Walk Like an Egyptian with Saint-Saëns! I’d never heard that concerto before taking it in live several years back and it is an absolute delight. A piece all listeners, beginners or otherwise should get to know well!
Concertos/concertante works are one of my dearest topics of interest. I'm looking forward to such a video on CPE's concerti as your comments implied (and if the video included your suggestions on recordings of the best ones it would be great). I even wrote to you sometime ago suggesting the topic (along with Alessandrini's L'Estro Armonico), but I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to simply have the time to read what people suggest, let alone to filter the most pertinent of them and then to make any of those really become a video in Hurwitzian fashion. So, first, thank you, and second: go for it if you see it coming! Pedro Almeida
The left hand concertos of Prokofiev and Ravel were both commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein, an Austrian pianist who had lost his right arm in WWI. He told Prokofiev "I do not understand a note of it and I shall not play it", and he didn't. The Prokofiev 4th was not performed until 1956. Wittgenstein did play the Ravel, but made unsanctioned changes to the score that left the composer permanently pissed at him. It avoided the fate of the Prokofiev because it's a screaming masterpiece.
Tchaikovsky's 2nd Piano Concerto has lived in the shadow of the first one for too long. It has more lovely melodies and orchestral complexity than the first. The second movement is innovative and gorgeous. Peter Donahoe's performance is exciting and beautiful. The disc contains the 3rd Concerto which is a lot of fun.
An enjoyable video! Picked up tips on some I hadn't heard. I'm especially interested in concertos for instruments besides violin and piano: oboe concertos, harp concertos, cello concertos, guitar concertos, bassoon concertos! Oh, bassoon concertos...yes, gimme!
The piano concertos are on Shostakovich's lighter side. The first is in his youthful satirical vein; he wrote the second as a graduation piece for his son Maxim.
I find it interesting and like to speculate about the three major composers (Schubert, Schumann and Dvorak) who typically wrote multiple pieces in all the traditional forms except the piano concerto.
No, there's one on Supraphon, and I disagree about the Bartok. It may be tough for classical traditionalists, but for those raised on rock music or film soundtracks, they are simply thrilling (at least as regards the first two).
@@DavesClassicalGuide oh I see now online. I don’t have any recordings of 1 or 5 so may pick up. And fine re the Bartok. I was of course thinking from the pretty, classical, Chopin esq perspective. I for one love the Bartoks.
I haven't forgotten anything. It was partially composed in 1814/15 and completed up to the middle of the solo exposition, after which it exists as sketch material.
@DavesClassicalGuide You didn't make reference to either the Violin Concerto or LvB's involvement in its adaptation for piano. Sketches, perhaps, but made the whole concept sound much more spurious in the video.
Walk Like an Egyptian with Saint-Saëns! I’d never heard that concerto before taking it in live several years back and it is an absolute delight. A piece all listeners, beginners or otherwise should get to know well!
Suggestion for a future installment: Best concertos for "the lesser used concerto instruments."
Thank you so much, Dave. I love the concerto format and welcome all of your comments, especially those I'm not familiar with, such as the Martinu.
Concertos/concertante works are one of my dearest topics of interest. I'm looking forward to such a video on CPE's concerti as your comments implied (and if the video included your suggestions on recordings of the best ones it would be great). I even wrote to you sometime ago suggesting the topic (along with Alessandrini's L'Estro Armonico), but I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to simply have the time to read what people suggest, let alone to filter the most pertinent of them and then to make any of those really become a video in Hurwitzian fashion. So, first, thank you, and second: go for it if you see it coming!
Pedro Almeida
These essential series are great! Thanks for making them.
The left hand concertos of Prokofiev and Ravel were both commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein, an Austrian pianist who had lost his right arm in WWI. He told Prokofiev "I do not understand a note of it and I shall not play it", and he didn't. The Prokofiev 4th was not performed until 1956. Wittgenstein did play the Ravel, but made unsanctioned changes to the score that left the composer permanently pissed at him. It avoided the fate of the Prokofiev because it's a screaming masterpiece.
Britten's Diversions was also composed for Wtttgenstein and I don't think he that liked that work much either.
Shout out for Liszt's fantastic arrangement of the Wanderer Fantasy for piano & orchestra - the concerto Schubert never wrote 🤩 !!
Yes, it's a first-rate arrangement!
Love the list (as usual). That 3rd Bartok concerto is inexplicably unknown and when finally discovered by the public, will catch on like wildfire.
Strange, the 3rd Concerto is the most popular work by Bartok in Sweden.
Huh? It’s one of Barton’s most popular works, gets performed quite a lot.
Tchaikovsky's 2nd Piano Concerto has lived in the shadow of the first one for too long. It has more lovely melodies and orchestral complexity than the first. The second movement is innovative and gorgeous. Peter Donahoe's performance is exciting and beautiful. The disc contains the 3rd Concerto which is a lot of fun.
Um, no, it's not better, but I'm glad you enjoy it.
Piano sonata cycles next please! 🎉🎉
An enjoyable video! Picked up tips on some I hadn't heard. I'm especially interested in concertos for instruments besides violin and piano: oboe concertos, harp concertos, cello concertos, guitar concertos, bassoon concertos! Oh, bassoon concertos...yes, gimme!
I do have a predilection for piano concertos and find your knowledge and insights very helpful
Props for including Saint-Saëns! Anti-props for omitting Shostakovich.
I agree, Shostakovich's concertos (piano, violin, cello) are generally underappreciated.
The piano concertos are on Shostakovich's lighter side. The first is in his youthful satirical vein; he wrote the second as a graduation piece for his son Maxim.
@@BobbnoxiousThe Saint-Saëns ones are groovy
@@Warp75 Especially when you listen to them on vinyl.
@@goonbelly5841What recordings do you have goon ?
I've learned so much from you and now have a great classical CD library, too. Thanks, to you.
You're very welcome!
Thanks for recommending the Martinu clump they are stellar :)
Martinu's wonderful Sinfonetta La Jolla could also be considered a piano concerto.
Wait, what, not the Sorabji cycle? 😂
I find it interesting and like to speculate about the three major composers (Schubert, Schumann and Dvorak) who typically wrote multiple pieces in all the traditional forms except the piano concerto.
Schumann and Dvorak both wrote a beautiful piano concerto.
Hi Dave. I can’t find any reviews of the Martinů cycle on Supraphon. If I want a complete set would you go with Naxos or Supraphon?
Naxos, if only for the sound.
Amazing talk. Not sure the Bartok is for beginners. Those are tough pieces :)
I think the only Martinu cycle that exists is the Naxos??
No, there's one on Supraphon, and I disagree about the Bartok. It may be tough for classical traditionalists, but for those raised on rock music or film soundtracks, they are simply thrilling (at least as regards the first two).
@@DavesClassicalGuide oh I see now online. I don’t have any recordings of 1 or 5 so may pick up.
And fine re the Bartok. I was of course thinking from the pretty, classical, Chopin esq perspective. I for one love the Bartoks.
This made me wonder. Are there any pieces that could be considered one-of-a-kind? I can't think of any off the top of my head.
PDQ Bach’s Concerto for Horn and Hardart might qualify.
@@bird401A tricky instrument: you have to put a nickel into the slot before it'll produce a sound.
Albrechtsburger's double concertos for Jew's harp and mandora. I'm not kidding. They're on Orfeo (or they were).
Any chance you could please give us a Repertoire list of Romantic shorter works for piano and orchestra?
I think I did that.
What about BWV 1059? Isn't that also a solo harpsichord Bach concerto?
Sure, the 9 bars of it that actually exist...
Didn’t Haydn compose more than one keyboard concerto?
Yes.
@@DavesClassicalGuide Then, by its omission, we can deduce you don’t think quite as highly of that cycle as you do the symphonies?
Surely the "6th Beethoven Piano Concerto" is his own arrangement of his Violin Concerto?! You appear to have forgotten that here.
I haven't forgotten anything. It was partially composed in 1814/15 and completed up to the middle of the solo exposition, after which it exists as sketch material.
@DavesClassicalGuide You didn't make reference to either the Violin Concerto or LvB's involvement in its adaptation for piano. Sketches, perhaps, but made the whole concept sound much more spurious in the video.