Your ten favourite 20th Century piano concertos.

Started by vandermolen, March 12, 2015, 12:20:13 PM

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vandermolen

#20
March 14, 2015, 05:29:30 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 12, 2015, 05:37:23 PM
These were my choices on the other thread Jeffrey created:

But, now, I have some new additions and some subtractions:

Delius: Piano Concerto
Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3
RVW: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
Ravel: Piano Concerto for left-hand
Poulenc: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2
Sculthorpe: Piano Concerto
Britten: Diversions
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3
Tippett: Piano Concerto

Thanks John. As I sometimes by a CD without realising that I already have it I am now into 'identical thread' mode  ::). I should have included the Bartok No. 3 which is a wonderful work as is the Ravel on your list and the Sculthorpe.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

#21
March 14, 2015, 05:35:06 AM Last Edit: March 14, 2015, 05:39:15 AM by vandermolen
Thanks for all the interesting replies and apologies for duplicating my own thread  ::).

Must be adventurous and investigate the Ligeti and some of those on amw's list. Also I agree about Martinu No. 4 'Incantations' and could have included Rachmaninov PC No. 4 which I like v much.

Should have included this epic score:
[asin]B00009V906[/asin]
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Sergeant Rock

#22
March 14, 2015, 06:04:09 AM
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
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

pjme

#23
March 14, 2015, 06:05:09 AM


Somewhere this LP is hidden in the cellar...

But how about Stravinsky's Concerto for piano + windorchestra? That's a work I regularly listen to.

P.

Mirror Image

#24
March 14, 2015, 06:34:51 AM
Quote from: vandermolen on March 14, 2015, 05:29:30 AMThanks John. As I sometimes by a CD without realising that I already have it I am now into 'identical thread' mode  ::). I should have included the Bartok No. 3 which is a wonderful work as is the Ravel on your list and the Sculthorpe.

No problem, Jeffrey. I like making lists like this, so if you feel the need to create another thread say six months later, I'm game. 8)

Christo

#25
March 14, 2015, 06:48:33 AM Last Edit: March 14, 2015, 07:42:28 AM by Christo
Quote from: springrite on March 13, 2015, 07:24:36 PMI am surprised that I am the only one to have mentioned Barber.

Barber  ;D
Bartók 3
Edit: Oops, forgot Stanley Bate 2, with one of those fragile, deeply moving (second movement) andantes (like those by Ravel, or Barber)
Berkeley (Lennox) Concerto for Two Pianos
Englund 1
Falla Noches en los jardines de España
Gershwin
Orthel Symphony No. 4 for piano and orchestra
Rachmaninov 2
Ravel G major
Rawsthorne 2
Saygun 1
And RVW? well ... [hesitating]  :-[
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

Christo

#26
March 14, 2015, 07:27:27 AM
Quote from: vandermolen on March 12, 2015, 12:20:13 PMNote that I wrote 'favourite' and not greatest, so as to avoid arguments. I have just included the ones that give me the most pleasure and which I listen to most often:

I would expect Respighi's Concerto in modo misolidio too 8)
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

Mirror Image

#27
March 14, 2015, 07:32:08 AM
Quote from: Christo on March 14, 2015, 06:48:33 AMFalla: Noches en los jardines de España

Thanks for mentioning this masterpiece, Johan. I was going to include it myself, but, again, the limitation of only 10 choices put a damper on things a bit. :)

springrite

#28
March 14, 2015, 07:38:58 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 14, 2015, 07:32:08 AM
Thanks for mentioning this masterpiece, Johan. I was going to include it myself, but, again, the limitation of only 10 choices put a damper on things a bit. :)

Yes, that too. But I still consider you to be a traitor for not mentioning the Barber.  ;)
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

Christo

#29
March 14, 2015, 07:40:54 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 14, 2015, 07:32:08 AMThanks for mentioning this masterpiece, Johan. I was going to include it myself, but, again, the limitation of only 10 choices put a damper on things a bit. :)

Fully agreed, John.  ;D During my first travels through Europe, early 1980s, I trod through the El Generalife Gardens in Granada (Southern Spain) with this music in my head. Unforgettable experience.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

(poco) Sforzando

#30
March 14, 2015, 07:41:25 AM
Some choices I like here, as well as some I wouldn't touch with a 11-foot pole. My favorites would include most of Bartok, Ravel, Carter, Ligeti, and Prokofiev, but one not mentioned thus far that I'd have to add is the Berg Chamber Concerto, since it surely uses a piano. I can definitely live without the Barber, though if a harpsichord can be sneaked in, I'll vote for the Falla.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Archaic Torso of Apollo

#31
March 14, 2015, 08:00:29 AM
Bartok 1
Martinu 4
Prokofiev 2, 3
Carter
Lutoslawski
Barber
Englund 1
Ligeti
Gershwin

I see I'm the third person to mention the Englund. (I guess a lot of people bought that Naxos CD.)
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

(poco) Sforzando

#32
March 14, 2015, 08:13:11 AM
Quote from: Christo on March 14, 2015, 07:40:54 AM
Fully agreed, John.  ;D During my first travels through Europe, early 1980s, I trod through the El Generalife Gardens in Granada (Southern Spain) with this music in my head. Unforgettable experience.

I hope you saw the Alhambra also.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

(poco) Sforzando

#33
March 14, 2015, 08:31:09 AM
Quote from: James on March 14, 2015, 08:25:23 AM
I was going to mention it .. but didn't because it's not a piano concerto in the classical sense.

The piano writing is certainly virtuosic enough. Your statement would apply better to the Webern Concerto for Nine Instruments, which is not virtuosic at all, but the piano seems to be first among equals and is typically used in isolation to the strings and winds.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Christo

#34
March 14, 2015, 08:39:24 AM
Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on March 14, 2015, 08:13:11 AMI hope you saw the Alhambra also.
I wasn't eyeless in Gaza.  ;D They are all part of the same complex, BTW.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

vandermolen

#35
March 14, 2015, 08:42:47 AM Last Edit: March 14, 2015, 08:45:52 AM by vandermolen
Quote from: Christo on March 14, 2015, 07:27:27 AM
I would expect Respighi's Concerto in modo misolidio too 8)

How could I have forgotten that one!  ???

Also, how could I have not included John Foulds's 'Dynamic Triptych' a marvellously inspiriting work. You also reminded me of the fine Stanley Bate No. 2. The Suderburg looks interesting.

Oh, and I should have included the Falla: 'Nights in the Garden of Spain' which is a beautifully atmospheric work. Many VW admirers don't think that much of the Piano Concerto, but to me it has a craggy appeal, especially in the Vronsky/Babin/Boult version.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

#36
March 14, 2015, 08:48:52 AM
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on March 14, 2015, 06:04:09 AM
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

The Busoni and Englund are excellent and I love the opening of the Busoni, especially in the John Ogden version. I would have chosen George Lloyd's 'Scapegoat' Piano Concerto or the epic No. 3 which is rather in the spirit of Khachaturian.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

North Star

#37
March 14, 2015, 09:41:49 AM
Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on March 14, 2015, 08:00:29 AM
I see I'm the third person to mention the Englund. (I guess a lot of people bought that Naxos CD.)
Or perhaps the Ondine CD. Damn, the samples sound tempting.  :)
[asin]B0000AINFV[/asin]
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

My photographs on Flickr

pjme

#38
March 14, 2015, 09:48:41 AM


Indeed! A great concerto and an excellent disc in general.

P.

vandermolen

#39
March 14, 2015, 10:55:11 AM
Quote from: pjme on March 14, 2015, 09:48:41 AM


Indeed! A great concerto and an excellent disc in general.

P.

+1
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).
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