

[vandermolen]

Thought I'd responded to this but can't find list. So here goes:

Kabalevsky No 2 (his best work in my view)
Miaskovsky
Moeran (prefer it to his VC and along with the Symphony his best work. Climax of finale I find overwhelming, especially on Lyrita, with Moeran's wife playing)
Dvorak
Bliss
Finzi
Walton  (prefer it to the Violin Concerto but not to the Viola Concerto)
Samuel Barber
Bridge 'Oration' (wonderful - especially the Epilogue)
Vlasov (on YouTube)

Not in order

Hon mentions: Englund, Bloch's 'Voice in the Wilderness'

[kishnevi]

Taverner.......yuck! I can't stand his music. At least Part's (to name another "holy minimalist") music has some depth to it, but Taverner's music is embarrassingly trite. All IMHO, of course.

I'm actually mostly in agreement with you here:  I love Protecting Veil,  but everything else I've heard from him rather bores me.  Part for me is hit or miss, and in the choral stuff it's usually more miss, with the hits apparently biased to the instrumental works.

[kyjo]

Vlasov (on YouTube)

Interesting choice! I haven't heard it yet, but I do own the set that contains it:

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Will have to give it a listen.

[Karl Henning]

I'm actually mostly in agreement with you here:  I love Protecting Veil,  but everything else I've heard from him rather bores me.

Partly explains, probably, my disinclination to explore much Tavener . . . content to like The Protecting Veil very well  0:)

[vandermolen]

I'm actually mostly in agreement with you here:  I love Protecting Veil,  but everything else I've heard from him rather bores me.  Part for me is hit or miss, and in the choral stuff it's usually more miss, with the hits apparently biased to the instrumental works.

I actually his earlier more experimental psychedelic kind of work like 'The Whale' which commences with a narrator reading the section on whales from the Encyclopedia Brittanica 'Statistics on whales are collected by the Norwegian Whaling Committee...etc etc' it always makes me smile and the work is fun - I have even heard it live in the presence of the composer. Another early work I like is the 'Celtic Requiem'.

[Christo]

First attempt, with little time to think it over:

Barber
Finzi
Bridge 'Oration'
Moeran
Bliss
Holmboe
Englund
Hindemith
Villa-Lobos No. 2
Vasks

[Brian]

Making a note here to (re-)listen to the following cello concertos:
Martinu 1 & 2
Casella
Leshnoff
Vasks
Barber
Rautavaara 1 & 2
Schoeck
Frank Martin

One cello concerto which I decisively DIS-like is Lalo's. I've given it chances, but the incessant dramatic orchestral chords in the first movement drive me mad with irritation. They seem to never end.

[Ken B]

Making a note here to (re-)listen to the following cello concertos:
Martinu 1 & 2
Casella
Leshnoff
Vasks
Barber
Rautavaara 1 & 2
Schoeck
Frank Martin

One cello concerto which I decisively DIS-like is Lalo's. I've given it chances, but the incessant dramatic orchestral chords in the first movement drive me mad with irritation. They seem to never end.

It occurs to me I don't know if I own the Martinu. Probably ...
I don't know Lesnoff but the others are all fine.

My first choice is Shosty 2. Others on the list in no order include
Shosty 1
Walton
Bloch Schelomo
Dvorak
Glass

Need to revisit Rautavaara and Martin. Finzi probably makes the list, as probably does Barber.

[EigenUser]

Dvorak
Feldman Cello and Orchestra
Gulda
Elgar
Ohana In Dark and Blue
Schumann

[kyjo]

Time to update my list:

Dvorak 2 (let's not ignore the fine early A major concerto)
Shostakovich 1 (2 is a close second)
Haydn D major (the C major is a close second)
Martinu 1 (2 is a close second)
Kabalevsky 2
Herbert 2
Schnittke 1
Walton
Dohnányi (Konzertstück)
Finzi/Miaskovsky/Weinberg/Bridge (Oration)/Saint-Saëns 2 - can't decide

[springrite]

Making a note here to (re-)listen to the following cello concertos:
Martinu 1 & 2
Casella
Leshnoff
Vasks
Barber
Rautavaara 1 & 2
Schoeck
Frank Martin

I knew I forgot an important one, shockingly so: Schoeck!

[SymphonicAddict]

Atterberg
Dvorák Op. 104
Finzi
Kabalevsky 2
Khachaturian
Lutoslawski
Schnittke 1
Shostakovich 1
Villa-Lobos 2
Weinberg


I had to leave out the next ones: Miaskovsky, Moeran, Walton, Martinu 2, Hindemith both concertos, Barber, Englund, Penderecki 1.

[kyjo]

Atterberg
Dvorák Op. 104
Finzi
Kabalevsky 2
Khachaturian
Lutoslawski
Schnittke 1
Shostakovich 1
Villa-Lobos 2
Weinberg


I had to leave out the next ones: Miaskovsky, Moeran, Walton, Martinu 2, Hindemith both concertos, Barber, Englund, Penderecki 1.

Great list! I could've easily included the Atterberg (though not one of his better works IMO) and Villa-Lobos 2. The Lutosławski is a fascinating work which I feel will grow on me with repeated listening. I found the Khachaturian concerto a bit disappointing but I must revisit. Must check out the Moeran and Englund concertos.

[Mirror Image]

Great list! I could've easily included the Atterberg (though not one of his better works IMO) and Villa-Lobos 2. The Lutosławski is a fascinating work which I feel will grow on me with repeated listening. I found the Khachaturian concerto a bit disappointing but I must revisit. Must check out the Moeran and Englund concertos.

I think you'll dig the Moeran Cello Concerto, Kyle. Right up your alley I would think.

[Daverz]

Martinu 1
Shostakovich 1
Dvorak
Frank Martin
Hindemith (1940)
Toch
Weinberg
Haydn in C
Prokofiev Symphonie Concertante
One of CPE Bach's, not sure which one
Elgar

[kyjo]

I think you'll dig the Moeran Cello Concerto, Kyle. Right up your alley I would think.

I'll definitely check it out, along with the Martin CC

[Mirror Image]

I'll definitely check it out, along with the Martin CC

[kyjo]

One of CPE Bach's, not sure which one

The only one of CPE Bach's cello concertos I know is the A major (the most famous one, I believe), which is a lovely work.