# Favorite Dvořák's Concerto



## Arsakes

So which one do you like more? 
Piano Concerto in G minor, Op.33
Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53
Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104

I love all of them. I chose the Violin Concerto specially for its second movement. I can say if you can tolerate the first 3 and half minutes of the third movement, this concerto is quite fantastic


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## Vesteralen

I haven't really gotten to know the piano or violin concertos well at all, so I suppose it's not quite fair to vote on this. All I can say is that the Cello Concerto made an immediate impact on me, but the other two left me uninspired the first time I heard them and I've never been tempted to revisit them. 

As I say, that's not really fair, since some of my favorite musical pieces today are ones that didn't impress me the first time I heard them (i.e. Brahms German Requiem, Nielsen's Third Symphony, Barber's Violin Concerto).


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## Taneyev

To me, the order is: cello-violin-piano. The cello is IMO best cello concerto ever writen. The violin one is a very beautiful, underrated and underrecorded work. The piano one is a lovely piece, but not a great thing as a piano concerto.


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## Delicious Manager

Don't forget that the Cello Concerto we now know was the second one Dvořák wrote. There was an early concerto in A major in 1865, although only a piano accompaniment has come down to us. It was one of several of Dvořák's early works which were lost during his lifetime (it was this that caused the confusion in the numbering if his symphonies, as Nos 1-4 only surfaced after his death). A performing edition and orchestration was created by Jarmil Burghauser and Miloš Sadlo in 1970. Have a listen and see what you think:


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## mmsbls

Odnoposoff said:


> To me, the order is: cello-violin-piano. The cello is IMO best cello concerto ever writen. The violin one is a very beautiful, underrated and underrecorded work. The piano one is a lovely piece, but not a great thing as a piano concerto.


This roughly sums up my thoughts as well. I consider the cello concerto one of the greatest concertos ever written (and definitely the best cello concerto). Every section of each movement is a perfect joy to hear. I would love someday to hear my daughter play it.


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## Taneyev

Delicious Manager said:


> Don't forget that the Cello Concerto we now know was the second one Dvořák wrote. There was an early concerto in A major in 1865, although only a piano accompaniment has come down to us. It was one of several of Dvořák's early works which were lost during his lifetime (it was this that caused the confusion in the numbering if his symphonies, as Nos 1-4 only surfaced after his death). A performing edition and orchestration was created by Jarmil Burghauser and Miloš Sadlo in 1970. Have a listen and see what you think:


Yes, Sadlo recorded both concerts on Supraphon, with Vaclav Neumann and Czech P.O. I've it.


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## emiellucifuge

My opinion is that the cello concerto is the greatest concerto written. It is just sheer perfection.


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## Polyphemus

The Cello concerto is certainly one of the greatest concerti ever written.


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## Arsakes

I like the Cello Concerto the first and second movement are really great. Although the 3rd movement starts great, but the rest and its closure doesn't appeal to me...


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## pjang23

Don't forget about the beautiful Romance in F minor


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## Vaneyes

Re Dvorak recs., I continue to enjoy Fournier for the Cello Concerto, and Suwanai for the Violin Concerto.

I've tried several for the Piano Concerto, including Richter, Aimard, Firkusny. I just do not like/get/appreciate that work. 

View attachment 5407
View attachment 5408


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## Taneyev

About the violin concerto, my all time favorite still is Milstein-Dorati. Just fantastic.


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## Olias

The Cello Concerto is arguably the greatest concerto ever composed, and the ending is a sublime tribute to Dvorak's sister in law whom he loved and had died while he was composing the work. Having said that, the Violin Concerto is HUGELY underrated. It is a gorgeous composition that is overshadowed by the large number of violin concerti in the repertoire.

I'm just waiting for Alisa Weilerstein to record the cello concerto. She's performed it many times:






For the violin concerto I really enjoy James Ehnes' recording:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=101483&album_group=5


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## Sid James

The piano concerto for me. Probably more like a symphony for piano and orchestra with the instrument less as soloist and more in _obbligato_ role. Not unlike Brahms' piano concertos, which I'd guess where written before Dvorak wrote his, Brahms being a big influence on him. The first movement of this concerto itself is a gem, esp. that broad Slavic theme at the start, and the other two movements maybe less good, but I enjoy it overall. It may be a bit heavy and Germanic compared to Dvorak's other two concerti, and not get fully off the ground so to speak, but I like this sense of weight, it has a certain gravitas and power. I have a recording with pianist Rosl Molzer with the Munich SO under Alexander von Pitamic & also one done by Ivan Moravec with conductor Jiri Belohlavec.

I do like the other two concertos, but I think the cello concerto is overplayed here, when an international cellist comes here, it's always that or the Elgar concerto that gets played (or maybe one of Haydn's). There are so many great cello concertos out there, but this concept of greatness is now I think a bit of a straightjacket. Not Dvorak's fault, yes it is a great work, but it's not the only one, that's what I'm saying.


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## elgar's ghost

The cello concerto by far. The piano concerto has acquired something resembling lame duck status in comparison - I haven't a problem with it all but for me it doesn't soar to anything like similar heights, maybe because it was a relatively early work.


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## PianoMan

The typical opinion on the concerti, with which I agree: Music critic Harold C. Schonberg expressed common critical opinion when he wrote that Dvořák wrote "an attractive Piano Concerto in G minor with a rather ineffective piano part, a beautiful Violin Concerto in A minor, and a supreme Cello Concerto in B minor."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonín_Dvořák#Concerti


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## Delicious Manager

There's a rather nice anecdote about Brahms and Dvořák. The experienced and well-known Brahms had been very supportive of Dvořák in his younger days and they two composers remained life-long friends. On hearing Dvořák's B minor Cello Concerto for the first time he said that, had he realised it were possible to write such a fine cello concerto, he would have tried to write one himself.


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## joen_cph

Cello, then piano, then violin. There are days though when I prefer the piano concerto, I`ve got 4 recordings of that work - Richter/Kondrashin, Maxian/Talich, Firkusny/Somogyi, Kvapil/Jilek.


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## Fugue Meister

He never surpassed the perfection he achieved in the cello concerto. That's ok it only takes one thing really look at Dukas.


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## nightscape

I voted Cello Concerto, but his Violin Concerto needs much more attention. Fantastic piece of writing.


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## Xaltotun

I'm new to Dvorak concertos, so I have great experiences in front of me! Some time ago I discovered the piano concerto and liked it. The violin concerto I discovered in a funny way: I remembered that I had disliked the Tchaikovsky VC, so I decided to give it another shot and put it on in Spotify. My reaction was completely opposite: "This is so good! How come I used to hate it?" Surprise, it wasn't the Tchaikovsky one but the Dvorak one. Still have to listen more of it, though, I'm not yet very familiar with it.

And right now I'm listening to the cello concerto for the (almost) first time. Rather sublime!


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## DaDirkNL

I am ashamed to say that I've never heard a Dvorak concerto. No time like the present, they say. What should I start with?


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## senza sordino

DaDirkNL said:


> I am ashamed to say that I've never heard a Dvorak concerto. No time like the present, they say. What should I start with?


Look at the poll results, the cello concerto is the place to start. It is indeed something special, possibly the best thing Dvorak ever wrote.


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## hpowders

Dvorak Cello Concerto, preferably performed by Piatigorsky and Munch/ Boston Symphony.


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## Avey

senza sordino said:


> Look at the poll results, the cello concerto is the place to start. It is indeed something special, possibly the best thing Dvorak ever wrote.


IMHO It is _ . _


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## mtmailey

The cello concerto is the best the last movement is great & there are fragments of the first 2 movements in the last movement.


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## revdrdave

I love Dvorak but offer a minority report on the Cello Concerto: I don't think it's Dvorak's greatest concerto, even the greatest cello concerto (I like both by Shostakovich and the one by Shchedrin better), let alone (as a couple of previous posts have claimed) the greatest concerto _period_. I think the Violin Concerto is by far the better work, especially as played by Josef Suk and Karel Ancerl.


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## Guest

DaDirkNL said:


> I am ashamed to say that I've never heard a Dvorak concerto. No time like the present, they say. What should I start with?


Definitely the cello concerto, but try them all eventually. I recommend the recording on DG with Rostropovich and Karajan. It is a very good recording.

And if you get the cello concerto bug, then you absolutely have to listen to Elgar's Cello Concerto. The standard wisdom is to listen to the du Pre/Barbirolli recording on EMI, and that is certainly an incredible one, but I like the more recent recording by Wispelwey on the Channel Classics label.


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## Roi N

Delicious Manager said:


> Don't forget that the Cello Concerto we now know was the second one Dvořák wrote. There was an early concerto in A major in 1865, although only a piano accompaniment has come down to us. It was one of several of Dvořák's early works which were lost during his lifetime (it was this that caused the confusion in the numbering if his symphonies, as Nos 1-4 only surfaced after his death). A performing edition and orchestration was created by Jarmil Burghauser and Miloš Sadlo in 1970. Have a listen and see what you think


This is really good!! Loved the beginning especially. And the Cello entrance. Why isn't this more preformed???


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## Roi N

revdrdave said:


> I love Dvorak but offer a minority report on the Cello Concerto: I don't think it's Dvorak's greatest concerto, even the greatest cello concerto (I like both by Shostakovich and the one by Shchedrin better), let alone (as a couple of previous posts have claimed) the greatest concerto _period_.


The Cello concerto is by all means Dvorak's best work. However, I do agree that it is not the best cello concerto - both of Haydn's concerti are better.


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## thebakerman

Cello Concerto and Rostropovich


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## Lukecash12

I had to say it was his piano concerto because of the second movement.


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