Top 100 Hardest Piano Concertos
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- Опубликовано: 26 ноя 2020
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Introduction:
Like my previous ranking video, this is less of a truly accurate list of difficulty but rather a compilation of interesting bits and pieces from great concertos throughout history. Because there’s a lot of endless note spinning in these concertos (big surprise), I tried to mix in as many lyrical sections as I could so that the entire video wouldn’t just be one big cadenza.
As far as a general idea of difficulty: The concerti ranked 100-75 are really not tremendously difficult and can be learned by early advanced students. 79-55 contain the bulk of the standard repertory as well as many other lesser known works. 54-30 contain the harder concerti that are played by virtuosos, 29-11 comprise the most difficult works in the standard repertoire, and then the works in the top 10 are truly monstrous works that require a lifetime dedication to master. Although I have to point out that the Ginastera Concerto No.1 is definitely not the most difficult concerto out there (that title goes to either a Xenakis or Sorabji work), and perhaps not even more difficult than some of the others in the top 10. I just wanted to end the video on that amazing ending.
Honorable mentions: These include pieces that would be on the list if I could find a proper recording or sheet music-for some I have neither. Or they might be pieces that didn’t make it on the list for sake of variety. If you want a solid answer to which are truly the most difficult piano concerti, it’ll likely be the top five on this honorable mentions list.
Xenakis Synaphai
Sorabji Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra
Xenakis Palimpsest
Sorabji Concerti
Denisov Concerto
Carter Concerto
Rzewski Concerto
Babbitt Concerto
A. Feinberg Concerto
Penderecki Concerto
Tveitt Concertos
Furtwangler Concerto
Ornstein Concerto
Liebermann Concerti
Yoshimatsu Piano Concerto
Rozycki Concerti
Bronsart Concerto
Dvořák Concerto
Perle Concertos
Balakirev Concerti
Schytte Concerto
Shchedrin Concerti
Ries Concerti
Kalkbrenner Concerti
Emerson Concerto
Moscheles Concerti
Rontgen Concerto
I do not own the recordings used in this compilation.
Special thanks to Jack, as well as all the performers who made this video possible. 
Видеоклипы
![Bortkiewicz - Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 16 (Shadrina, Sukach) [Christmas Special No. 4]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sbBrKano384/mqdefault.jpg)
100. Gershwin Variations on “I’ve Got Rhythm” (1934) 0:05
99. Shostakovich Concerto No.2 (1957) 0:27
98. Saint-Saëns Concerto No.2 (1868) 0:53
97. Grieg Piano Concerto (1868) 1:31
96. Ustvolskaya Concerto (1945) 2:07
95. Saint-Saëns Concerto No.1 (1858) 2:39
94. Cramer Concerto No.8 (1825) 3:08
93. de Falla Nights in the Gardens of Spain (1916) 3:32
92. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.5 (1721) 3:59
91. Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue (1924) 5:04
90. Poulenc Concerto (1949) 5:51
89. Gershwin Concerto in F (1925) 6:21
88. Saint-Saëns Concerto No.4 (1875) 7:10
87. Mozart Concerto No.20 (1785) 7:50
86. Beethoven Concerto No.5 (1811) 8:22
85. Massenet Concerto (1902) 9:00
84. Hahn Concerto (1930) 9:39
83. Saint-Saëns Concerto No.5 (1896) 10:04
82. Reinecke Concerto No.1 (1860) 10:29
81. Mozart Concerto No.27 (1791) 11:10
80. Mendelssohn Concerto No.1 (1837) 11:29
79. Sgambati Concerto (1880) 11:56
78. Reinecke Concerto No.2 (1872) 12:29
77. Thalberg Concerto No.1 (1830) 12:50
76. Franck Symphonic Variations (1885) 13:24
75. Debussy Fantasia (1890) 14:01
74. Arensky Concerto (1882) 14:28
73. Ravel Concerto in G (1931) 14:59
72. Cras Concerto (1931) 15:29
71. Beethoven Concerto No.4 (1806) 16:03
70. Liszt Concerto No.2 (1857) 17:10
69. Weber Konzertstück (1821) 17:43
68. Schumann Concerto (1841) 18:07
67. Chopin Concerto No.1 (1830) 18:43
66. Beach Concerto (1899) 19:39
65. Alkan Concerti da camera (1837) 20:07
64. Tchaikovsky Concert Fantasy (1884) 21:06
63. Xinghai - Yellow River Concerto (1969) 21:47
62. Liszt Concerto No.1 (1849) 22:49
61. Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto (1883) 23:23
60. Chopin Variations on “La ci darem la mano” (1827) 24:08
59. Vaughan-Williams Concerto (1931) 24:44
58. Bartok Concerto No.3 (1945) 25:10
57. Rachmaninov Concerto No.2 (1901) 25:43
56. Ravel Concerto for Left Hand (1929) 26:37
55. Scriabin Concerto (1896) 27:02
54. Tchaikovsky Concerto No.2 (1880) 27:58
53. Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini (1934) 28:31
52. Macdowell Concerto No.2 (1885) 29:34
51. Czerny Piano Concerto (1829) 30:19
50. Hindemith Concerto (1945) 30:53
49. Liszt Totentanz (1859) 31:29
48. Lyapunov Concerto No.2 (1909) 31:51
47. Prokofiev Concerto No.5 (1932) 32:46
46. Busoni Indian Fantasy (1914) 33:07
45. Tchaikovsky Concerto No.1 (1875) 33:32
44. Rubinstein Concerto No.4 (1864) 34:17
43. Moszkowski Concerto No.2 (1898) 34:48
42. Khachaturian Concerto (1936) 35:51
41. Rachmaninov Concerto No.1 (1917) 36:21
40. Hummel Concerto No.2 (1816) 37:14
39. Prokofiev Concerto No.3 (1921) 38:37
38. Copland Concerto (1926) 39:10
37. Chen - Er Huang (2009) 39:50
36. Atterberg Concerto (1936) 40:47
35. Scharwenka Concerto No.4 (1908) 41:20
34. Brahms Concerto No.1(1858) 41:58
33. Henselt Concerto (1846) 43:43
32. Prokofiev Concerto for Left Hand (1931) 44:22
31. Medtner Concerto No.3 (1943) 44:43
30. Marx Concerto (1920) 45:36
29. Stravinsky Concerto for Piano and Winds (1924) 46:15
28. Ireland Concerto (1930) 46:52
27. Bliss Concerto (1938) 47:22
26. Bortkiewicz Concerto for Left Hand (1924) 47:57
25. Kapustin Concerto No.6 (1996) 48:34
24. Korngold Concerto for Left Hand (1923) 49:17
23. Strauss Burleske (1886) 49:44
22. Scriabin Prometheus: The Poem of Fire (1910) 50:13
21. Bartok Concerto No.1 (1926) 50:41
20. Rachmaninov Concerto No.3 (1909) 51:17
19. Brahms Concerto No.2 (1881) 52:24
18. Schnittke Concerto (1979) 53:22
17. Britten Diversions for Left Hand (1950) 53:49
16. Prokofiev Concerto No.2 (1913) 54:22
15. Berg Chamber Concerto (1925) 56:40
14. Rautavaara Concerto No.1 (1969) 57:09
13. Reger Concerto (1910) 57:48
12. Messiaen Exotic Birds (1955) 58:33
11. Busoni Concerto (1904) 59:02
10. Barber Concerto (1960) 1:00:30
9. Schoenberg Concerto (1941) 1:00:57
8. Ligeti Concerto (1988) 1:01:20
7. Rautavaara Concerto No.2 (1989) 1:01:55
6. Feinberg Concerto No.1 (1932) 1:02:33
5. Lutoslawski Concerto (1987) 1:04:15
4. Bartok Concerto No.2 (1931) 1:05:06
3. Messiaen From the Canyons to the Stars (1974) 1:06:55
2. Corigliano Concerto (1968) 1:07:40
1. Ginastera Concerto No.1 (1961) 1:08:55
Which concerto on this list is your favorite?
Holy
Ginastera in no. 1 😱
Reallly didn’t expect Yellow River Concerto, good stuff, didn’t realize how technically difficult it is
@@kaidipan7269 first I've ever heard of it
@@kaidipan7269 It is hard, but the techniques in it are the typical liszt stuff so pretty pianistic overall
55:51 "Conversation between two super sarcastic teenagers" is the most evocative description I have ever come across of this section.
Came for the music, stayed for the Paul Wittgenstein shade
Medtner 3 is the best concerto of all times. I am so glad, that it's here!
32:13 has got to be the most heartfelt playing of the piano I've ever heard; it's so far away and longing, like a gust of cold air in a calm orange autumn afternoon. Such glamor from a forgotten time ❤
the contrast between 52:53 and 53:23 is hilarious
Moszkowski’s 2nd Piano Concerto will always have my heart. One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written
probably my favourite piece of music ever. E major is such a beautiful key
Prokofiev #2 's cadenza is a beast and when the orchestra is coming back at 55:27 I get so excited ! #epic
Gamer
game
gam
This moment, when the orchestra returns is certainly a fasten your seat belt moment. It is probably the most intensely emotional moment in piano concerto literature!
Medtner's piano concertos are the best! And I think that his 1st and 2nd piano concertos should be on the list too!!
1:07:14 Let’s play a game called “how many times you can change the tempo on one page”
I can play every piece in this list. Only takes 1 hour and 10 minutes.
54:22 recently performed this in a competition. Besides being tremendously demanding mentally, I can speak with certainty that this has been one of the greatest enjoyments I've had in years. Best wishes to anyone who is willing to learn this masterpiece
nice
you’re good, huh
Ayy i played it too not the whole thing tho :( i want to some day
@@zgart lol same just played the first movement and called it a day. Good luck to you if you're going to play the entire thing, damn that'd be a pain haha
@@l2k245 but isn't this like the "hard part"?:v hahaha
The Scriabin deserves to be part of the standard repertoire, imo... Early Scriabin may be "immature" but c'mon, that concerto is just exquisite (late Scriabin's pretty cool too)
I completely agree with you
This and the Moskowski are two of the most heart-achingly beautiful concertos ever. No, not in a class with Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, but in a world of their own. (Tears every time.)
@@leoinsf definitely, like a month ago I started listening to the Moszkowski and literally left me speechless, I had never listened to Moszkowski but now he has become one of my favorite composers just for the concerto
@@jorgefraile218 My first introduction was Vladimir Horowitz's performance of Moskowski's "Etincelles" (Sparks).
Being a pianist I attempted to play it but found it almost unlearnable because you need a concert level technique to perform it.
Then I played his Etudes and loves those I attempted. (Much more playable than "Etincelles".
Then I heard his Concerto and realized what a great composer he was. For your own interests, he wrote other piano concertos.
Early Scriabin is still a rich man's Chopin
The end of the Ginastera concerto may be the most exciting minute of music ever written.
Yes, I might have to agree... that toccata might be the most driving, primal, raw, and intense piece of music composed to date... absolutely breathtaking
55:28 I view that baleful blare of horns as the most epic orchestral reentry after a cadenza.
yes, that one is epic! but the beethoven 4 entry is so warm and cuddly 16:03
Omg the whole concerto is superb! Love Prokofiev. Also the horns in the 4th movement are magnificent in the B theme 😍
Indeed it is (one of the most epic!), One of my favourite moments in piano concerti.
Thanks for posting this! I found a few new concertos that I really like here!
Excellent selections! Thank you.
I wasn't planning on watching the whole video, but the amazing pieces and your commentary (+ very knowledgeable, hilariously creative) made me enjoy and laugh throughout the video :)
Great job!
That was inspiring. You touched on all the ones I liked too💯
UNbelievable work Caleb!!! Thanks a ton... glad to see you have both Rautavaara concertos!
Man I really like the humourous commentary you left there, so much thats notable, awesome work with unimaginable amounts of effort
Ah, nice selection of concertos that I will enjoy listening to in full. Thanks!
Absolutely worshipped this! I am an 84 your old non-prodigy pianist who dreams of these pieces but who never could even come close to performing the difficult ones.
Loved your selection, your fabulous commentary, and the humor that makes the absurd difficulty of some of these other-worldly piano concertos approachable.
Loved learning about some unknowns and others that I will avoid like the plague.
I have one very small quibble: present the title and composer and performer in parenthesis. I had to "skirt around" to find the name and missed the excerpt completely.
You can always find the excerpt using the timestamps in the comment section. Anyways, thanks for listening!
I love the dedication you have put in these two videos. The personal taste and oh,the comments too(such a huge sense of humor)! Love it all bro. It's just mesmerising. I love the Brahms 1st too😂😂😊😊😊
You put a lot of work into this, thanks. Hilarious commentary; the description of Max Reger's music is spot on.
Thanks for making this list and the other one. I like it a lot.
you should check out his violin list too if you haven't already! and this one too if you're okay with modern music (it's on my channel because the original got taken down due to copyright):
ruclips.net/video/9DmEbZi4DnA/видео.html
I'm so happy to find the 5th of Prokofiev! That concerto is SOOOO GOOD, was the first I played and I fell in love with it, easily in my top 10 favorite pieces to play
I also love that concerto! The fourth movement is so good it always brings me to tears.
@@johanjohansen7572 Every single damn bar of it is sooooo good! It has everything! The big 10 voice choral, the impressionist part, the pure lyric part, top 5 on the slow movements of al PC (that's just my taste hahaha)
1:01:00 "at first listen it might sound like a special kid banging his head on the piano" rofl fucking hilarious
Incredible, man!
One of the greatest videos ever created, this is amazing work. Legendary.
be sure to check out his videos too!
(and this one: ruclips.net/video/9DmEbZi4DnA/видео.html
a list for pieces after 1920, which was sadly taken down previously, which is why it is now reuploaded and unlisted on my channel)
From one piano nerd to another: thank you very much for posting this and other videos in your series. Done with humor and thought!
if you've watched all of his lists (you should if you haven't!) available on this channel, try this video too!
ruclips.net/video/9DmEbZi4DnA/видео.html
basically he actually made a sequel to this video, for pieces written after 1920, but it was taken down and so i reuploaded it.
40:47 That passage of Atterberg's concerto always marveled me. Great video!
Amazing video! You got almost all my favorite concerti here, perhaps Medtner's first or second are missing. I was going to comment that you left out Ginastera's but I was happy to see it in the list as well. A lot of concerti I didn't know are here also! Other two of my liking are Ludwig Thuille's and Gioacchino Raff's.
While I was watching I was also thinking "he must put Hummel's 2nd here, and focus on the coda of the 1st movement" and indeed, that's what you did!
I thoroughly enjoyed your video and can't wait for the next one.
Also, commentary was hilarious!
Great work! Fantastic list and many works to discover...Ginastera is really worth this position...mindblowing difficult and fantastic piece as well! But there is a lot of contemporary stuff that really brake your fingers...
this is incredible
I’m so glad you included Rubenstein’s fourth concerto - that’s a great concerto often overlooked!
It was super popular in its say. Anyone who was anyone played it. I guess people just stopped liking it.
thank you for all edition! and
for the mention of Bortkiewicz
Amazing - listened to the first few, wondered if the Lutoslawski would make an appearance, skipped to the end to have a look at the big ones and landed right in the middle of it!
This is an enormous inspiration for piano listeners!
Glad to find so many underrated pcs in this video, thank you. Though I think Medtner's 3rd is the least technically demanding among his pcs, IMO.
These lists are amazing! This and your piano solo edition video are great and must have taken hours and hours. I would love to see a list for solos/concertos of your personal favorites, or attempt to make a "best" list, that aren't necessarily just the most difficult. I know that the subjectivity goes through the roof in that category, but it would be a great reference for pianists looking for challenging/amazing/beautiful pieces to listen to and play
I don't know why all the hatred for Wittgenstein, someone should really give him a hand.
good one lol
Gotta hand it to you, this one left me speechless
Right on!
@Felis Skalkotris Sorabjitus cmon its a joke. He doesnt have a hand so give him a hand
Lmao
Finally thank you so much
benis
Excellent work and helpful commentary! I don't agree with everything, but that's not the point, no two people are ever going to fully agree on something this complex. But I was happy enough with it to subscribe to your channel.
Wow!!. Excelente, es increíble estas composiciones!!.
54:22 My favorite concerto all the times
unbelievable isn't it? My favourite as well, along with Ravel in G, Rach2, Rach3 and Tchaikovsky 1st. Oh yeah, and both Chopin concertos.
@@geuros Ravel’s left hand concerto is a personal favorite of mine.
@@geuros bruh tchaikovsky 2> and ravel lh>concerto in g by far
Yes, prok2 is so out of the world
As someone learning Ravel's left hand concerto, I can say, good job spotting the hardest part. It shows up again later (transposed and with a few other differences), and then there's also the cadenza, but that's more than difficult to play softly, not so much to play the notes themselves with clarity.
I found that particular passage to be pretty straight forward, the staccatos in the allegro I found harder to play clearly. Then there’s the “piu vivo ed accel” passage before the return of the opening lent theme...
Thank you very much
Fantastic compilation.So much wonderful music from which I didn‘t even know the name of the composer
you gotta check out his other lists to if you haven't already ;)
You ommited some wonderful perfect piano concerto and I disagree with the order (if it's by order), but thank you for whetting my appetite to explore new concertos I heard here first!
Ok btw, the subtitles for the 2nd Concerto of Tchaikovsky are absolutely HILARIOUS! hahahaha
Great commentary :-)
Heck what an interesting video.
42:40 one of the best chorales I've ever heard along with the one in Huguenots, Chopin's Op.49, Consolation #4, and many more!!!
Messiaen's O Sacrum Convivium
@@GUILLOM that's indeed another amazing chorale, heard of it very well and it's one of my favourites as well, but lol it didn't strike my mind when I was writing this. 😂
@sinihcam ed mueD ok
@Schuyler Bacn ok
this video is literally a gold mine of melodies lmao. i think it might be the most lyrical out of all the 100 list videos lul
I haven't heard the Hummel concerto (37:13) before. It sounds like a lot of fun - the ending is ridiculously over the top, lol.
Played it for a concerto competition and got 2nd out of the whole state of Florida
Reminds me of ending of Mendelssohn’s A minor piano concerto… :P
34:21 - otherwise known as the 'Sledgehammerklavier' Concerto.
36:21 I saw Simon Trpčeski live in Dublin in February this year. I was lucky to see him before Covid shut everything down.
Hi I appreciate the fun facts/tidbits + video itself is great! Thanks
footnote: Bach is the GOAT
I confess I find Messiaen's birdcalls irresistible.
Great list! A bit sad not to see Wiklund 1 on it, though, such a gorgeous concerto.
Amazing
Really enjoyed this compilation you made! I wonder where Tippett's piano concerto would place on here, as it seems quite difficult.
Reger's Piano Concerto has always reminded me of a giant noisy steel mill belching black smoke into the air. Industrial strength.
Listening to this reminds me of the first time I ate Roquefort cheese. I couldn't believe people actually enjoyed it. But like Roquefort, one can develop the taste and preference for modern music over time.
Great list - surprised we didn't see Hummel 3, Villa Lobos 5, Ornstein (IMSLP), or Medtner 1 & 2. I love this format and watching these videos though, because you're digging up so many underrated gems and also pieces to which I've never listened. Just a thought, maybe if you run out of forms you could do videos on difficult kinds of passage elements, cadenzas, etc...
Next up is violin works!
@@calebhu6383 ooh great, can't wait!
Seeing the piano part for 'Er Huang' split into five staves makes my eyes cramp.
Well, imagine it was written on 2.
rhapsody in blue was so fun i played it in concert 2 weeks ago it is a good first one to play. I am 17 and it was a good skill level for me.
Reger’s PC is very dense and challenging, and Schwarenka’s PCs are definitely for advanced pianists too!
very epic
Bravo for including Moszkowski!
it still astonishes me that the recording you used for ginastera's concerto is on the tamer side
yes, joao martins has a crazier recording
Love this vid and I can’t help but agree with most of it. I wonder where Dvorak/Britten concertos would place. Richter said he had far more difficulty with Dvorak than Bartok 2 (he’s probably alone on that one; but still the Dvorak looks insanely difficult)
It's weird, I have never thought that the Dvořák concerto looked particularly difficult but both Richter and Leslie Howard have said that it is one of the hardest concertos. I have no idea where to place it without trying it myself.
30:20 lmaooo czerny got roasted so good
and great commentary, too
this video finally hit 100k 🎊🎊
You, sir, are a genius! Also, you are a master musicologist, and historian, possess the wit of Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde, and are a musical George Carlin! A thousand thanks for assembling this great collection with such great and knowledgeable commentary, and SUPER LAUGHS along the way! Just amazing! / By the way, did you know that Bruno Walter became so pissed off by Wittgenstein that he renamed him......."Shitinstone!" 💣--- I know!
I probably would have added the craziness of Messiaen's 'Turangalila' into it. Not exactly a concerto, but with solo piano part hard enough to warrant a GOOD soloist.
I agree. It is a fabulous piece and the piano part is fantastic.
Ravel. Could gave been written last week...Still stands out in originality.
easily one of my most favourite concertos. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Also the 2nd movement...
I had a good time reading those captions 😂
This channel is amazing
The 1st mvt of Fumio Hayasaka's Piano Concerto is come great writing as well. Stongly recommend.
Prokofiev 2 par Gutierrez. Une cadence inouïe et un orchestre titanesque
Geez you are so funny. All the smart music allusions ("leck mich im Arse" misapplied) combined with modern colliquialisms, jokiness and sarcasm (and freakish encyclopedic knowledge of the repertoire) .
You must be a hoot to drink with.
join me sometime
Beethoven's emperor concerto, one of the greatest piano concertos ever written
28:11 es verdad! Yo no sabía que tenía otro concierto para piano! ... xD
So happy to see shostakovichs 2nd!!! Hardest thing I’ve ever played
28:41 you're sooooo right😍
I discovered so many new pieces from this list, really thank you.
Where do you think Mozart concerto 25 would rank? Hummel considered it the hardest concerto of Mozart.
Next to the other Mozart concerti I suppose
Surprised not to see Shostakovich 1 here!
Wow man I didn't even know there were a hundred piano concertos!!
God, the second movement of Prokofiev's second gives me nightmares
52:24 I'm currently playing Brahms 2. Such a beautiful piece. IMO not quite as bad as people say it is, but still very difficult.
Fine selection! I am especially happy about one of my favourites, the Romantic Concerto by Joseph Marx. There are three recordings I know: Hamelin, Lively and - no official production - Bolet. Are there any further? - I don't think so.
Bewonderingswaardig initiatief!
Another great list. Kinda surprised not to find Litolff on here. A couple of other concertos worth considering are the second by Kevin Volans ('Atlantic Crossing') and 'The Quest' by Radulescu (not perhaps the most difficult, but strangely magnetic).
Yes, could have done with Litolff. The modern concerti I would have trouble finding sheet music.
Good list! So divers and interesting.
Honestly i didnt expect rach 2 to be before his paganini variations. And i thought that alkans solo-piano-concerto would have a spot (since you also included solo piano pieces like totentanz).
Totentanz is actually a concerto work. It has a solo version but you can find that in my other video.
@@calebhu6383 Ah, okay. Thank you for the clarification :)
I love how when Ginastera piano concerto ends some people in the audience just scream
58:33 the anthem of all ornithologists
Bucket list