# Best cello concerto



## thatperson

What do you think is the best cello concerto ever?

In addition to the ones in the poll, Rozsa, Lalo, Brahms Double, Beethoven Triple, Barber, Rouse, Ligeti, Kabalevsky #1/#2, and Korngold also great concertos.


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## ScipioAfricanus

Dvorak and it isn't even close.


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## JSK

ScipioAfricanus said:


> Dvorak and it isn't even close.


This exactly.


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## Sid James

I'm dubious of the term "greatest" used in such a context, but aside from that, I really like the Dutilleux for not only the way it extends the instrument to the limit, but has some wonderful, luscious, nocturnal orchestration. I also like how it was inspired by literature, the poetry of Baudelaire (although it was never meant to illustrate this literally).

Others I like are the Lutoslawski, Shostakovich (especially No. 2), Myaskovsky, Hovhaness, Haydn. I'm not a big fan of the Dvorak, as it's coverage has just about reached saturation point, but I do admit that it is a masterpiece & can be quite moving in many ways. The Prokofiev & Britten are not entirely successful for me, putting the cello into a symphonic context doesn't create the same type of dynamism as the piano (that's just my opinion, anyway). I don't really like the Elgar as it seems to tread old ground and doesn't extend the instrument or the genre in any way (again, my opinion only).

Ones that I would really like to hear are the Vieuxtemps & Ligeti...


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## TWhite

I really have to say the Dvorak b minor, with the two Haydn coming in a relatively close second. But the Dvorak is my all-time favorite concerto for ANY instrument with orchestra, and I'm saying this as a pianist. So it REALLY hits me, obviously!

Tom


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## Art Rock

Of the ones listed, Dvorak, but I actually would choose EJ Moeran's cello concerto - such a neglected composer!


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## handlebar

I LOVE the Morean CC but alas not listed(nor the Bax). The Elgar would be my choice of the listed concertos.I do admire the Dvorak though and wish the Bax Cello concerto would get more airplay and concert performances.


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## Lukecash12

Robert Schumann, _Cello Concerto in A minor_.


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## Aramis

<sick of listing "best" works in particular forms and genres>

BLAH.


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## Weston

I picked Shostakovich - especially for the No. 1 with Rostropovich performing. I'm sure I've heard the Dvorak, but can't really say it grabbed me. Elgar would be my next choice.


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## Lukecash12

Aramis said:


> <sick of listing "best" works in particular forms and genres>
> 
> BLAH.


Hey, quit being such a sourpuss. Wait, nevermind, that's your job!  Keep up the good work, then


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## tgtr0660

JSK said:


> This exactly.


 Thirded. The distance between Dvorak's and the next is enormous.


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## Sid James

Lukecash12 said:


> Robert Schumann, _Cello Concerto in A minor_.


Yes, probably the only cello concerto of substance between those by Haydn & the late C19th (eg. Saint-Saens, Dvorak). Like his _Piano Concerto_, quite groundbreaking in the way it makes a lyrical, poetic statement rather than being flashy & showy. I will be seeing the Schumann CC live later in the year with Australian cellist Emma Jane Murphy - can't wait!...


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## Edward Elgar

The Dvorak is nice, but just not inventive or original enough for me to consider it a great.

I'm glad to see my own concerto is doing nicely lol! That's what I voted for. He (I) gets the balance between soloist and orchestra just right and the 3rd mtv is so soul-searchingly beautiful. Jacqueline du Pre gives the best rendition imo.


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## JAKE WYB

Strange, the dvorak concerto seems to have a greater firey original inspiration in its writing than Elgar does for me (sorry) but it dosnt bother me either way becuase they are both equal of one another depending on my mood i coyld choose either but none other - i did choose the dvorak as its just a little healthier in expression - elgar i find a little stifling - like the windows need opening after a long period of being cooped away feeling sorry for ones self - dvorak is more a breath of fresh air


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## Fsharpmajor

Of the ones on the list I voted for Britten's *Cello Symphony*; however tied for first place is Schnittke's *Cello Concerto No. 1*. I haven't managed to get hold of his No. 2 yet.


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## Sorin Eushayson

Vivaldi's. Thirty-or-so compellingly rich and extravagant Baroque cello concerti.


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## Taneyev

My favorites are:
Dvorak second
Elgar
Lalo
Saint-Saëns first
Fabalevsky first
Khatchaturian
Rozsa
Glazunov concerto-balatta
Miaskovsky


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## schwartzy

*Lesser known cello concertos*



Andre said:


> Others I like are the Lutoslawski, Shostakovich (especially No. 2), Myaskovsky, Hovhaness, Haydn.


The opening movement of Shostakovich's first Cello Concerto drives me nuts ... that insistent 4-note motif is just hammered out to death - and beyond. I hear that movement (though not the others) as over zealous note-spinning!

Good to see mention here of rarer concertos, like the Lutoslawski Cello Concerto and especially the very unusual Alan Hovhaness one, which is recorded on Naxos. This latter work is possibly the most sparse modern-day concerto I know of, with the cello part is not showy, nor is the orchestra set up as an antagonist. After my initial surprise, the work's melancholy and understated sincerity slowly revealed itself. Glad I stuck with it.

There are a good many modern cello concertos written by younger composers, and not just by American ones. And within the known repertoire, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Bohuslav Martinu. Are the two examples of his not highly regarded?


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## JAKE WYB

schwartzy said:


> .... I'm surprised no one has mentioned Bohuslav Martinu. Are the two examples of his not highly regarded?


Im downloading them both as we speak....

I expect them to be, if not as marvellous as the symphonies or couple of the piano or double concerti, to be at least entertainingly colourful or imaginatively wrought like most of martinus less striking ouevres...................

..............


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## World Violist

Dvorak, easily. And while I don't normally go to Dvorak at all, the cello concerto is just perfect.


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## Sid James

Fsharpmajor said:


> ...tied for first place is Schnittke's *Cello Concerto No. 1*. I haven't managed to get hold of his No. 2 yet.


I agree Schnittke's No. 1 is an excellent work (I also haven't heard the 2nd). Schnittke's cello music sometimes sounds very lonely & melancholic, but at the end of the work, he shows us a whole new world, what I feel is a breathtaking landscape. It's a pretty exhilirating conclusion.


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## Sid James

Sorin Eushayson said:


> Vivaldi's. Thirty-or-so compellingly rich and extravagant Baroque cello concerti.


Yes I've got two of them (arranged by Malipiero - probably not ok by purist's standards) coupled with the two Haydn. I'm willing to listen to any Vivaldi, as long as it's not the dreaded _Four Seasons_(maybe I'd hear that once in a blue moon, I certainly don't own it)...


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## JAKE WYB

In regard to MARTINUS two cello concerti - very worth a listen but definately not first class martinu - but *cello concertino* much more compelling and worth a listen - slightly more angular and colourful

as much as id id like to say they arent a patch on my fave 20th century one -*Shostakovich 2nd*


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## Guest

This was tough for me. Both the Dvorak and the Elgar concerti are among my most favored pieces, and I would not be without either. I have been on somewhat of a quest to find my favorite recording of the Elgar concerto. To date, I have acquired:
Harrison/Elgar (EMI)
Maisky/Sinopoli (Penguin Classics)
du Pre/Barbirolli (EMI)
Clein/Handley
Ma/Previn
Kliegel/Halasz

du Pre's is a wonderful performance, but lately I have been preferring Maisky.

Dvorak's was the first cello concerto I heard, and instantly fell in love with it. I started with the Rostropovich/Karajan recording, as I am a great fan of Rostropovich. To that I have added:
Kliegel/Halasz
Ma/Maazel
Queyras/Behlolavek

The Queyras recording is a wonderful one. 

Ultimately, I had to go with Elgar - it simply moves me more than does the Dvorak concerto, though only slightly more. It is definitely a more melancholy piece than Dvorak's, so which I choose to listen to depends greatly on my mood.


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## muxamed

DrMike said:


> Dvorak's was the first cello concerto I heard, and instantly fell in love with it. I started with the Rostropovich/Karajan recording, as I am a great fan of Rostropovich. To that I have added:
> Kliegel/Halasz
> Ma/Maazel
> Queyras/Behlolavek


If you like Rostropovich then I recommend his recording on EMI with Giulini which is more colourful then the one with Karajan.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Haydn's two cello concertos smash all others.


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## Bobotox

Like others have said. The Dvorak destroys anything from the cello repertoire.


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## CostaSimpson

I think this depends strongly on what you want to listen to. I enjoy the Elgar for its "moody" chords and darkness, but the Tchaikovsky is a light and playful piece.


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## TresPicos

Lalo, of those mentioned. I have avoided this genre ever since I almost yawned my jaw off at a live performance of Dvorak's cello concerto many years ago, but I really liked Lalo.

My favorite, though, is actually a cello _concertino_, by Dutch composer *Hendrik Andriessen*.


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## maestro267

Dvorak, although Elgar and Schumann rank highly with me too.


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## Josef Anton Bruckner

I had to go for Elgar, myself. The piece is hauntingly beautiful.


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## Huge

Dvorak, or Shosty.


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## Guest

Dvorak, Elgar, Walton


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## Lukecash12

Andre said:


> Yes, probably the only cello concerto of substance between those by Haydn & the late C19th (eg. Saint-Saens, Dvorak). Like his _Piano Concerto_, quite groundbreaking in the way it makes a lyrical, poetic statement rather than being flashy & showy. I will be seeing the Schumann CC live later in the year with Australian cellist Emma Jane Murphy - can't wait!...


That is actually one of the few times someone has agreed or spoke up about it's tenacity and quality. Bravo sir!


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## Lukecash12

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Haydn's two cello concertos smash all others.


Within his time period, I think he dominated just about every common music form.


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## schwartzy

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Haydn's two cello concertos smash all others.


Given that there must be *well over 200 cello concertos* out there written in the last 2½ centuries, it's good to know that someone has listened to "ALL OTHERS" in order to make such a sweeping judgment!


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## ScipioAfricanus

schwartzy said:


> Given that there must be *well over 200 cello concertos* out there written in the last 2½ centuries, it's good to know that someone has listened to "ALL OTHERS" in order to make such a sweeping judgment!


if "all others" were equally good and brilliant they would be ranked much higher and would have been known. Every one with elementary composition skills can compose a cello concerto but not everyone can compose a great cello concerto.


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## Guest

ScipioAfricanus said:


> if "all others" were equally good and brilliant they would be ranked much higher and would have been known. Every one with elementary composition skills can compose a cello concerto but not everyone can compose a great cello concerto.


Agreed. It isn't personal preference alone that has pushed the above mentioned cello concertos to the forefront. Time, the great judge of all, has whittled away the lesser works. Now, before everybody jumps down my throat, I am not saying that popular=best, and I do not deny that some great works may have slipped through the cracks. But by and large, the important works are the ones that endure.


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## ScipioAfricanus

DrMike said:


> Agreed. It isn't personal preference alone that has pushed the above mentioned cello concertos to the forefront. Time, the great judge of all, has whittled away the lesser works. Now, before everybody jumps down my throat, I am not saying that popular=best, and I do not deny that some great works may have slipped through the cracks. But by and large, the important works are the ones that endure.


I also agree with you. I have listened to the Cello Concertos of D'Albert and Raff, and they are not as great as Dvorak's.


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## Huilunsoittaja

I love both the Dvorak and Elgar, but Dvorak still wins. Dvorak is like a modernized Beethoven to me, because both shared one thing in common, just in different eras: FIRE.


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## Head_case

Hmmmphhh. 

I thought I'd give the Dvorak cello concerto (New World Concertos - coupling with the Herbert) by Yo-Yo Ma another go, since I've gone on a Yoyo spree recently. 

What do people like about this kind of music? 

I'm asking because I genuinely don't know. I hear it; the melodious lines; the technical proficiency and so? What are Dvorak cello concertos lovers hearing that others don't? 

For me, it doesn't hold the elegiac beauty of the Myaskovskian worldview, nor the weirdness of the Panufnik cello concerto....nor the lovely Shostakovich cello concerto, let alone the more approachable Kabelevsky and other Russian concertos... in fact the Dvorak cello concerto seems to blend in quite well with the Lalo-Vieuxtemps kind of bland romantic stuff. 

Well anyway. Maybe we need to start a rule on this forum, that no one (including me) disses anyone else's taste.  There is no accounting for taste


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## Aramis

Don't know what's so special about Myaskovsky's concerto. His cello sonatas are great, but concerto? It's like second water after last year's snow's husky urine.


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## Head_case

Aramis said:


> Don't know what's so special about Myaskovsky's concerto. His cello sonatas are great, but concerto? It's like second water after last year's snow's husky urine.


Yes....a lot of people don't know what's so special about Myaskovsky's concerto.

Their loss. After all, Rostropovich knew 

You've got some strange taste - what are you doing drinking snow husky urine?


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## SPR

I have been enjoying Boccherinis cello concertos 1-12.... The last 4 are very good.

Any of these worth considering for any of you cello afficionados?


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## Sid James

Just for the record, Haydn's second cello concerto is apparently of doubtful authenticity, although most scholars have felt comfortable with attributing it to him. I'd say this isn't a "model" concerto, for example, the first movement is far too long for the material. In any case, it's interesting to hear how this concerto looks forward to the classical era, and the earlier one looks back to the Baroque.

About the Myaskovsky cello concerto, well it's obviously not a very "innovative" work, written in the 1940's but sounding in the same idiom as something by say, Glazunov. It doesn't engage me on the same level as some other C20th concertos, but I still enjoy listening to it occassionally. In any case, the tunes are quite memorable and pleasant to listen to, but (of course) it doesn't really "push the boundaries," but not everything has to, I guess. I'd say the cadenza is the best part of the work, sounds the most modern, but the rest can almost have been written 50 years earlier...


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## HarpsichordConcerto

SPR said:


> I have been enjoying Boccherinis cello concertos 1-12.... The last 4 are very good.
> 
> Any of these worth considering for any of you cello afficionados?


Boccherini was a great cello composer. I enjoy these concertos a lot.


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## cw4257

Elgar is my pick!


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## schwartzy

Andre said:


> Just for the record, Haydn's second cello concerto is apparently of doubtful authenticity, although most scholars have felt comfortable with attributing it to him.


If indeed "most scholars have felt comfortable with attributing it to him", it seems to indicate that perhaps his cello concertos aren't at the pinnacle of the cello concerto repertoire that some have implied above.


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## Boccherini

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Boccherini was a great cello composer.


Yes, indeed!
I'm currently searching for a nice complete set of Boccherini's Cello Sonatas (if there's anything like that), suggestions?


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## Mr.Vivaldi

I think the best is Elgar, though the Dvorak one is good too. Even though it is not listed, I also love Vivaldi's cello concerto.


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## TSHare

Schumann! Shocked it isn't one of the poll choices. So lyrical, sad, introspective. After that, Elgar, Dvorak and Shostakovich 1.


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## PicklePepperPiper

No mention of Bloch's _Schelomo_?(!!!!!!) If you can, find the very rare recording with Emmanuel Feuermann - if you're able to get over the poor quality of the recording devices used at the time, lie on the floor, close your eyes and soak up the amazingness that is _Schelomo_.

Also, I think _Haydn D_ is a much greater piece of music than _Haydn C_ - just a tad more difficult to play 

No mention of Strauss's _Don Quixote_ either? Although I suppose it's a tone poem for Cello and Orchestra, not an actual concerto.

-PPP


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## bassClef

Dvorak, but I also like Offenbach's


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## Hal

Saint-Saens no. 1! A bit short, but so full of passion, a great duet between cello and orchestra. Why isn't it more popular?


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## suffolkcoastal

I have a number of favourites including:

the Barber & Mennin concertos and Schuman's A Song of Orpheus, the Moeran, Finzi, Bliss & Walton, both Martinu concertos and the concertos by Holmboe and Koppel.


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## Prodromides

I voted for "other".

Here's 5 favorites with Cello & Orchestra (although a number of them are not strictly in concerto form)

1926 Konzertstuck by Aarre Merikanto
1945 Fantasia for Cello and Orchestra by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Einojuhani Rautavaara's 1968 Cello Concerto
Arne Nordheim's Magma (1988)
1990 Cello Concerto No.2 "In Dark And Blue" by Maurice Ohana


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## Arsakes

I like Dvorak's cello concerto, but I prefer Haydn's C Major somewhat more.


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## moody

ScipioAfricanus said:


> Dvorak and it isn't even close.


Yes, it's quite close.


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## Klavierspieler

Schumann, et Elgar, et Britten.


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## clavichorder

I voted other. I really like Martinu's Cello Concerto.


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## Organfan

thatperson said:


> What do you think is the best cello concerto ever?
> 
> In addition to the ones in the poll, Rozsa, Lalo, Brahms Double, Beethoven Triple, Barber, Rouse, Ligeti, Kabalevsky #1/#2, and Korngold also great concertos.


Howdy-- I had to join simply to say that, despite its somewhat old-fashioned sound, I'll cast only the second vote for the SS Am. There's no such thing as "the best" anything, but that one kills me every time. I also have to 2nd the guy who cited "Schelomo." I had both of these on an old Leonard Rose vinyl and wore it out.


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## KenOC

The best cello concerto, without a doubt, is the one Beethoven *inexcusably *failed to write.


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## Novelette

Dvorak, Haydn in D, Tchaikovsky Rococo.

Other:

1. Bach, C.P.E.: Cello Concerto in A Minor, Wq 170/H 439

2. Schumann: Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129


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## Mesa

Du Pre's Elgar may be my favourite piece of music in the world.


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## Bone

Wondered why Schumann A minor was left off....but I went with Elgar and feel fine about it


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## Hausmusik

Schumann, Elgar, Dutilleux.


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## Hausmusik

KenOC said:


> The best cello concerto, without a doubt, is the one Beethoven *inexcusably *failed to write.


To judge from the Triple Concerto and the cello sonatas, it would have been undistinguished.


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## KenOC

Hausmusik said:


> To judge from the Triple Concerto and the cello sonatas, it would have been undistinguished.


I can make only the comment that the statement deserves:


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## Organfan

KenOC said:


> I can make only the comment that the statement deserves:


Well, heck, it's only a subjective opinion, one I can live with.


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## presto

Nobody heard of Finzi's Cello Concerto?
It's a big brooding romantic masterpiece, from a very underrated English composer. 
I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's as good as Elgar's very popular concerto. 
Check this out-


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## DrKilroy

There is a very nice one by Offenbach.

Best regards, Dr


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## Oldboy

Given that it was the first classical CD that I bought, I couldn't not vote for Elgar. Having said that, I'm not overly familier with many of the others on the list so I think I'm going to have to expand my cello education a bit.


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## Guest

Hausmusik said:


> To judge from the Triple Concerto and the cello sonatas, it would have been undistinguished.


The cello sonatas undistinguished? My recording from Rostropovich and Richter would beg to differ!


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## mgj15

Great post, presto. I listened to that YouTube last week, fantastic piece, i'll be revisiting!


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## Guest

I don't have a favorite Cello Concerto yet, but one that is really fantastic and certainly in the running is one that I bet few people have heard: Saygun's Cello Concerto from 1987.









Check it out!


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## Celloissimo

Elgar by far. It's one of the most sublime and powerful thing ever written. The next runner up is Dvorak, while also extremely moving, still doesn't have that same effect on me. I don't have much emotional attachment to Haydn's concerti (let alone any of his pieces) but they are very beautiful.


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## Prodromides

BPS said:


> I don't have a favorite Cello Concerto yet, but one that is really fantastic and certainly in the running is one that I bet few people have heard: Saygun's Cello Concerto from 1987.


I have this CD & I like it too.

Even more interesting is that BPS (that lover of "light" classical) is getting into "serious" 20th century music.

Have you been reading my posts? 

Like inside this one ...

http://www.talkclassical.com/24352-composers-reception-home-abroad-3.html


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## OboeKnight

Elgar is my favorite from what I've heard so far. I actually enjoy the oboe solos in Tchaik-Rococo more than the cello solo lol. My youth orchestra is performing Rococo Variations, with our principal cellist as soloist. I play principal oboe for the concerto and I'm really enjoying _my_ part


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## CyrilWashbrook

The Dvorak by a country mile. Probably my favourite piece of music, full stop.

I'm not a huge fan of the Elgar, to be honest. I don't _dis_like it by any means and if it's on the radio, I'll listen to it, but it's not one that I return to of my own volition very often.


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## Feathers

I voted for Elgar, Shostakovich, and Others (Schumann and Saint-Saens). 

How I feel like the Dvorak is like how CyrilWashbrook feels about Elgar. I'm not a huge fan of the Dvorak, but I certainly don't dislike it. Maybe I'll give it another listen and see if I warm up to it.


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## MagneticGhost

I went Dvorak. Used to Elgar but over familiarity and all that. Toyed with Shostakovich but then remembered the achingly beautiful Adagio and found myself with the majority


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## userfume

I find with the Dvorak:
the 1st movement is incredible - as a single movement, maybe my favourite movement of any orchestral work
the 2nd movement is beautiful, but also filled with moments of anger
the 3rd movement is _okay_
Schubert factor?


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## lostid

Schumann's cello concerto not on the list? I boycott the vote. :tiphat:


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## Novelette

lostid said:


> Schumann's cello concerto not on the list? I boycott the vote. :tiphat:


I nearly boycotted on those same grounds, but I decided to look upon it as "Of this group, which is the greatest?" So I went with Haydn and Tchaikovsky. Still, I had to mentioned dear Schumann, so I ticked "Other", too.


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## mnsCA

I've just discovered Pavel Vranický's Cello Concerto in C major, op. 27, and it's lovely! Dvorak is my favourite though.


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## Forte

I can't say what is the best for sure, but one of my favorites is Elgar, simply because of Jacqueline du Pré. I don't like Dvorak so much, but his Cello Concerto is certainly one of his greatest works, so I picked that one too. Rostropovich made me select Prokofiev and Shostakovich. Hey, if the poll lets you pick multiple concertos why not


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## nightscape

Went with Dvorak. That might be a bit unfair since I'm currently listening to his 8th Symphony while making this vote and comment. What can I say, he's my boy.


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## Ondine

Dvorak, Britten, Shostakovich.


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## TrevBus

JSK said:


> This exactly.


What they both said. Absolutely glorious concerto. Esp. w/either Dupre or Rostropovitch playing. Can't really choose, both work for me.


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## TrevBus

lostid said:


> Schumann's cello concerto not on the list? I boycott the vote. :tiphat:


Well, I like the statement but I don't go w/boycott, as long as OTHER is part of the poll. After Dvorak, Schumann is my next favorite.


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## TrevBus

BPS said:


> I don't have a favorite Cello Concerto yet, but one that is really fantastic and certainly in the running is one that I bet few people have heard: Saygun's Cello Concerto from 1987.
> 
> View attachment 16063
> 
> 
> Check it out!


Have this cd and while I really liked the Saygun, I found I really liked the Viola Concerto better.
Excellant disc. I really like this composer, esp. his Symphonies.


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## starthrower




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## Bix

It's a tie between Dvořák and Elgar for me, as Antonín is in front I'll go for Eddie who was born near here.


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## Vaneyes

Bix said:


> It's a tie between Dvořák and Elgar for me, as Antonín is in front I'll go for *Eddie *who was born near here.


I like it...and probably a name only his mother used. Though you surely know the local history more than I do. :tiphat:


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## Garlic

Penderecki No. 1

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa


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## Celloman

I hereby declare that the Dvorak is the greatest cello concerto. And of course, since my name is Celloman, I am the absolute authority.


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## LouisMasterMusic

Bit harsh this one I thought. I adore the lyricism of the Elgar, but at the same time, I truly admire the heroism of the Dvorak. I selected the Elgar, but I seemed to have regretted it after having seen that Dvorak got the most votes. Not surprising really, but maybe I should have just understood that we are all human and we all like different things. Just to reiterate, I admire both pieces, more than any other concerto written for the cello, in fact. The stand-alone pieces for the instrument that I enjoy are Bruch's setting of Kol Nidrei and Bargiel's Adagio for cello and orchestra.


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