9 in E flat Major – K. 271. Brahms - Violin Concerto in DThe master of the romantic melody, Brahms really extended himself with his only violin concerto. 2 in D Major – K. 314. And while this great Polish composer wrote numerous famous piano concertos and chamber music, one of his most instantly recognisable pieces is … The great Norwegian composer only completed one piano concerto and it has become one of the most recognised in the world (thanks, in part, to this iconic comedy sketch by Morecambe and Wise). Piano Concerto No. Time: 1874-75. Top Mozart Concertos. Both scrabbling to get into the list, the tenth most popular piano concerto is a draw between Brahms’ Second and Beethoven’s First – spanning two ends of the Romantic scale. Here is the hauntingly beautiful Hélène Grimaud performing Mozart's 23rd Piano Concerto… He was born in China in 1982. Piano Concerto No. Bach’s keyboard concertos are among the first ever written – and they were written not for piano, but for harpsichord. While some works may not be published with the designation “piano concerto”, they bear all the hallmarks of the genre – works for orchestra with piano soloist. It nearly killed me!”. He wrote brilliantly for the instrument elsewhere, but the violin concerto sees him employing his most characterful melodies and some daring compositional experiments. 3. Her story, and Elgar’s story for that matter, are what cellists these days have to consider when they pick up the bow for this monster piece. From the exquisite chamber concertos of Haydn to the monumental works by Tchaikovsky and Beethoven – almost described as piano symphonies – these are the 20 concertos you need to listen to right now, as chosen by Classic FM presenters. It was dedicated to the violinist Joseph Joachim, who ranked it alongside Beethoven’s as the most serious in all the violin repertoire. Here’s a gorgeous performance (the Andante starts at:14.26). Those who attempt it, and almost everyone does eventually, must contend not only with the notes themselves, but with the reputation those notes have in music history. That theme then goes through a set of unexpected and daring modulations and variations and it makes for one of the greatest piano concerto movements ever written. Shostakovich - Cello Concerto No. Beethoven: 2 nd movement of Concerto No. But audiences have always begged to differ. 5 in E-flat major, Op. Amazon Best Sellers Our most popular products based on sales. It was the episode called the Cat Concerto, set during a performance of classical music. The melodies are buried deep below textured, innovative layers of sound, waiting to be unearthed and hummed, but Shostakovich asks a lot of the listener. Among, Beethoven's works, Symphony No.5 and Piano Concerto 5 are among the biggest crowd pleasers. It was used as the musical setup in the famous ballet The Pied Piper. Watch Leif Ove Andsnes' guide to Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto. The piece wasn’t very well received during his lifetime but it has since been recognised as one of the greatest compositions for piano and orchestra. 1, 2, and 3: Schirmer Library of Classics Volume 2087 2 Pianos, 4 Hands (Schirmer's … The year it was written was 1810 and received its first performance in 1811 to a mixed response. 3 in D minorThe most famous of Rachmaninov’s three piano concertos and the logical centre of his compositional output, the Rach 3 (as those in the biz call it) has achieved legendary status. No classical piano music discussion can be complete without mentioning him. This beautiful clarinet concerto was written in between 1947 and 1948 by Aaron Copland. Confusingly. Bruch - Violin Concerto No. It is probably the single most difficult piece that I have ever played.” The Hungarian composer Béla Bartók wrote the concerto in 1930 and it’s not just the solo part that’s tricky – the New York Philharmonic had to delay the premiere as they couldn’t master the music in time. This piece was originally planned as a piano concerto but, after a poor adagio, the music was turned into this swirling violin concerto. The work is split into two movements, both of which are … Few concertos would open so strikingly as this, with the most plaintive and deceptively simple melody line, shot through with incomparable melancholy. Just over two decades later, he completed his second piano and gave the premiere of the work himself in Budapest in 1881. Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. Those who study this score will notice that all the material is developed from a single motive and its inversion presented at the beginning of the first movement. 5 in E flat Major, Op.73 • Click here to discover the score with the orchestra to accompany you! This was Beethoven’s fifth and final concerto and it was premiered in 1812 and apparently earned its nickname when one of Napoleon’s officers, stationed at Vienna at the time, called it ‘an emperor of a concerto’. The song has however defied the years and cemented its place as one the most iconic piano concerto. A review of the time called the work ‘singular, artistic and complex’ and apart from being utterly gorgeous, this concerto was also revolutionary – in that the soloist opens the whole concerto. In no particular order, these are the 20 piano concertos we think you need to listen to right now – or better still, go and hear performed live. 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