Eleven favourite 20th Century piano concertos.

[vandermolen]

Thanks! The Atterberg is a life-affirming, inspiring work with melodies that will haunt you for days. I'm sure you'd enjoy it! I almost included Martinu's PC 4-a magical work-but it got pushed out on the final elimination round. The Bate and Ireland concertos are wonderful-as are the VW and Bliss PCs you listed (as well as Bax's works for piano and orchestra). My favorite British PC, though, is Foulds' Dynamic Triptych-a thrilling, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink work that ranges from Rachmaninoffian lushness to Scriabinian mysteriousness to Bartokian ferocity within the blink of an eye.

I should have included the Foulds too 

[kyjo]

I should have included the Foulds too 

I know the feeling, Jeffrey

[Lisztianwagner]

In no particular order:

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3
Ravel Piano Concerto for the left hand
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2
Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2
Martinu Piano Concerto No.4
Szymanowski Symphony No.4
Glazunov Piano Concerto No.2
Bartok Piano Concerto No.1
Tveitt Piano Concerto No.5
Bortkiewicz Piano Concerto No.1

[kyjo]

In no particular order:

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3
Ravel Piano Concerto for the left hand
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2
Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2
Martinu Piano Concerto No.4
Szymanowski Symphony No.4
Glazunov Piano Concerto No.2
Bartok Piano Concerto No.1
Tveitt Piano Concerto No.5
Bortkiewicz Piano Concerto No.1

Very nice list, Ilaria! Good to see some votes for Tveitt and Bortkiewicz! I could've gone with any of the Tveitt PCs, really. All are stupendous works!

[Lisztianwagner]

Very nice list, Ilaria! Good to see some votes for Tveitt and Bortkiewicz! I could've gone with any of the Tveitt PCs, really. All are stupendous works!

I completely agree!

I'm sorry I only wrote ten piano concertos before, I will include Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue too.

[Sergeant Rock]

Reger Piano Concerto F minor

Bach/Busoni Piano Concerto D  minor after BWV 1052

Lloyd Piano Concerto #4

Poulenc Piano Concerto

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 C minor

Prokofiev Piano Concerto #2 G minor

Marx Romantisches Klavierkonzert (Romantic Piano Concerto)

Korngold Piano Concerto C sharp for the left hand

Ravel Piano Concerto G major

Schoenberg Piano Concerto

Englund Piano Concerto #1

[Sergeant Rock]

Prokofiev no. 2 (love the "scary" first movement)

And after listening to the second movement we know where Jerry Goldsmith stole his Klingon theme (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) 

Sarge

[kyjo]

Reger Piano Concerto F minor

Bach/Busoni Piano Concerto D  minor after BWV 1052

Lloyd Piano Concerto #4

Poulenc Piano Concerto

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 C minor

Prokofiev Piano Concerto #2 G minor

Marx Romantisches Klavierkonzert (Romantic Piano Concerto)

Korngold Piano Concerto C sharp for the left hand

Ravel Piano Concerto G major

Schoenberg Piano Concerto

Englund Piano Concerto #1

Interesting choices. The Reger is certainly a grand work that reveals more on each successive listen. The Lloyd no. 4 had some good moments (like the catchy little tune of the finale which I'm sure he cribbed from something), but overall it didn't impress me much. His first three PCs (especially the epic no. 3) I was more impressed with. Good to see another vote for the Marx-like the Foulds Dynamic Tripytch, it's one of those everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of works which is nothing if not a great wallow. The Englund is a very fine work IIRC-reminds me of what a more "serious" PC by Shostakovich would have sounded like. I forgot about the Poulenc (which I actually prefer to the Double PC, oddly), with its rather Rach-ish first two movements and delightful, echt-Poulencian romp of a finale.

[Cato]

I am surprised that Bartok's efforts do not appear more often!

So..

Bartok All 3 concertos

Busoni's

Gershwin's

Rachmaninov's Third and Fourth

Tcherepnin's All 6, but especially #2 and #5

13, not 11     Some people just cannot follow the rules!

[kyjo]

I am surprised that Bartok's efforts do not appear more often!

So..

Bartok All 3 concertos

Busoni's

Gershwin's

Rachmaninov's Third and Fourth

Tcherepnin's All 6, but especially #2 and #5

13, not 11     Some people just cannot follow the rules!

Nice choices! Bartok 3 came very close to making it on my list, and it's certainly one of the great 20th century PCs (along with his other two). Busoni's is also great in its sheer epicness. I've enjoyed Tcherepnin's (a composer who doesn't get discussed much around here) colorful PCs a lot-good to see them mentioned!

[North Star]

Nice choices! Bartok 3 came very close to making it on my list, and it's certainly one of the great 20th century PCs (along with his other two). Busoni's is also great in its sheer epicness. I've enjoyed Tcherepnin's (a composer who doesn't get discussed much around here) colorful PCs a lot-good to see them mentioned!

Is he more popular elsewhere? The PCs are good music, certainly.

[kyjo]

Is he more popular elsewhere? The PCs are good music, certainly.

No, not really! I guess it's just because I've never brought him up since joining this forum until now.

[North Star]

No, not really! I guess it's just because I've never brought him up since joining this forum until now.

Oh dear...
You should read the Tcherepnin thread!

[vandermolen]

Reger Piano Concerto F minor

Bach/Busoni Piano Concerto D  minor after BWV 1052

Lloyd Piano Concerto #4

Poulenc Piano Concerto

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 C minor
H
Prokofiev Piano Concerto #2 G minor

Marx Romantisches Klavierkonzert (Romantic Piano Concerto)

Korngold Piano Concerto C sharp for the left hand

Ravel Piano Concerto G major

Schoenberg Piano Concerto

Englund Piano Concerto #1

Nice choices. Lloyd's epic PC No 3 is a work I like very much.

[Sergeant Rock]

Lloyd Piano Concerto #4

His first three PCs (especially the epic no. 3) I was more impressed with.

Nice choices. Lloyd's epic PC No 3 is a work I like very much.

I might prefer the Third too if I knew it. But I don't. I only own the Fourth. I foresee a trip to Amazon in my near future 

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

I'd like to see Wuorinen muscle his way onto Sarge's list, but it's a fine list, and the competition is fierce . . . .

[vandermolen]

I also like the one by Lou Harrison and am currently discovering the two by Lukas Foss.

[kyjo]

I might prefer the Third too if I knew it. But I don't. I only own the Fourth. I foresee a trip to Amazon in my near future 

Sarge

I guarantee you'll prefer the Third to the Fourth. If not, then I'll eat my hat!

[kyjo]

I also like the one by Lou Harrison and am currently discovering the two by Lukas Foss.

I remember liking the two by Foss a lot. I don't know much by Harrison, except his Elegiac Symphony (no. 2, I believe), which is very beautiful. If his PC is in a similar style, I'd be most interested!

Two other favorites of mine are Bloch's Concerto Symphonique and Rodrigo's Concierto heroico.

[Mirror Image]

Two other favorites of mine are Bloch's Concerto Symphonique and Rodrigo's Concierto heroico.

Agreed! That slow movement to Rodrigo's Concierto heroico is deeply moving, but he always wrote such gorgeous slow movements.