Heres another topic as silly as favorite symphony because it's just to hard to choose. I can't even pick my favorite Mozart Concerto. So how about this for a question. Lets pretend you have the chops to play any concerto and you have the opportunity to perform with the NY Phil in Carnegie Hall, and it's the only time you'll ever get to do it. What concerto would you then choose ?

I would have to go with Mozart #20.


Steve

Rachmaninov 2nd... the most beautiful yet electriying thing i have ever heard...

and also:
Ravel G Major (esp the Adagio assai)
Chopin F Minor
Tchaikovsky 1st

Brahms no. 2

I think that I'd agree with Magnezium with Rach's 2nd. But I also LOVE the Grieg, which is one that I will probably start learning soon) and Mozart #21, Schumann, and Saint-Saens #2. I would really like to hear Ravel. I've heard some mentions of it recently. Does anyone know where I can listen to it online without downloading anything?

Yes, Rachmaninoff's 2nd is amazing. I like Rach 3 better.

Beethoven's #4

It took all my willpower to narrow it down to 18 Concertos, but here goes:

Mozart #20, 21, 23 & 24.

Beethoven: All five but especially #4.

Brahms: Love #2 & I sorta like #1.

Rachmaninoff: All five (the four concertos + the Paganini Rhapsody), but especially #3.

Prokofiev: #2 & #3

Tchaikovsky 1st is my absolute favorite.

Then... Ravel in G Major, Shostakovich 3rd, Prokofiev 3rd, Chopin 2nd (ahh... the 2nd movement...) and many more.

Amy, you have absolutely got to hear the Ravel G. You could probably get an MP3 file from Audiogalaxy, KaZaa, Morpheus or some other MP3 sharing community. Or if you have ICQ, I could send you a copy...

hmmmm....I don't know if I have ICQ. Do you have to download the mp3 stuff?

yeah the MP3 stuff will require quite some downloading. first you will have to download the program (eg. Audiogalaxy/Kazaa/Morpheus), which will allow you to download the MP3 file of the music itself.

It's much less tedious to get a CD...

Mozart N. 23.

Ok so here is my deal currently with piano concertos....
I am going to learn one to play in a concerto competition with a symphony that I am in. They usuually pick 2 or 3 people to play in the concert. I've been considering playing the Grieg but I found out yesterday that another person also wants to audition with that. I don't know if I should still do it. Also, I was thinking of the Saint-Saens #2 but it was played 3 years ago by someone. Should I scratch those 2 and pick a new one? Any suggestions of ones that are somewhat similar to those? I want either a romantic or 20th century one that is kind of a big bang. I don't play that kind of music often and I'm feeling the need to! : )

I have played several of the Mozart's including No. 20 and I have to say my personal fav is No. 22. However, with the exception of Amadeus where it got a nice little showcase, it seems regrettably overlooked among the biggies like Nos. 20, 21, 27 and/or "Jeunehomme." Any ideas why?

I also love the Schumann (though it may have actually been written by Clara Schumann instead of Robert!)

hey amy, i know you want romantic or modern but have you considered the bach d minor??? great piece that, and very accessible for student concerto competetions, of course assuming that it is for a student competetion...

otherwise, what about one of the prokofiev concertos, or perhaps the MacDowell?

me, personally, i'm still a fan of Mozart!

shawn

Shawn-
I tend to play Bach and Mozart much worse than the romantic and contemporary pieces. That is why I don't want to do one. I'm trying to get better at them by playing some of their pieces but for a concerto I think that it would be better not to do a bach or Mozart. I'm not too bad at Beethoven though.
Today I got a hold of a bunch of scores of concertos....
Kabalevsky #3, Tschaikowsky in Bb minor, Rainbow Concerto by Kenneth Kimes (I've never heard of this one), Shostakovich concertino Op.94, Shostakovich #2, and I also got an excerpt book that has Anton Rubinstein concerto in d, Schumann a, Grieg, Chopin e minor, MacDowell d minor, Rach #2,and Beethoven #5.
Which ones of those sound good? What others should I look at besides the Ravel?

hey amy, try out the MacDowell, and the Schumann. i would be skittish about playing one of the Rach. concertos as a student... but then that is just me. don't know a thing about that rainbow concerto. sounds interesting. certainly seems like a good choice from the non-standard repertoire stand point. did you listen to any of the prokofiev concertos? they are very nice and, although modern, they are certainly not a HUGE stretch tonally.

how old are you and where are you in school? what was the last solo piece that you completed?

hope some of this has been of help.

shawn

Shawn:
I wasn't planning on doing a Rachmaninoff. I just don't have big enough hands for that! : ) I'll definatly consider the MacDowell and the Schumann. I just wish that I could find a recording of the MacDowell. I really want to hear how it fits together with an orchestra before I decide. I am 16 and a junior in highschool. In a couple weeks, I will be performing "Reflections in the Water" from Debussy's Image 1.

Amy,

MacDowell No.2 in D minor should be ideal for competition. I personally advise against using Schumann, Grieg or Saint-Saens No.2 simply these were almost always used by several competitors at the same competition. Unless you're so sure you're head and shoulders above & beyond everyone else I'd say leave these few alone. MacDowell No.2 has been recorded at least by the following artists whose CDs are available:

V. Cliburn
E. List
A. Watts

Another real nice romantic concerto is that of Scriabin in F# minor, Op.20. This is a real beauty, my all time favorite.

Rgds,
AndrewG

I'd like to amend my short list by another one:

MacDowell Two Piano Concerti
Prutsman (Piano)
Label-NAXOS 8.559049

Price: $5.99

Most of the Rachmaninoff concertos are pretty good.

Rachmaninoff 2! ( i am learning it now, and entering into the concerto competition next year in Philly, and one in i think Austria ( my teacher hasn't given me all the details...), so who know maybe i will soon be playing it with the NY phil.....

Gosh,
It's sooo hard to list favs...'cause there are sooo many; but here goes:
Chopin e minor
Beethoven No.4
Liszt E-flat
Rach. No.2
Mozart No.20 & 22
Brahms No.2
Tchaikovsky B-flat(Argerich is phenom...!)

not is any particular order...

I think my favorite would be Rachmoninoff #2, but Richard Strauss' "Burlesque"(?) may be a close second.

PianoMuse,

When and where is the competition in Philly that you referred to?

And how is the preparation coming along?

Regards,

Fritz

The understatement of understatements.

What, exactly, does that mean? (I know the definition of the word understatement, that isn't what I mean). Well, I guess that it is, but its just soooooo hard to choose just one!!!!!!!!!! I'd like to see you choose just one and then stick with it and not change your mind, just to change it again. Its too difficult!

Just one? Then it is the 2nd to me. Not difficult at all. I, however, agree that all 5 are good. The 4th, IMV, is relatively the weak one. With the 4th in the hands of the great Michelangeli, it sounded better than it really is. As to the 18th varaition of the 5th, it's irresistably, hauntingly beautiful!

On the other hand, to many professional composers Rach is way too 'dense & thick' in his orchestration. To some degree I agree even though I'm not a professional musician.

Jgoo,
Please don't get so defensive over that last post of mine, it wasn't meant as a crack on you in any way. I simply found it amusing that you referred to Rachmaninoff's piano concertos as "pretty good." I found that somewhat of an understatement. No harm intended.

Add another absolute stunner to the list: the Hummel B-minor. It was the model for Chopin's two concertos, same style of piano writing. And musically right on base. It's gets long winded in some places, expecially in the last movement. I recommend an edited version, actually the first commerical recording of it that came out in the 60's on Turnabout. The pianist was...ahhh, my memory's gone south. Can't remember his name.