Favorite Concertos

[shostakovich]

I resurrected Favorite Symphonies, Operas, and Overtures. It's time for concertos. My list will not be hoggish this time.

PIANO
Grieg A minor
Schumann A minor
Rachmaninov 2 and 3
[Tchaikovsky 1 is significantly NOT on MY list. I agree completely with Rubinstein's assessment. The bravura last movement is not sufficient to redeem the concerto --- for ME. I expect it to be on several other lists]

VIOLIN
Bruch 1
Mendelssohn E minor
Sibelius (key?)
Tchaikovsky makes my list here for its heavily Slavic feeling

CELLO
Only the Dvorak is special to me.

It seems remarkable to me that 3 of Dvorak's most beautiful and popular works, the cello concerto, the "New World", the "American" quartet, were written or started in this country.

For concerto lovers, there's a lot of room for additions (and repeats). I'm looking forward to them.
Shos

[thornhill]

Piano
Beethoven: 1, 3, 4 and 5.
Brahms: 1 and 2.
Grieg
Liszt: 1 and 2.
Mendelssohn: 1.
Mozart: 9, 19-27.
Prokofiev: 1 and 3.
Rachmaninoff: 3.
Ravel: two hands and one.

Violin
Bach: BWV 1041-43
Beethoven
Brahms
Mendelssohn: E minor
Prokofiev: 1 and 2.
Shostakovich: 1.
Tchaikovsky
Walton

Horn
Mozart: K417 and K412
Struass: 1.

Clarinet
Mozart
Weber: 1 and 2.

Cello
Dvorak
Walton
Shostakovich: 1.

Viola
Hindemith

[thornhill]

It seems remarkable to me that 3 of Dvorak's most beautiful and popular works, the cello concerto, the "New World", the "American" quartet, were written or started in this country.

It has less to do with the location and more with how they were all written towards the end of his career when he had fully developed as a composer.

[BenG]

PIANO
Grieg A mino
Schumann A minor
Tchaikovsky 1 and 2
Beethoven 3 and 5
Brahms 1 and 2
Liszt 1 and 2
Chopin (both)
Prokofiev 1 and 3
Rachmaninoff 1-3

VIOLIN
Brahms
Tchaikovsky
Beethoven

CELLO
Dvorak

DOUBLE
Brahms

[treebeau]

Piano
Grieg A Minor
Tchaikovsky 1.
Several by Wolfie

Violin
Wolfie 4 and 5
Brahms
Beethoven
Vivaldi
Bach "Double"

Clarinet
Wolfie

Bassoon
Wolfie

2 Mandolins
Tony Vivaldi

Regards,
Tim B.

[bignaf]

Originally posted by thornhill:

It seems remarkable to me that 3 of Dvorak's most beautiful and popular works, the cello concerto, the "New World", the "American" quartet, were written or started in this country.

It has less to do with the location and more with how they were all written towards the end of his career when he had fully developed as a composer.

ithas to do with location. every one of these works shows his attempt to write "American" music. so he used pentatonic scales and certain rhythms. the music doesn't sound really American but the stylistic elemnts he incorporated give a new originality to his musc and helped make these pieces (IMO with the exception of the cello concerto [but I don't like any cello concertos...]) into the masterpieces they are.

[bignaf]

never heard Wolfie's Bassoon concerto. should I?

[treebeau]

Originally posted by bignaf:
never heard Wolfie's Bassoon concerto. should I?

But of course.

Regards,
Tim "Would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?" B.

[thornhill]

ithas to do with location. every one of these works shows his attempt to write "American" music. so he used pentatonic scales and certain rhythms. the music doesn't sound really American but the stylistic elemnts he incorporated give a new originality to his musc and helped make these pieces (IMO with the exception of the cello concerto [but I don't like any cello concertos...]) into the masterpieces they are.

My point is, is that had he written them in America twenty years earlier they would not be the masterpieces they are today because he had not fully matured as a composer yet.

[bignaf]

Originally posted by thornhill:

My point is, is that had he written them in America twenty years earlier they would not be the masterpieces they are today because he had not fully matured as a composer yet.

oh.
but Shos's comment re: location has relevance, because of the points I've mentioned.

[shostakovich]

I looked up what Dvorak wrote in a decade after returning to Bohemia. The important works were 5 symphonic poems (Midday Witch, Water Sprite, Golden Spinning Wheel, The Wood Dove, and Heroic Song) and 2 0peras (The Devil and Kate, Russalka). Judging popularity by number of recordings, they don't hold a candle to New World, American Quartet, and the cello concerto.

His maturity was very important, as Thorny points out, and location was very important, as Big points out. He was inspired by both Negro music (as it was called then) in New York, and Indian music (as it was called then) in Spillville Iowa. The Negro and Indian influences found their way into his music. He recommended American composers take advantage of this uniqueness. In addition to the big 3 works, there's an American Suite, string Quintet, and sonatina that also show black and native American musical influence.
Shos

[barfle]

Brandenburg
Bach's 3rd (anyone know how to play one of those?)

piano
Tchaik 1
Rocky 3

bass x 2
Koussevitsky
Schifrin

lovers
Toys

[kevin m]

Alot of the one's that I liked are already listed so I'll only add 3.


Piano
Rhapsody in Blue
Piano Concerto in F
Both of George Gershwin
Also the 2nd Mendelssohn in d minor I think.

[dai bread]

Piano: LvB #5, "Emperor".

Violin: Max Bruch #1.

Cello: Arthur Sullivan. Musically incorrect I may be, but it's a nice piece.

Clarinet: W.A.Mozart & C.M.vWeber 1st=

Trumpet: Hummel. Sorry I can't cite the opus #; I'm at work.

Horn: W.A.Mozart again.

Like somebody much more famous than me, I'm not a fan of flutes & harps.

[treebeau]

Originally posted by barfle:
[b]Brandenburg
Bach's 3rd (anyone know how to play one of those?)
[/b]

Many many years ago I was able to play the first or second violin part. It was a blast.

Regards,
Tim "former fiddler" B.

<small>[ 02-19-2004, 02:26 PM: Message edited by: treebeau ]</small>

[barfle]

Not how to play a violin, how to play a Brandenburg! You know, there are piano concertos, violin concertos, and Bach wrote (I believe) six Brandenburg concertos.

It really does look like it's a fun piece to play. The melody gets handed around the group like it's a Harlem Globetrotter's warmup.

[bignaf]

John Williams Tuba concerto. (not really, just heard it today, not great).

[BenMurphy6]

I'd just like to give another mention to both Brahms piano concertos, since they don't seem to be favorites of many people, which is too bad.

[Rudy2toot]

Sometimes we have favorites for sentimental reasons.
I love the Rach piano concerto #2, (which is playing now) not just because its beautiful. Our orchestra played this last year with this tiny 5' 100 lb pianist who looks like she must be about 90 years old.
She wears rouge in big round dots on her cheecks, combs her wig just so.
She is normally second violin. Surprised the heck out of me - she was phenominal! Now I know why she looks at me like dirt from her shoe...wow.

[treebeau]

Originally posted by barfle:
Not how to play a violin, how to play a Brandenburg! You know, there are piano concertos, violin concertos, and Bach wrote (I believe) six Brandenburg concertos.

Gotcha now. I didn't see the joke. Good one! And that coming from a joke-ster.

You are right. They are very fun to play.

There's a cool little string piece, can't remember, but think it's Haydn, where the melody is handed off to each of the members. While that is going on the other members are pizzicato-ing. I watched a string quartet play it once with one bow. It was so cool. They were demonstrating sharing and cooperation to a group of young students. Anyone have a vague understanding of the piece I am writing about? I'd like to get a recording. The tune is very recognizable.

Regards,
Tim B.