10 favorite works for soloist & orchestra that are NOT concerti

kyjo · October 06, 2021, 05:06:24 AM

Quote from: Florestan on October 05, 2021, 08:02:23 AM
Franck - Variations symphoniques for piano and orchestra
Vieuxtemps - Fantasia apassionata for violin and orchestra
Mozart - Rondo(s) for piano and orchestra, KV 382, KV 386
Mendelssohn - Capriccio brillant, Rondo capriccioso, Serenade & Allegro giocoso for piano and orchestra
Sarasate - Zigeunerweisen, Carmen Fantasy for violin and orchestra
Hummel - Oberon's Magic Horn for piano and orchestra
Chopin - "La ci darem la mano" Variations for piano and orchestra
Lecuona - Rapsodia Argentina for piano and orchestra

The Franck is a beautiful work which I just recently rediscovered. I especially love the final section.

Jo498 · October 06, 2021, 05:30:19 AM

Although I had not included it and probably still would not, the thread made me listen to Britten's "Diversions" (piano+orchestra, rec. Katchen/Britten/1954) last night that also fits well but has not been mentioned AFAIS.

Mirror Image · October 06, 2021, 07:05:06 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on October 06, 2021, 05:30:19 AM
Although I had not included it and probably still would not, the thread made me listen to Britten's "Diversions" (piano+orchestra, rec. Katchen/Britten/1954) last night that also fits well but has not been mentioned AFAIS.

I love that work, but I fail to see how it's not a concerto, but this is that thin line I was referring to earlier where the whole concertante/concerto line is still a blurred one for me. I can see how a rhapsody, tone poem, etc. with a prominent instrument solo couldn't be considered a concerto. But Britten's Diversions comes across as a concerto to me in that the solo instrument is given prominence within symphonic structure.

Jo498 · October 06, 2021, 07:30:14 AM

I agree that it is a blurred line. The "Diversions" are like other concertante Variations, e.g. Rachmaninoff's Paganini.
I don't think there is much to be done about that. Almost all pieces in this thread are "free concertos" or "concert pieces" or pieces basically isolated concerto movements. There are very few exceptions and they are mostly tone poems with an obligato solo (like Harold en Italie). As I know only a fraction of the pieces, I might be wrong, but it fits for almost all mentioned I have heard.

Mirror Image · October 06, 2021, 07:35:59 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on October 06, 2021, 07:30:14 AM
I agree that it is a blurred line. The "Diversions" are like other concertante Variations, e.g. Rachmaninoff's Paganini.
I don't think there is much to be done about that. Almost all pieces in this thread are "free concertos" or "concert pieces" or pieces basically isolated concerto movements. There are very few exceptions and they are mostly tone poems with an obligato solo (like Harold en Italie). As I know only a fraction of the pieces, I might be wrong, but it fits for almost all mentioned I have heard.

Yes, indeed.

Mirror Image · October 06, 2021, 07:37:39 AM

Quote from: vandermolen on October 06, 2021, 01:40:58 AM
Kabelac: Symphony No.5 'Dramatic' (Soprano soloist)
Bloch: Voice in the Wilderness
VW: Flos Campi
Ireland: Legend
Alwyn: Lyra Angelica (maybe too much like a concerto)
Respighi: Poema Autunnale
Gershwin: Variations on 'I've Got Rhythm'
Ben-Haim: Evocation
David Diamond: 'Kaddish'
Bridge: Oration

Interesting list, Jeffrey, although I wouldn't include the Alwyn as it's most definitely a concerto. Flos Campi is a great favorite of mine. I recall enjoying that Bloch work a lot as well.

vandermolen · October 06, 2021, 11:14:05 AM

Quote from: Mirror Image on October 06, 2021, 07:37:39 AM
Interesting list, Jeffrey, although I wouldn't include the Alwyn as it's most definitely a concerto. Flos Campi is a great favorite of mine. I recall enjoying that Bloch work a lot as well.

OK John - I'll include Bloch's 'Schelomo' instead of 'Lyra Angelica'.

kyjo · October 07, 2021, 08:09:10 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on October 05, 2021, 10:31:32 AM
Bax Winter Legends
Bridge Phantasm
Bridge Oration
Szymanowksi Symphony No.4
Rubbra Soliloquy
Russell Peck The Upward Stream
Lambert The Rio Grande
Haglund Hymns to the Night
Gould Interplay
Daugherty Fire & Blood

Great choices! I don't know the Peck or Haglund works at all.

kyjo · October 07, 2021, 08:10:34 AM

Quote from: ritter on October 05, 2021, 11:38:42 AM
Let's see,,.

Off the top of my head:

Schmitt: Symphonie concertante pour orchestre et piano. (piano)
Boulez: ...explosante-fixe.... (flute)
Falla: Noches en los jardines de España. (piano)
E. Halffter: Rapsodia portuguesa. (piano)
Debussy: Première rhapsodie (clarinet)
Berlioz: Harold en Italie (viola)
Saint-Saëns: Havanaise (violin)
Berio: Chemins V (guitar)
Maderna: Grande aulodia (flute and oboe)
Busoni: Indianische Fantasie (piano)

Big thumbs up for the Schmitt, Falla, Halffter, Saint-Saëns, and Busoni works!

kyjo · October 07, 2021, 08:11:45 AM

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on October 05, 2021, 12:22:16 PM
Good idea, Kyle. I had to include 11 works:

Respighi: Poema autunnale, for violin and orchestra
Popov: Symphonic Aria, for cello and string orchestra
Bloch: Scherzo fantasque, for piano and orchestra
Braunfels: Hexensabbatt, for piano and orchestra
Dohnányi: Variations for piano and orchestra on a nursery song
Ireland: Legend, for piano and orchestra
Penderecki: Largo for cello and orchestra
Suk: Fantasy for violin and orchestra
Dubois: Fantaisie Triomphale, for organ and orchestra
Rossini: Introduction, Theme and Variations for clarinet and orchestra
Chausson: Poème, for violin and orchestra

The Dohnányi, Ireland, and Suk works could've easily made it onto my list!

kyjo · October 07, 2021, 06:45:49 PM

Quote from: kyjo on October 05, 2021, 07:07:23 AM
Thought this would be fun! I decided to omit concertinos as well as works like Foulds' Dynamic Triptych which are basically structured like a concerto:

Arnold: Fantasy on a Theme of John Field (piano)
Bloch: Schelomo (cello)
Frumerie: Variations and Fugue (piano)
Gershwin: Second Rhapsody (piano)
Rachmaninov: Paganini Rhapsody (piano)
Respighi: Adagio con variazioni (cello)
Saint-Saëns: Rhapsodie d'Auvergne (piano)
Schmitt: Introït, récit et congé (cello)
Taneyev: Suite de concert (violin)
Vaughan Williams: Suite for Viola and Orchestra

Bonus choices: Bruch: Scottish Fantasy (violin), Koechlin: Silhouettes de comedie (bassoon), Nyman: Where the Bee Dances (saxophone)

Three more works came to mind that I would've loved to include: Finzi's Eclogue (piano), Tavener's The Protecting Veil (cello), and Weinberg's Fantasy for Cello and Orchestra.

kyjo · October 07, 2021, 06:47:51 PM

Quote from: Jo498 on October 06, 2021, 05:30:19 AM
Although I had not included it and probably still would not, the thread made me listen to Britten's "Diversions" (piano+orchestra, rec. Katchen/Britten/1954) last night that also fits well but has not been mentioned AFAIS.

It's been a while since I've listened to Diversions, but I can recall that his coruscating, brilliant early work Young Apollo for piano and strings is a great candidate for this thread.

Karl Henning · October 07, 2021, 07:29:00 PM

Not sure I can manage a list of ten.

Bridge, Oration
Sibelius, The Swan of Tuonela
Sibelius, Luonnatar
Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher
Hindemith, Klaviermusik mit Orchester, Op. 29
Hindemith, The Four Temperaments
Liszt, Totentanz
Berlioz, Harold en Italie
Liszt, Hungarian Fantasy
Hovhaness, Lousadzak
Schuman, Song of Orpheus
Bernstein, Serenade after Plato's Symposium

Henning, Deep Breath

Mirror Image · October 07, 2021, 07:50:17 PM

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 07, 2021, 07:29:00 PM
Not sure I can manage a list of ten.

Bridge, Oration
Sibelius, The Swan of Tuonela
Sibelius, Luonnatar
Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher
Hindemith, Klaviermusik mit Orchester, Op. 29
Hindemith, The Four Temperaments
Liszt, Totentanz
Berlioz, Harold en Italie
Liszt, Hungarian Fantasy
Hovhaness, Lousadzak
Schuman, Song of Orpheus
Bernstein, Serenade after Plato's Symposium

Henning, Deep Breath

Great list, Karl! I especially love the Sibelius, Hindemith, Berlioz and Bernstein. I'm afraid I don't know your own work.

Jo498 · October 08, 2021, 02:36:51 AM

If "Schwanendreher" is not a viola concerto, I don't know what is, it even has 3 rather traditional type movements.

VonStupp · October 09, 2021, 08:31:13 AM

As usual I am late to the party here. The organ works were the toughest, for they often have orchestral textures over solo ones, so I may need to refresh my choices.

I originally had Scheherazade on my list, but wasn't sure if it was in the spirit of this thread, so I left it on the bottom dangling like a chad.

VS

Dvorak: Romance (Violin)
Faure: Ballade (Piano)
Strauss: Festive Prelude (Organ)
Suk: Fantasy (Violin)
Chopin: Rondo a la Krakowiak (Piano)
Saint-Saens: Cyprès et lauriers (Organ)
Hanson: Lux Aeterna (Viola)
Earl Wild: Doo-Dah Variations (Piano)
Elgar: Romance (Bassoon)
Stanford: Concert Piece (Organ)
Beethoven: Choral Fantasy (Piano)

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (Violin)

Karl Henning · October 09, 2021, 08:53:29 AM

Quote from: Jo498 on October 08, 2021, 02:36:51 AM
If "Schwanendreher" is not a viola concerto, I don't know what is, it even has 3 rather traditional type movements.

Technically true also of the Hindemith Op. 29 and Harold, but (while I may misunderstand the OP—and hesitancy over I understood it/him delayed my posting to the thread ... as they are not designated a concerto ....

Quote from: Mirror Image on October 07, 2021, 07:50:17 PM
Great list, Karl! I especially love the Sibelius, Hindemith, Berlioz and Bernstein. I'm afraid I don't know your own work.

No one but the composer does as yet, John, but (while I wrote it in the hope of presenting the piece myself, I've met an excellent clarinetist who takes a strong interest in the piece, so—there may be an opportunity in future!

kyjo · October 09, 2021, 08:52:03 PM

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 07, 2021, 07:29:00 PM
Not sure I can manage a list of ten.

Bridge, Oration
Sibelius, The Swan of Tuonela
Sibelius, Luonnatar
Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher
Hindemith, Klaviermusik mit Orchester, Op. 29
Hindemith, The Four Temperaments
Liszt, Totentanz
Berlioz, Harold en Italie
Liszt, Hungarian Fantasy
Hovhaness, Lousadzak
Schuman, Song of Orpheus
Bernstein, Serenade after Plato's Symposium

Henning, Deep Breath

Very nice list, Karl!

kyjo · October 09, 2021, 08:53:00 PM

Quote from: VonStupp on October 09, 2021, 08:31:13 AM
As usual I am late to the party here. The organ works were the toughest, for they often have orchestral textures over solo ones, so I may need to refresh my choices.

I originally had Scheherazade on my list, but wasn't sure if it was in the spirit of this thread, so I left it on the bottom dangling like a chad.
VS

Dvorak: Romance (Violin)
Faure: Ballade (Piano)
Strauss: Festive Prelude (Organ)
Suk: Fantasy (Violin)
Chopin: Rondo a la Krakowiak (Piano)
Saint-Saens: Cyprès et lauriers (Organ)
Hanson: Lux Aeterna (Viola)
Earl Wild: Doo-Dah Variations (Piano)
Elgar: Romance (Bassoon)
Stanford: Concert Piece (Organ)
Beethoven: Choral Fantasy (Piano)

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (Violin)

Very interesting list! I don't yet know the Strauss, Hanson, Wild, Elgar, or Stanford works.

vandermolen · October 10, 2021, 10:25:40 AM

Quote from: VonStupp on October 09, 2021, 08:31:13 AM
As usual I am late to the party here. The organ works were the toughest, for they often have orchestral textures over solo ones, so I may need to refresh my choices.

I originally had Scheherazade on my list, but wasn't sure if it was in the spirit of this thread, so I left it on the bottom dangling like a chad.
VS

Dvorak: Romance (Violin)
Faure: Ballade (Piano)
Strauss: Festive Prelude (Organ)
Suk: Fantasy (Violin)
Chopin: Rondo a la Krakowiak (Piano)
Saint-Saens: Cyprès et lauriers (Organ)
Hanson: Lux Aeterna (Viola)
Earl Wild: Doo-Dah Variations (Piano)
Elgar: Romance (Bassoon)
Stanford: Concert Piece (Organ)
Beethoven: Choral Fantasy (Piano)

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (Violin)

Generally I dislike Richard Strauss's music but that Festival Prelude is terrific - probably my favourite of his compositions.