# Violin Concertos poll



## Arsakes

Which composer has the best (your most favorite) Violin Concerto of all time? explain ...

My favorite are Dvorak's, Sibelius and Mendelssohn's.

Thanks for your great site. It's my first topic in this forum.

Oh I forgot Bach 

It seems, There is similar polls like this one, but it's still unique!


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## kv466

I'm with Bach, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius and Vivaldi.


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## violadude

Bach's a minor concerto is one of my favorite orchestral pieces in the Baroque era. It's great how involved he keeps the accompaniment in driving the music forward. There's never a dull moment in any of the parts. 

Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is such a beautiful and lyrical work, it always puts me in a good mood. 

Berg's violin concerto is one of my favorites. It is an exhaustive and emotional piece of music that deserves to be considered with the giants of violin concertos, even more so than Prokofiev's and Shostakovich's in my opinion. 

Ligeti's violin concerto is also a favorite of mine. It is extremely inventive and it's playful timbres and intriguing rhythms make it fascinating to me. Not to mention the beautiful and eerie "aria" movement.

Notable others: Sibelius: The first movement is really beautiful and I love the idea of having the cadenza also act as the development section. Not sure how much I love the piece on a whole though.

Barber: Love this one, for similar reasons as the Tchaikovsky. It is a very similar piece.


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## tgtr0660

I would have voted for Bach if he was in the poll, but in his absence, I've decided to select an odd choice. I love the Tchaikovsky, the Brahms, the Mendelssohn, I like most of the others, but I give my vote to that ugly duckling of a violin concerto that in my view is a flawed masterpiece in dire need of more advocates: the Schumann. Yes, the third movement is kind of weak and the entire concerto doesn't remain effective from start to end, but the sheer tension of the first movement erratic, nervous theme is wonderful and worthy of a magician of emotion like Schumann.


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## neoshredder

Vivaldi because of the Four Seasons.


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## tdc

Bach's Double is probably my favorite I also love Bartok's first and second, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Ravel's Tzigane and the Mendelssohn VC.


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## joen_cph

Of those mentioned, I´d say Elgar, followed by Shostakovich 1st. 

Pettersson´s 2nd concerto played by Ida Haendel (as opposed to Van Keulen´s recording) is another candidate but it won´t suit everyone´s temper.

Some other very nice ones are Taktakishvili and Babadyanian.

But one cannot but admire the great creativity expressed in the "The 4 Seasons".


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## jurianbai

I still faithful to Sibelius as my favorite Violin Concerto. Mendelssohn,Paganini,Tchaikovsky are the next "popular" favorite. But there are tons of other concertos I enjoyed, Jeno Hubay's, Vieuxtemps', Myaskovsky's, Walton's , Barber's, Rozsa, Bruch!, Korngold, Khachaturian's etc.


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## suffolkcoastal

Most of my favourites aren't listed and include the Barber, both Piston concertos, the Miaskovsky, both Martinu, Walton, Britten the Tubin 1st and Concierto del este by Rodrigo.


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## EarthBoundRules

I've got to go with the _Sibelius_, because like all of his music it moves me beyond belief with its complete formal perfection. I also love _Tchaikovsky's_, mainly because of the amazing first movement which contains one of my favourite melodies of all time. _Beethoven's_ is fine but doesn't match the quality of his other works, and _Mendelssohn's_ has excellent melodies but frankly I could never stand Mendelssohn's theme development.


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## jalex

No Berg!


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## GoneBaroque

Tough question but finally I placed the Mendelssohn first; then Sibelius, Bruch, Brahms, Britten, Walton, Bach in no special order. I love them equally.


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## FrankieP

my favourite two aren't there: Berg, Barber!


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## maestro267

My favourite is the Elgar B minor concerto.


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## Huilunsoittaja

No more best no more best!

I never love the best. I love the most attractive to me.


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## opus55

Surprised to see that Schumann (Robert?) got few votes; thought it was considered a relatively obscure work. It is underrated in my opinion.


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## Sid James

Of those listed, I liked *Prokofiev's first concerto *the most, so I voted for him. It's a work that has it's head in the clouds, it's on another planet, & it kind of takes me there. The slow-fast-slow movement layout was innovative & was for example to provide the template for all of Walton's string concertos. I also like the release of energy in the middle movement & many other things.

*Prokofiev's second violin concerto *has taken me longer to like & grasp, of course it's totally different, written about 15 years later. A lot of water under the bridge between the two. Love the castanets in the finale, kind of an earthy vibe.

Other violin concertos I really like, or are special mentions out of a vast field of gems -

Schoenberg
Berg
Carter
Barber
Ross Edwards (_Maninyas_ violin concerto)
Rubbra
Dohnanyi 1 & 2
Henze, esp. #1
Glass

& many things not called concertos but are near that - Sarasate (Gypsy Airs), Lalo (Sym. Espagnole), Bernstein (Serenade), Sculthorpe (Irkanda IV), Berlioz (Reverie et Caprice), Lutoslawski (CHain), Bruch (Scottish Fantasy), Vaughan Williams (Lark Ascending), etc.

Also double violin concertos, esp. like Bach's and Arvo Part's_ Tabula Rasa _is good, even though I'm no huge fan generally.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Mendelssohn. Then Glass. This should have been a multiple choice poll.


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## Sid James

violadude said:


> ...
> 
> Notable others: Sibelius: The first movement is really beautiful and I love the idea of having the cadenza also act as the development section. Not sure how much I love the piece on a whole though...


I largely agree with your last sentence. He could have left it at the first movement and not composed the other two movements, it would have been a great concerto anyway like that. A bit like Berg's _Piano Sonata Op. 1_, as Schoenberg said, he says everything he needs to say in the one movement. Short and sweet, no need to go through the motions. But with the Sibelius concerto, I like how in the last minute it suggests to me a whole new world, a new interesting landscape, kind of epic and not dancy as the rest of that final movement. But then Sibelius winds it up and that's it. I'm left hanging with that great kind of powerful vision. In any case, he was mauled by the critics for this work and had to revise it extensively, probably in response to that.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I'm actually very surprised that the Berg concerto isn't there.


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## Dimboukas

tgtr0660 said:


> I would have voted for Bach if he was in the poll, but in his absence, I've decided to select an odd choice. I love the Tchaikovsky, the Brahms, the Mendelssohn, I like most of the others, but I give my vote to that ugly duckling of a violin concerto that in my view is a flawed masterpiece in dire need of more advocates: the Schumann. Yes, the third movement is kind of weak and the entire concerto doesn't remain effective from start to end, but the sheer tension of the first movement erratic, nervous theme is wonderful and worthy of a magician of emotion like Schumann.


The third part is weak? I think it is fantastic! It is Shumann's amalgam of musical ideas: melody through transcendence and repetition. Each time you are lost in a sea of music, the main motif helps you find yourself; this is how I see it. It is a rondo-like situation. I voted for Schumann.


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## Lenfer

I voted for *Shostakovich* just because I'm in the mood for *Shostakovich* today. :tiphat:


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## neoshredder

Hard to believe I'm the only one that picked Vivaldi. I guess everyone is into the new stuff. That's fine I guess but you gotta love the old stuff as well.


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## violadude

I'm sad that poor Stravinsky didn't get any votes


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Lenfer said:


> I voted for *Shostakovich* just because I'm in the mood for *Shostakovich* today. :tiphat:


No!... Oh too late


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## HarpsichordConcerto

A very difficult poll. I like difficult polls. Having listened to them all by the composers above (except Vivaldi and maybe one or two by Paganini), the breadth of styles is just incredible. I quite like the Beethoven, the Schumann, the Mozarts' and the Brahms. Baroque examples by Vivaldi and JS Bach (not listed) offer lovely balance to the Romantic grand concertos.


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## Arsakes

Thanks for the comments. I've been busy for some time. I'm just a fan of classic music, so excuse me if I don't know composers like berg.

I think Huilunsoittaja is right.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Arsakes said:


> Thanks for the comments. I've been busy for some time. I'm just a fan of classic music, so excuse me if I don't know composers like berg.
> 
> I think Huilunsoittaja is right.


You left out *Ligeti!!!!* :scold:


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## Arsakes

Sorry If I'm not active enough on talkclassical. 

Thanks to the PC game 'Civilization: Colonization' I know Charles Auguste de Bériot now. He could be on this list, I like his style and works.
Anyone like his works?


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## Moira

The one I'm listening to at any time.


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## PetrB

What a complete travesty without the Berg Concerto on your list. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
Makes your poll another perfect example of 'meaningless.'


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## Hausmusik

Agree that Berg should be on there, even though for me the two finest VC's were both composed in 1878. . .Also, Schumann's VC is in *third *place!? I'd buy that kind of placement (or higher) for his Cello Concerto and Piano Concerto, but no way for the Violin Concerto.


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## aleazk

violadude said:


> Bach's a minor concerto is one of my favorite orchestral pieces in the Baroque era. It's great how involved he keeps the accompaniment in driving the music forward. There's never a dull moment in any of the parts.
> 
> Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is such a beautiful and lyrical work, it always puts me in a good mood.
> 
> Berg's violin concerto is one of my favorites. It is an exhaustive and emotional piece of music that deserves to be considered with the giants of violin concertos, even more so than Prokofiev's and Shostakovich's in my opinion.
> 
> Ligeti's violin concerto is also a favorite of mine. It is extremely inventive and it's playful timbres and intriguing rhythms make it fascinating to me. Not to mention the beautiful and eerie "aria" movement.
> 
> Notable others: Sibelius: The first movement is really beautiful and I love the idea of having the cadenza also act as the development section. Not sure how much I love the piece on a whole though.
> 
> Barber: Love this one, for similar reasons as the Tchaikovsky. It is a very similar piece.


I love Bach's a minor concerto too. The Ligeti is also my favorite, especially the first mov, so colorful. It's very crazy, the opnening notes of the first mov. almost sound like electronic music!






Also I like Szymanowski's first violin concerto.


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## Taneyev

Yes, great pieces. But the are more beautiful concertos that desrve to be better known and more frecuently played

Goldmark
Otar Taktakishvili Nº1
Nicolai Rakov Nº1
Eduard Franck 1&2
Lalo concerto and concerto russe
Kabalevsky
Bliss
Walton
Korngold
Mendelssohn D minor
Bruch 2&3
Conus
Lyapunov
Taneyev suite for v.&o.
......


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## Arsakes

Odnoposoff said:


> Yes, great pieces. But the are more beautiful concertos that desrve to be better known and more frecuently played
> 
> Goldmark
> Otar Taktakishvili Nº1
> Nicolai Rakov Nº1
> Eduard Franck 1&2
> Lalo concerto and concerto russe
> Kabalevsky
> Bliss
> Walton
> Korngold
> Mendelssohn D minor
> Bruch 2&3
> Conus
> Lyapunov
> Taneyev suite for v.&o.
> ......


Certainly, but I put the most famous ones.
Still I'm regretful why I placed Stravinsky up there and not Bach or possibly Berg.


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## violadude

Arsakes said:


> Certainly, but I put the most famous ones.
> Still I'm regretful why I placed Stravinsky up there and not Bach or possibly Berg.


How about replacing Paganini with Bach and Berg instead of Stravinsky?


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## redrobin

Last year, Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg performed the Mendelssohn here in Seattle with Gerard Schwartz. I listened to it on the radio. When it was over you could feel the love. The audience's applause seemed like forever. I don't know if the Mendelssohn is the most difficult one to play but I wouldn't doubt it. I'd wager those by Paganini are probably more difficult, but the gut-wrenching, soul-searching eroticism of the Mendolssohn just brings tears to my eyes.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I think the Schoenberg concerto is more difficult than the Mendelssohn concerto and all of Paganini's.


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## jurianbai

no way, Paganini VC for sure and no need replacement! If you want mind blowing composition piece ala Brahms just go to symphony genre. ;P



> Originally Posted by Odnoposoff View Post
> Yes, great pieces. But the are more beautiful concertos that desrve to be better known and more frecuently played
> 
> Goldmark
> Otar Taktakishvili Nº1
> Nicolai Rakov Nº1
> Eduard Franck 1&2
> Lalo concerto and concerto russe
> Kabalevsky
> Bliss
> Walton
> Korngold
> Mendelssohn D minor
> Bruch 2&3
> Conus
> Lyapunov
> Taneyev suite for v.&o.
> ......


nice one, I never know about Taktakishvili, Bliss, Conus, and Lyapunov.

other to add in:
Rozsa
Myaskovsky
Pierre Rode
Jeno Hubay
Tor Aulin


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## MaestroViolinist

How can you just choose ONE???  I can not, I repeat, can not choose one.

But I guess I'll have too... I'd have to say... Mozart? No, no, um... Actually, yes, I'll go with Mozart. Most of his concertos are happy and uplifting and easy to listen to. And they're just really nice and got lots of feeling in them. If I go back to that "What is musicality" thread, I'd have to say Mozart. His music is full of it. Technically pretty easy, but musically hard.


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## MaestroViolinist

jurianbai said:


> no way, Paganini VC for sure and no need replacement! If you want mind blowing composition piece ala Brahms just go to symphony genre. ;P
> 
> nice one, I never know about Taktakishvili, Bliss, Conus, and Lyapunov.
> 
> other to add in:
> Rozsa
> Myaskovsky
> Pierre Rode
> Jeno Hubay
> Tor Aulin


Ooh! Someone else who likes Rode! Before I actually played the concerto no. 7 I'd never even heard of him, but now I like all his music!


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## Polyphemus

Just voted for Tchaikovsky. I love the Heifetz / Reiner recording. A few more faves of mine,
Britten
Rozsa


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

MaestroViolinist said:


> How can you just choose ONE???  I can not, I repeat, can not choose one.
> 
> But I guess I'll have too... I'd have to say... Mozart? No, no, um... Actually, yes, I'll go with Mozart. Most of his concertos are happy and uplifting and easy to listen to. And they're just really nice and got lots of feeling in them. If I go back to that "What is musicality" thread, I'd have to say Mozart. His music is full of it. Technically pretty easy, but musically hard.


But you didn't vote 1. You voted 5.


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## jurianbai

MaestroViolinist said:


> Ooh! Someone else who likes Rode! Before I actually played the concerto no. 7 I'd never even heard of him, but now I like all his music!


yes, Rode was really under discovered yet. I am sure you aware of his excellent 24 caprices.


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## Taneyev

...and some beautiful quartets


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## MaestroViolinist

No, I actually haven't heard his quartets. I must.


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## PlaySalieri

I rarely vote anything but Mozart - but Beethoven's concerto is a true musical wonder. The best concerto - 3 incredible movements. Brahms I like - but for the 1st movement - Mendellsohn is superb but Beethoven is just so profound - Sibelius is my number 2 - Bruch of course. Mozart k216,218,219 are beautiful little treasures - but not major concertos in the way that Beethoven is - or Mozart later piano concertos - so it's not really fair to compare them - though I would take the 3 on a desert Island instead of the Beethoven.


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## Op.123

Mendelssohn!


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## ajesh

Mozart's Violin Concertos are my favorite part of his entire oeuvre. Just one masterpiece after another.


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## Novelette

WOW! I'm astonished to see Schumann in the tie for third on this poll!

I always thought that Schumann's violin concerto was generally poorly regarded. It is my own favorite violin concerto.

Tied with Brahms, and behind both Beethoven and Mendelssohn? I can definitely live with that. 

:tiphat:


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## jiveturkey

No Walton?


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## Novelette

I'd also like to make honorable mention of the outstanding violin concertos of Vieuxtemps and Wieniawski! Also Joachim!

Spohr's violin concertos also have some exquisite moments.

Let us also not forget CPE Bach and Telemann, let alone JS Bach and Haydn!


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## mstar

Agreed, Huilunsoittaja! There are no "best" concertos, since the technical definition of "best" varies from person to person. More accurately, we could say the best in our eyes, though i guess that "best" is alright too! 

The violin concerto which appeals the most to me is definitely Mendelssohn's, which one one of the first works of classical music that I have ever listened to, and probably the one which gave me my current interest in classical music. It is a beautiful piece of art. 

Doubtlessly, I also like the Brahms and Beethoven violin concertos, though Tchaikovsky's seems a little too jovial althroughout to me, lacking the expression we see from him in many of his later works, e.g., the fifth and sixth symphonies, etc. 

Again, just personal opinion! This is also my first post... I'm really new on the forum!!


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## DavidA

No question in my mind that the Beethoven is the greatest concerto for the instrument, one of his greatest works. But I love the Mendelssohn very much. And, of course, many of the others. Thank goodness we don't have to choose!


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## Ondine

Bethoven wrote an outstanding one.

Max Bruch's is one of the greatest ever written along with Sibelius and Dvorak.


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## LouisMasterMusic

I love violin music, and thus a lot of violin concertos. It was difficult to choose, but I went for Mendelssohn. The melodies just never stop flowing from the violin (and the whole orchestra!) in this music. When I saw that this piece had more votes than any other on the poll, I wasn't surprised.


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## Blancrocher

jiveturkey said:


> No Walton?


He'd be on my shortlist. I'm still waiting for a better performance than Heifetz's, btw:


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## Skilmarilion

Prokofiev's 2nd is an underappreciated work imo, which I've been enjoying lately. The slow movement is particularly beautiful.

For now I'd say Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius remain my top three.


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## filepa

What about Bach? His Violin Concerto in D Minor (BWV 1052) is simply amazing!


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## DrKilroy

No love for Stravinsky. The only vote is mine. 

Best regards, Dr


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## violadude

I can't even remember what I voted for now. 

But I just want to say that, the Elgar is soooo long! I remember getting through it once, but not in one piece.


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## DaDirkNL

Mozart 3 and 5 always touch me.


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## Schumann

1. Vivaldi
2. Bach
3. Schumann
4. Mendelssohn
5. Paganini
6. Beethoven
7. Sibelius
8. Tchaikovsky
9. Mozart
10. Haydn


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## mstar

I find that Schumann's first piano concerto appeals much more to me than his violin concerto.... Perhaps I'll give it another shot this week! 
I'm not exactly sure, Violadude, what I voted for either, but it was most likely Mendelssohn's. 
Less well known of the violin concertos is that of Bruch, but I think it is excellent!


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## JCarmel

My choice is tied-in with the interpretation...& would possibly be different, otherwise.
But I couldn't quite make my mind up between the Brahms & the Mendelssohn but went for the former, as I listen to one specific interpretation more than the rest of all the other violin concertos combined (probably yet another sign of oncoming senility.....no, on 2nd thoughts, it's already here... so make that 'increasing senility', please)


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## Art Rock

mstar said:


> Less well known of the violin concertos is that of Bruch, but I think it is excellent!


If you talk about his second and third, agreed. The first one though is very well known. And excellent.


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## Avey

Wanted to go with Beethoven, which I (I think!) enjoy more. But had to choose Mendelssohn, for purely the amount of virtuousity, melodies he fits within this incredibly _tight_ piece. There is no meandering going on in this work. Of course, had Mozart composed one concerto, he'd be in my conversation. But all that lovely G-D-A-E music is split between his five.


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## Beethoven10

Other - BERG!!! such a good concerto.


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## cihlomorka

I vote for Prokofiev No. 1
Korngold
Bernstein (Serenade After Platos Symposium)
Walton
Glazunov
Brahms
Tchaikovsky
Vivaldi


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## LancsMan

Torn between two others:- Bach or Berg.


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## csacks

Max Bruch´s first violin concert. Amazing. I voted Tchaikovsky, but missed Bruch.


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## stevenski

So glad the Schumann got a look in A poignant, uneven but fine, overall, concerto; as are the, equally late, Mass and Requiem, again the victims of the establishment's view they are of poor quality. Steve


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## Winterreisender

I agree with Classic.fm listeners on this one: Bruch's Violin Concerto #1 is one of the greatest pieces of all time!


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## Blake

Bruch is awesome, indeed.


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## senza sordino

Bruch is indeed fantastic, but my favorite is the Mendelssohn. But Symphonie Espagnole by Lalo is another favorite, but it isn't called a violin concerto. 

I just acquired the Stravinsky Violin concerto, and my first impressions are that it's impressive. Britten and Sibelius are other favorites, but my absolute favorite, given that I have to choose, is the Mendelssohn.


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## Skilmarilion

Avey said:


> But had to choose Mendelssohn, for purely the amount of virtuousity, melodies he fits within this incredibly _tight_ piece. There is no meandering going on in this work.


The Mendelssohn was kind of a first love and so I go back to it less often than I used to, but whenever I do, it never loses its freshness. I think it is underrated in its originality. It is so unique in form, aesthetic and the relationship between soloist and orchestra. The melodies are indeed beautiful but used sparingly around such beautiful music.

Just to be very particular, I think the passage from around 5:05 to 6:20 in this performance, is one of the most gorgeous passages written in all of music.


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## Überstürzter Neumann

1. Mendelssohn
2. Beethoven
3. Schumann


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## Llyranor

I vote for Sibelius. Beethoven and Brahms are way up there, too. The Elgar also has a very special place in my heart.


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## Draugen

I voted for Sibelius in the absence of Bach.


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## Jos

I think Mendelssohn is my most played one (by Milstein), Beethoven, Sibelius and Strawinski and....oh dear, another impossible question on TC.......Oh, where is Walton on this list ? And Glazunov .... 

Cheers,
Jos


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## Rackon

I enjoy every concerto on the list except for the Paganini. And I don't think of baroque concertos in quite the same way/category (Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, et al) as I do the great classical and romantic works but I do love them.

But some of my favorite concertos are missing - the Barber and Bartok concertos are masterpieces that shouldthe have made the original list. The Korngold, Walton, Diamond concertos are also worthwhile.

Since I could only vote for one I made it the Brahms.


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## lupinix

Prokofiev, especially his first, then shostakovich and sibelius
and i should say of every baroque composer i like vivaldis violin concertos best


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## hpowders

1. Beethoven
1. Brahms
2. Elgar
3. Mendelssohn
4. Sibelius
5. Berg
6. Prokofiev #2


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## haziz

I voted for Sibelius, but where on earth is Bruch?! He wrote 4 magnificent concertos! Ok, so three magnificent concertos (#s 1, 2 , Scottish Fantasy) and an excellent one (# 3). For years the Bruch first violin concerto was my favorite by any composer, although for the last few years Sibelius' concerto may have crept up a bit higher, partly due to overexposure to the Bruch first. The only other violin concertos that come close in my estimation are Tchaikovsky's and Mendelssohn's magnificent concertos.


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## Rogerx

haziz said:


> I voted for Sibelius, but where on earth is Bruch?! He wrote 4 magnificent concertos! Ok, so three magnificent concertos (#s 1, 2 , Scottish Fantasy) and an excellent one (# 3). For years the Bruch first violin concerto was my favorite by any composer, although for the last few years Sibelius' concerto may have crept up a bit higher, partly due to overexposure to the Bruch first. The only other violin concertos that come close in my estimation are Tchaikovsky's and Mendelssohn's magnificent concertos.


That is why option : Other is added


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## haziz

haziz said:


> I voted for Sibelius, but where on earth is Bruch?! He wrote 4 magnificent concertos! Ok, so three magnificent concertos (#s 1, 2 , Scottish Fantasy) and an excellent one (# 3). For years the Bruch first violin concerto was my favorite by any composer, although for the last few years Sibelius' concerto may have crept up a bit higher, partly due to overexposure to the Bruch first. The only other violin concertos that come close in my estimation are Tchaikovsky's and Mendelssohn's magnificent concertos.


1. Sibelius
2. Bruch 1
3. Tchaikovsky
4. Mendelssohn
5. RVW Lark Ascending
6. Bruch Scottish Fantasy
7. Bruch 2
8. Lalo Symphonie Espagnole
9. Glazunov
10. Bruch 3
11. Goldmark
12. Vieuxtemps 5
13. Vieuxtemps 4
14. Vivaldi Four Seasons


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## Malx

haziz said:


> 5. RVW Lark Ascending


Not sure I'd regard this as a concerto as it is subtitled 'a romance for Violin and small orchestra'. VW did compose the Concerto Accademico in D which was written for Violin and string orchestra which was his homage to J S Bach's concerto for two violins.
That being said it's nice to see VW getting a mention in among the big hitters


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## Rogerx

Like them all. all those list are reminding me of digging up long time not heard recordings


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## Xisten267

My top five today:

1. Brahms
2. Mendelssohn
3. Tchaikovsky
4. Khachaturian
5. Sibelius


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## Animal the Drummer

Pleasantly surprised to find my pick, the Brahms, topping the list. I'm a pianist and my favourite composer is Mozart but, looking back, I reckon the Brahms violin concerto is the one piece in the whole of the classical repertoire which has been on my Desert Island list for the longest time.


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## marlow

No question that the Beethoven is the finest of all violin concertos when played as the composer intended.


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## EvaBaron

marlow said:


> No question that the Beethoven is the finest of all violin concertos when played as the composer intended.


Do you mean fast? Allegro mon troppo doesn’t mean 25 minutes people!


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## ORigel

A tie for Beethoven and the Bach Double.


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## Bwv 1080

Bartok, Carter, Ferneyhough (Terrain) and Dutilleux


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## golfer72

Animal the Drummer said:


> Pleasantly surprised to find my pick, the Brahms, topping the list. I'm a pianist and my favourite composer is Mozart but, looking back, I reckon the Brahms violin concerto is the one piece in the whole of the classical repertoire which has been on my Desert Island list for the longest time.


Funny how different people are. Brahms is my favorite composer but the Violin Cto is not one of my favorites from him. Its ok. Much prefer the Elgar or even the Moeran. The two piano ctos are great.


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## Xisten267

EvaBaron said:


> Do you mean fast? Allegro mon troppo doesn’t mean 25 minutes people!


I agree. _Allegro ma non troppo_ is still in the range of _Allegro_, not of _Allegreto_, _Moderato_ or _Andante_.


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## SONDEK

Are we all agreed that Vivaldi's THE FOUR SEASONS qualifies as a Violin Concerto - for the purposes of this poll?


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## Rogerx

SONDEK said:


> Are we all agreed that Vivaldi's THE FOUR SEASONS qualifies as a Violin Concerto - for the purposes of this poll?


Someone should have ask that in 2012 when OP made the poll.


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## Animal the Drummer

golfer72 said:


> Funny how different people are. Brahms is my favorite composer but the Violin Cto is not one of my favorites from him. Its ok. Much prefer the Elgar or even the Moeran. The two piano ctos are great.


The Elgar concerto's my runner-up. And yes, the Brahms piano concertos are top notch.


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## Roger Knox

My Other choice is Szymanowski #2. Other Others include Bartok #2 (hear Kyung-Wha Chung's recordings), Berg, and Anton Rubinstein.


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## RobertJTh

No love for Reger's cute little concerto?


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## Rogerx

RobertJTh said:


> No love for Reger's cute little concerto?


I must listen again, I seem to remembering a kind of nicked stuff form other composers.


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## Kreisler jr

I voted Brahms but overall I think that the violin concerto was a problematic genre in the 19th century. It works well on the chamberish baroque scale and late 18th century classical style. 

But in the 19th century violin concertos too often became a shallow fireworks (+ shmaltzy melodies) or and unduly heavy/long symphonic pieces (of which Elgar's and Reger's might be the most ambitious ones, have heard both but I have to admit that I could not yet muster the patience for a more thorough acquaintance). And the "symphonic concerto" is really hard to pull off in high romantic style, especially with a violin (instead of piano) as partner/opponent to the full romantic orchestra. Not even Beethoven was completely successful. The best fusion for me is probably Mendelssohn's that keeps to a moderate scale, has some fireworks, but all integrated well and never becoming neither trivial nor too heavy. 
With more "flexible" 20th century styles violin concertos can work again better and achieve a balance between solo/fireworks and symphonic form.


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## Ulrich

Beethoven‘s was the first one I‘ve heard, and it’s still my favorite.


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## RobertJTh

Rogerx said:


> I must listen again, I seem to remembering a kind of nicked stuff form other composers.


There are obvious influences, but I think by the time he wrote the violin concerto he was very much his own man. People don't give Reger the credit of being one of the foremost avant-garde composers of the early 1900's - but there are a couple of works written around 1907-1910 (including the two concertos) that show him to be nearly the equal of Schönberg and Strauss in hyper-chromatic proto-atonality.
I find his music enormously fascinating. No, it's not pretty, there aren't any Big Tunes like in the Elgar, orchestration wasn't really his thing so everything sounds thick and dense - and still, make me pick only one composer's complete oeuvre and forget about everything else - and I'd gladly chose Reger.


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## Kreisler jr

RobertJTh said:


> there are a couple of works written around 1907-1910 (including the two concertos) that show him to be nearly the equal of Schönberg and Strauss in *hyper-chromatic proto-atonality*.


Not everyone thinks this is a good thing, I guess... 
Reger is a fascinating composer and he was an incredible "technical" talent and and extremely fast writer, apparently, but I struggle to really like more than a few of his works. And then it's mostly the slightly more relaxed "lighter" pieces like the Telemann variations or the clarinet quintet.


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## Montarsolo

I'm actually surprised that Brahms and Beethoven come out as the most popular (I had expected Mendelssohn). I love Beethoven but his violin concerto is definitely not a favorite of mine. It's like violin lessons with scales up and down. In my opinion, Brahms and Beethoven do not do full justice to the violin. Other violin concertos make the violin sing much more. There the violin feels like a fish in water. It all sounds very natural. Beethoven and Brahms sound like it was originally intended for another instrument. Violin concertos where I think the violin comes into its own are those by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Paganini for example. It's like singing. Listened to the third violin concerto by Saint- Saens last night. I prefer that concerto to that of Beethoven or Brahms. It's all so strict. Mozart's violin sounds a lot more sympathetic.

Oh yes, I do like Beethoven's romances for violin and the violinsonatas. They fit the violin like a glove.


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## leonsm

At this moment: Atterberg, Respigh's Concerto Gregoriano, Khachaturian, Prokofiev's 1st, Barber, Bax.


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## Rogerx

At this moment Beethoven but I did not vote, This should have been a multiple choice poll.


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## Enthusiast

I agree with you there and I also cannot vote. I am perplexed at the lack of Bartok 2 and the Berg. It is not that I would definitely vote for either of them as #1 (though both would be in my top 5 and at least one in my top 3) but without even having the option leaves me feeling the poll is unhelpful.

I also don't get why Vivaldi is there (though I love his music) but Bach is not. In both cases there is a need to specify which concerto, though.


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## Brahmsianhorn

So nice to see my favorite work, the Brahms VC, so well respected in this poll.

I was just listening the other day to Perlman/Giulini. It’s gotten flack in some quarters on this forum for being too slow in the first movement. As a matter of fact, the basic beginning tempo is not that slow, and Perlman’s first entrance is as fiery and passionate as any in the catalogue. It’s in the quieter moments that the reading is very introspective and dark, which is where I believe this recording scores over most of the competition (particularly the Heifetz/Reiner, which merely skims the surface of this great piece).


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## Abdel ove Allhan

I hold that the Sibelius is the greatest concerto of any instrument. The 1st movement alone puts it in the best violin concerto slot. The 2nd movement is an epiphany of heart breaking ardor. It is the most poignantly sad music in a major mode. The 3rd movement, despite Tovey's impertinent comment, is boisterous, bravura and a treacherously technical tour de force guaranteed to produce a standing ovation...when appropriately performed.
Kremer/Muti...incomparable performance.

Tovey also said - “I have not met with a more original, a more masterly, and a more exhilarating work than the Sibelius violin concerto.”


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## EvaBaron

Abdel ove Allhan said:


> I hold that the Sibelius is the greatest concerto of any instrument. The 1st movement alone puts it in the best violin concerto slot. The 2nd movement is an epiphany of heart breaking ardor. It is the most poignantly sad music in a major mode. The 3rd movement, despite Tovey's impertinent comment, is boisterous, bravura and a treacherously technical tour de force guaranteed to produce a standing ovation...when appropriately performed.
> Kremer/Muti...incomparable performance.
> 
> Tovey also said - “I have not met with a more original, a more masterly, and a more exhilarating work than the Sibelius violin concerto.”


I completely agree with you, it is also my favourite concerto of any instrument


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## EvaBaron

Brahmsianhorn said:


> So nice to see my favorite work, the Brahms VC, so well respected in this poll.
> 
> I was just listening the other day to Perlman/Giulini. It’s gotten flack in some quarters on this forum for being too slow in the first movement. As a matter of fact, the basic beginning tempo is not that slow, and Perlman’s first entrance is as fiery and passionate as any in the catalogue. It’s in the quieter moments that the reading is very introspective and dark, which is where I believe this recording scores over most of the competition (particularly the Heifetz/Reiner, which merely skims the surface of this great piece).


I think Grumiaux/Beinum sets a perfect pace for the Brahms violin concerto. Heifetz is at times way too fast and Perlman is just way too slow for me. When I hear the orchestral introduction I just think would they really play it that slow if it was the beginning of a symphony? No they wouldn’t, that would be really boring Brahms. Also the lead up to the solo violin entrance is really dramatic and cool with the string sections constantly repeating 3 notes but it just loses all momentum when played too slow


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## Rogerx

Paganini , only two votes,  
If you wroth five good ones, no number is even mentioned


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## ScottK

In my opera only days the Brahms was one of the first non-operatic pieces I fell in love with and it has not lost a drop of my love!


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## Neo Romanza

Some favorites in no particular order:

Bartók - both
Sibelius
Shostakovich - both
Berg
Tchaikovsky
Mendelssohn
Barber
Korngold
Schoenberg
Britten
Walton
Prokofiev - both
Martinů - both
Stravinsky
Dvořák
Szymanowski - both
Ligeti
Bacewicz - they're all special in their own way, but I think it was the 2nd or 3rd that impressed me the most
Gubaidulina - _Offertorium_
Penderecki - both
K. A. Hartmann - _Concerto funebre_
Elgar
Weinberg
Respighi - _Concerto gregoriano_
Casella
W. Schuman
Bloch


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## starthrower

It took only nine year's for Neo Romanza to bring us into the last century in this thread. I'm partial to the Ligeti, Bartok, Bacewicz no.7, Norgard's Helle Nacht, another vote for Igor, and Kurt Weill's concerto for violin and winds. Last year I picked up Esa-Pekka Salonen's concerto performed by Leila Josefowicz, and I like that one too.


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## Brahmsian Colors

The B R A H M S


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## PeterKC

Khachaturian and Machavariani. Great fireworks in both!


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## Bulldog

Rogerx said:


> Paganini , only two votes,
> If you wroth five good ones, no number is even mentioned


No Paganini votes would be my preference.


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## Rogerx

PeterKC said:


> Khachaturian and Machavariani. Great fireworks in both!


Any special recommendations?


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## PeterKC

Rogerx said:


> Any special recommendations?


Sure: The Khachaturian with the Composer conducting and David Oistrach as soloist. (Moscow
Radio Symphony Orchestra)
The Machavariani with the composer's son, (Vakhtang) conducting and Liana Isakadze as 
soloist. (Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra)


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