# Top 5 favorite piano concertos OR top 3 favorite piano concerto composers?



## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

You have a choice. You can either list your top 5 favorite piano concertos. Or you can list your top 3 favorite composers of piano concertos...or you can do both.


----------



## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

Very well. In no particular order:
Ravel in G major
Ravel Left Hand
Bartok No. 2
Ginastera No. 1
Beethoven No. 4


----------



## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

I responded to a top 10 piano concertos thread a while ago, so this time I'll do the three composers. One rule is they have to have written more than one piano concerto, so:

-Mozart
-Beethoven
-Brahms

...that turned out boring.


----------



## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

Stravinsky: Concerto for Piano and Winds
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Ravel: Concerto for the Left Hand in D
Keith Emerson: Piano Concerto #1
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto #1 in Bb minor


----------



## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

QuietGuy said:


> S
> Keith Emerson: Piano Concerto #1


YES! Everyone should experience this concerto in a blind first hearing and see if they can think of who may have composed it. (I might have guessed Copland, or maybe Barber It sounds deceptively American to me.) Wonderful work.


----------



## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'll take a stab at it, maybe almost in order:

*Beethoven PC 5* - The emperor of all concertos and the first classical LP I ever had.

*Rawsthorne, PC 1*. Seriously, this work just about left me debilitated in a good way. Where has it been hiding all my years of listening?

*Emerson PC 1* - I'll follow suit with QuietGuy on this. The themes are just so satisfying, although some complain it's just a collection of themes that don't hang together well. I think it's a marvelous conglomeration.

*Schumann, PC* - The finale movement makes me leap around for joy. Except when Martha's playing. I know she's supposed to be the best, but I like to hear the notes more distinct, less slurred. I love her Prokofiev however.

*Beethoven, Violin Concerto as a piano concerto*. It incorporates one of Beethoven's endless trills I love so much, the kind that just when you think it's going to resolve gently modulates until cold chills go up my spine. Pure Beethoven.

Honorable mention goes to *Rubinstein, PC #5*. Mahlerian may frown a bit at this. I confess I haven't warmed to this composer's symphonies, but the PC 5 movement 1 is a stunner to me. He was firing on all cylinders for that one.

That's my five for the moment. 3 favorite PC composers (who wrote more than one) in general might be -- well, Beethoven obviously, maybe Mozart (I know it's shocking), and maybe Prokofiev.


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Well, here we go:

1) Schoenberg
2) Beethoven
3) Brahms.

I wish that I could list some electroacoustic piano concertos


----------



## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Beethoven #5
Schoenberg
Grieg
Schumann
Ravel G Major

Beethoven
Mozart
Ravel


----------



## Guest (Feb 27, 2015)

albertfallickwang said:


> I wish that I could list some electroacoustic piano concertos


I've got a few piano/orchestra/electronics works but outside of the Nono (which includes a soprano so dunno about counting that..), I don't know them well enough yet. Thinking Mitterer, Kalitzke, Manoury, etc.


----------



## Bevo (Feb 22, 2015)

Definitely Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 first (the rest in no particular order),
I actually like Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2 more than his first,
I do like both the Chopin concertos,
I really enjoy Hummel's Third Piano Concerto as well,
and then practically any later Mozart Piano Concertos are sublime!
Also have to just point out how much I enjoy that joyous Scherzando Rondo of Beethoven's First Piano Concerto though! :tiphat:


----------



## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

I don't know how one goes about answering something like this. I could probably list at least 5 now although it would necessarily be a rather arbitrary list and would probably be different two hours from now and definitely different tomorrow morning.


----------



## OldFashionedGirl (Jul 21, 2013)

Bartók, Prokofiev and Beethoven.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Mozart, Ravel, Rachmaninoff.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Mozart, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Top 3 composers:

Mozart
Beethoven
Prokofiev

Top 5 concertos: maybe

Schumann /Argerich,Harnoncourt
Brahms 1
Prokofiev 4 / Krainev,Kitayenko,Moscow RSO
Medtner 3 /Ponti,Cao
Nørgård


----------



## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

I'll give my favourite PC's from 5 favourite PC composers.

Mozart (9, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Beethoven (2 - 5)
Brahms (all)
Tchaikovsky (all)
Rachmaninov (all)


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Prokofiev, Bartok and Mozart.

Honorable mention: Tchaikovsky for his unabashedly romantic Piano Concerto No. 1.


----------



## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

Weston said:


> *Beethoven, Violin Concerto as a piano concerto*. It incorporates one of Beethoven's endless trills I love so much, the kind that just when you think it's going to resolve gently modulates until cold chills go up my spine.


Interesting. I played this once and couldn't get through it all, thinking it much inferior to the original Violin version and just unnecessary. The soloist's part felt very much transcribed rather than written naturally for the piano.

But to each their own. :tiphat:


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

albertfallickwang said:


> Well, here we go:
> 
> 1) Schoenberg
> 2) Beethoven
> ...


Kelemen´s Mirabilia has some of those effects, but it´s not that captivating, I think.


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Now for my top five piano concertos (accompanied by the opening fanfare of the Beethoven Emperor Concerto):

1. Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3

2. Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2

3. Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23

4. Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2

5. Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4


----------



## Polyphemus (Nov 2, 2011)

Rachmaninov (all)
Mozart All (Uchida/Tate)
Beethoven 4
Busoni (Ogdon)
Bartok 2

I could go on Tchaikovsky/Prokofiev etc


----------



## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

I pretty much agree with TC's Top 100 Most Recommended Keyboard Concerti:

1. Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20
2. Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 2
3. Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2
4. Grieg - Piano Concerto
5. Schumann - Piano Concerto


----------



## poconoron (Oct 26, 2011)

For me it's:

Mozart #20
Mozart #25
Mozart #17
Beethoven #4
Beethoven #5

I guess I'm stuck in the "classical" era.


----------



## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

hpowders said:


> Now for my top five piano concertos (accompanied by the opening fanfare of the Beethoven Emperor Concerto):
> 
> 1. Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3
> 
> ...


Have you gone off the Medtner 2. I remember you were very taken with it a couple of months ago. 
Nice list btw 

Mine are

Top 3 composers option

Rachmaninov
Mozart
Brahms


----------



## opus111 (Jan 31, 2015)

The first thing that came to mind was "Mozart - Concertos 9-27."


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I don't know my answers to these things anymore. Maybe

- Beethoven 4
- Brahms 1
- Grieg 
- Mozart 20
- Mozart 21

I'm not sure it counts, but what really blows me away is Nono's _Como una ola de fuerza y luz_. If that counts, you can delete Brahms 1 from the list.


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

MagneticGhost said:


> Have you gone off the Medtner 2. I remember you were very taken with it a couple of months ago.
> Nice list btw
> 
> Mine are
> ...


No I haven't! I played it about a week ago. It's a wonderful concerto!


----------



## FrankF (Jan 19, 2015)

Mozart
Beethoven
Rachmaninov


----------



## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Brahms 2
Medtner 2
Mozart 20
Beethoven 4
Ravel-left hand


----------



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

Prokofiev, Mozart, Rachmaninoff are probably my favorite composers of piano cti


----------



## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

Works (roughly):

Mozart 20
Schumann
Beethoven 4
Mozart 24
Mendelssohn 1

Composers:

Mozart (by a very, very large margin)
Beethoven
Brahms


----------



## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

Composers: 

Beethoven,
Brahms
Rachmaninov

Concerti:
Beethoven 5
Brahms 1
Beethoven 1
Rachmaninov 1
Mozart 20


----------



## Oscarf (Dec 13, 2014)

Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and first mention in the thread for Saint Saens


----------



## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

Becca said:


> I don't know how one goes about answering something like this. I could probably list at least 5 now although it would necessarily be a rather arbitrary list and would probably be different two hours from now and definitely different tomorrow morning.


Well of course. I wouldn't even be able to compile such a list. I haven't heard enough piano concertos and my favorites would change depending on my mood.


----------



## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Composers:

1. Mozart by a landslide - so many great ones.
2. Beethoven - I can do without the first two, but the remainder are wonderful.
3. Rachmaninov - It's nos. 2 and 3 for me.


----------



## Gaspard de la Nuit (Oct 20, 2014)

Grieg, Liszt, Schumann, in that order....not that the ultra-romantic aesthetic is my favorite, but it seems to use the modern piano in a way that is most natural to it.....i.e., it sounds the best in that style.


----------



## almc (Jan 26, 2013)

Poulenc for two pianos & orchestra

Prokovief 3rd

Schumann 

Mozart No 9 & 20


----------



## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

My favorite is Beethoven's 4th by a good margin. The rest in no order would be Mozart's 20th and 23rd, Brahms' 1st and 2nd, and Beethoven's 5th


----------



## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

With great reluctance I have put together a top ten concerti list (however worthless it might be!) as well:

Rachmaninov 3, 4
Tchaikovsky 1, 2
Brahms 2
Beethoven 4
Prokofiev 2
Mozart 18, 20, 25


----------



## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

Oscarf said:


> Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and first mention in the thread for Saint Saens


Last Saturday I saw the Florida Orchestra play Saint Saen's Piano Concerto 2. The soloist was Pascal Roge and the conductor was Perry So. It was great!


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Yes. The Florida Orchestra is a good one. Hope they manage to survive somehow within the cultural desert they find themselves in.


----------



## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Yes. The Florida Orchestra is a good one. Hope they manage to survive somehow within the cultural desert they find themselves in.


I do see quite a lot of young people there (I'm 19 myself). One time my dad and I were outside on our phones not paying attention to anything before the FL orchestra performed Dvorak's 9th. This rather large group of young girls came up to me and asked me to take a photo of them.

So I don't think it's hopeless.


----------



## Stavrogin (Apr 20, 2014)

Top 3 composers:
Prokofiev
Beethoven
Bartok

Top 5 PC:
Proko 2
Beethoven 5
Chaikovskij 1
Rach 2
Bartok 2


----------



## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Replacing the word "Piano" with "keyboard":

*Composers:*
Ravel
Bartok 
Bach

*Concertos:*
Ravel in G
Bartok 2
Bach BWV 1052
Bach BWV 1056
Mozart 24

*edit -* Bartok 1, or Ravel's for the left hand or any of the other Bach concertos could've also taken that last spot, but I feel that Mozart wrote a lot of exceptional PC's and needed to be acknowledged in this category.


----------



## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

I completely forgot about Debussy's _Fantasie Pour Piano et Orchestre_. Without a doubt makes my top five, actually my top three.


----------



## Guest (Mar 1, 2015)

I'm not sure how much I want to count Nono's _Como Una Ola De Fuerza Y Luz_... but I suppose if Busoni is allowed to add a choral movement...


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

*Composers:* Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Prokofiev

*Works:* Rach #3,4 
Brahms #1,2
Prokofiev #3

Honorable mention: Stenhammar #1


----------



## Dave Whitmore (Oct 3, 2014)

1. Mozart PC 21
2. Tchaikovsky PC 1
3. Ravel PC 
4. Mozart PC 20
5. I'm not sure yet!


----------



## Lisztian (Oct 10, 2011)

Currently:

1. Schumann.
2. Rachmaninoff 3.
3. Liszt 2.
4. Rachmaninoff 2.
5. Grieg.

Still early in the discovering/'getting more familiar' phase, so this list is very temporary.


----------



## violadude (May 2, 2011)

I have 4 favorite piano concerto writers, and I'll name all 4 because I'm a loose canon that doesn't play by the rules.

1. Mozart
2. Brahms
3. Bartok
4. Prokofiev


----------



## Revel (Feb 25, 2015)

Composers

- Tchaikovsky (for his 1 & 2)
- Vaughan Williams (for his only)
- Grieg (for his only)


----------



## pentaquine (Mar 4, 2015)

Beethoven 4, 5
Brahms 1, 2
Schumann
Rachmaninov 2


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Dave Whitmore said:


> 1. Mozart PC 21
> 2. Tchaikovsky PC 1
> 3. Ravel PC
> 4. Mozart PC 20
> 5. I'm not sure yet!


Choice 5: mono or stereo?


----------



## HIDEKI SUKENOBU (Mar 31, 2015)

I like Ravel and Bartok,too. But I prefer #3 because of its nocturnal silence to the barbarism of #2. As to Ravel, the same. I prefer G major due to the sensitivity of the 2nd movement to Left Hand. I 100% agree to the choice of Beethoven, but I prefer the 1st to the4th. Of course, the 4th is very good. Why don't you choose Mozart at first? After #23rd (excluding #26), there're well-balanced jewels you may find. Among those, I recommend the 24th and 25th.


----------



## HIDEKI SUKENOBU (Mar 31, 2015)

Sir. I choose neither #20 nor #21. Surely they have excellent dreamy beauty and the expressive demonishness. But I think they're not well-balanced. I'd rather choose #24 and #25 because they're well-balanced. Their whole structures are lovable, I feel. Your selection of Ravel's G major do I agree 100%. The blank of Choice 5 is mysterious. Do you expect someone write PC of this level in the near future? I've given up. My 5th choice is Beethven's 1st concerto, which you may be disappointed.


----------



## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Lisztian said:


> Liszt 2.


A well deserved mention of this fantastic piano concerto with a most ravishing finale.


----------



## Guest (Apr 1, 2015)

Top 5 concertos: not going to put them in order
Beethoven 4
Rachmaninoff 2
Schumann
Tchaikovsky 1
Grieg
I tried to pick just one from each composer, but could easily have added Beethoven's 5th and Rach's 3rd.

For composers:
Beethoven
Rachmaninoff
Mozart (I know, even though I didn't list one of his concertos!!!)


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Mozart, Prokofiev and Bartók.


----------



## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Composers:

1. W.A. Mozart (obviously)
2. L.v. Beethoven
3. Rachmaninoff

after that:

4. Prokofiev
5. Brahms
6. Ravel
7. Liszt

and if we employ the term "keyboard concerto" rather than "piano concerto" then J.S. Bach moves up to at least 3rd place.


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Top three keyboard composers,

Mozart, Beethoven, Bach of the great 18th century.


----------



## HIDEKI SUKENOBU (Mar 31, 2015)

HIDEKI SUKENOBU said:


> I like Ravel and Bartok,too. But I prefer #3 because of its nocturnal silence to the barbarism of #2. As to Ravel, the same. I prefer G major due to the sensitivity of the 2nd movement to Left Hand. I 100% agree to the choice of Beethoven, but I prefer the 1st to the4th. Of course, the 4th is very good. Why don't you choose Mozart at first? After #23rd (excluding #26), there're well-balanced jewels you may find. Among those, I recommend the 24th and 25th.


I don't know why, but here's Saint-Saens's 4th, which I have almost forgotten. Let's listen to it. I recommend Robert Casadesus
$ Bernstein. This lyrical, light, slight sound might attract you. Brilliant.


----------



## HIDEKI SUKENOBU (Mar 31, 2015)

No one mentions Saint-Saёns’　4th. I don't know why.


----------



## mcaparula (Apr 4, 2015)

I agree with the Bartok, Prokofiev, Mozart, et al. However, I notice a lack of love for Gershwin or Shostakovich 2.


----------



## HIDEKI SUKENOBU (Mar 31, 2015)

*Why Russians?*



DrMike said:


> Top 5 concertos: not going to put them in order
> Beethoven 4
> Rachmaninoff 2
> Schumann
> ...


Why do you choose Russians? Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff are indeed fine. But something is missing in the history of the genre which W.A.M. found an answer. I agree with you that you chose Beethoven and Schumann. But the latter was the last composer who contributed to the genre. Among the remains, you could possibly find the melanchoric after-thought.


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Top 3 composers
1 Mozart and so far in front he is out of sight!
2 Beethoven easily ahead of the remainder
Then it's tricky either Rachmaninov or Brahms for third choice, can't make my mind up


----------



## pianississimo (Nov 24, 2014)

Bevo said:


> I actually like Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2 more than his first,


I only really discovered this recently. Before March this year I knew it existed but had never heard the strange brilliance of it. I love the second movement where it tails off into a dreamy violin solo with the rest of the strings shimmering in the background and then that amazing rondo finale. Now I love it even more than his first.

Apart from that it's Beethoven 5 (and 3&4)
Prokofiev 1-3
Grieg
and Rachmaninov - all of them. I love the fourth and I wish it was in more concert programmes.

I'm listening to Tchaikovsky II now played by John Lill and the BBC National Orchestra Of Wales conducted by Roberto Minczuk.
It's a great recording that might not be on everyone's top 10 but well worth hearing!
It's a BBC music magazine cd but you can find it on download sites.
I bought it from a second hand cd stall at a concert and it's a permanent fixture on my playlist.


----------



## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Resurrecting this thread...

In no particular order:

Mozart 23, Brahms 2, Schoenberg, Ravel G major, Rachmaninov 1. Beethoven 3 and 5 just might be sneaking into my list. Tchaikovsky 1 is cool too.

Top 3 composers of PCs:

1. Mozart
.
.
.
.
.
2. Rachmaninov
3. Brahms, for his earth shattering 2nd concerto alone

I can't say I'm familiar with all too many, but I love the piano, help me out?

I heard the amazing Mozart variations by Chopin earlier (op.2), are his full-fledged piano concertos as good?


----------



## Rubens (Nov 5, 2017)

Bach BWV1058
Mozart 20
Brahms 2
Rachmaninoff 2
Ravel


----------



## Agamenon (Apr 22, 2019)

Top 3 composers:

Mozart.
Brahms.
Bartok.

Top 5 piano concertos:

* Mozart 20
* Brahms 2
* Grieg
* Ravel left hand
* Bartok 2


----------



## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

I have two truly favorite piano concerto composers:

Mozart and Brahms


----------



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Top 5 piano concertos (My Favorites)

Bach Concerto No.1 D minor 
Brahms PC No.2
Prokofiev PC No.3
Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand
Hovhaness PC No.1 "Lousadzak"

Plus dozens more.

Top 3 composers of piano concertos:

Prokofiev
Rachmaninoff
Brahms

More


----------



## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

My 5 fav. PCs:

Ravel - for the left hand
Busoni
Pierné
Brahms 2
Penderecki


----------



## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I can't do a top 5 - I'd also find a top 10 too difficult - but my three composers might be Mozart, Beethoven and Bartok. Brahms is pushed out by Bartok because he only wrote two and Bartok wrote three. Prokofiev is not there because I only really like two of his five.


----------



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Interesting to see the popularity of the Ravel Left Hand concerto; well-deserved popularity in my opinion. I find it singular for several reasons: First, the overall excellence of the piece, as I find not a single wrong note in it anywhere. Second, the way Ravel so smoothly and its seems inevitably transitions from one musical idea to the next. Third, the sheer beauty and/or grandeur of the themes, particularly the opening theme and the lovely slow movement. And then there's the fact that only the left hand generates all this beauty and power--Ravel at the top of his Larger Form game


----------



## Mifek (Jul 28, 2018)

*5 favorite piano concertos:*
1) Rachmaninoff 2
2) Tchaikovsky 1 
3) Saint-Saens 2
4) Prokofiev 2
5) Grieg

*3 favorite composers of piano concertos*
1) Beethoven
2) Prokofiev
3) Rachmaninoff


----------



## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

1- Brahms 2
2- Brahms 1
3- Schumann
4- Beethoven 4
5- Rach 3


----------



## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Top 5?
Rachmaninoff 4 (Yes, his 4th. This not a typo)
Beethoven 4
Ravel G major
Shostakovich 2
Grieg
(6th place would go to Barber)


----------



## poconoron (Oct 26, 2011)

Top 5 piano concertos:

Mozart 20
Mozart 24
Mozart 25
Beethoven 4
Mozart 17

Top 3 composers of PC:

Mozart
Beethoven
Brahms


----------



## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I can't do a top 5 even I'd also find a top 10 difficult , changes weekly .


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

poconoron said:


> Top 5 piano concertos:
> 
> Mozart 20
> Mozart 24
> ...


Good list! 

Here's mine:

Top 5 Concertos (unordered):
Mozart 20
Mozart 23
Mozart 24
Beethoven 4
Brahms 2

Top 3 Composers of PCs (ordered):
Mozart
Beethoven
Brahms


----------



## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

*My top 3 piano concertos with favorite recordings:*

*Beethoven: 5* - Gould/Stokowksi (Columbia/Sony) - period choice: Hogwood/S. Lubin(Decca). 
*Brahms: 1* - Barenboim/Barbirolli (EMI) + Gilels/Jochum (DG) + Buchbinder/Mehta (Sony).
*Mozart: 25* - Buchbinder/Harnoncourt (Sony) - (the only period recording by Buchbinder that I know about)


----------



## Clouds Weep Snowflakes (Feb 24, 2019)

Beethoven
Mozart
Prokofiev


----------



## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Five favorites--and one more. No particular order. (Tough to do.)

Mozart: Numbers 13,21,23,25
Brahms: His only two


----------



## brahmsgirl (Apr 4, 2019)

1. Brahms 1 
2. Tchaikovsky 1 
3. Rachmaninov 3 
4. Schumann 
5. Brahms 2 / Grieg (could not decide)


----------



## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

flamencosketches said:


> I can't say I'm familiar with all too many, but I love the piano, help me out?
> 
> I heard the amazing Mozart variations by Chopin earlier (op.2), are his full-fledged piano concertos as good?


If you love the piano you'll love Chopin Nos. 1 and 2. Strangely missing from this thread!


----------

