# Concertos with unconventional solo instruments?



## jameslewitzke (Dec 4, 2018)

Anyone happen to enjoy any particular Concertos with less than common lead instruments?

Am interested in some recommendations that may not be as common as the great Piano, Violin, Cello, etc. Concertos, that are out there.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I don't know if you are looking for a particular era, if not then you might want to investigate the following:

Ralph Vaughan Williams - tuba concerto (1954). 
Malcolm Arnold - harmonica concerto (1954)

Then there are percussion concertos by James MacMillan (_Veni, Veni, Emmanuel_ from 1992) and Michael Daugherty (_UFO_ from 1999).


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## jameslewitzke (Dec 4, 2018)

Yeah, I didn't have any particular eras in mind, just thought some would like to share works that were different.

Definitely enjoying the Tuba Concerto currently, thanks.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

There's even a Concerto for Didgeridoo...
http://www.classicalpodcasts.com/buriedtreasure/concertos-for-unusual-instruments


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

The 3rd movement from David Amram's "Triple Concerto":


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Johann Georg Albrechtsberger - Concerto for Jew's Harp, Mandora and Orchestra. One of several. He got kind of crazy between lessons for Beethoven.


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## laurie (Jan 12, 2017)

Check out Art Rock's "Unusual Concertos" game for a list of 100 pieces starring unconventional instruments! 

Game: unusual concertos


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## jameslewitzke (Dec 4, 2018)

Cool recommendations. Sometimes just need to expand my current repertoire, even if I have a few go-to pieces that I normally listen to regularly, thanks.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Do not forget Malcolm Arnold's _Grand Grand Overture _which is not a concerto but does feature concertante parts for "_three vacuum cleaners, a floor polisher and four rifles, which at the climax of the piece viciously silence their heavy-breathing rivals. The work is also larded with many horrendous juxtapositions of key, and with an insanely prolonged coda._"


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Leopold Mozart has a Concerto for Alphorn...


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Concerto for violin and circular saw.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Takemitsu - November Steps






https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_Steps


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Or browse here:

https://artrock2006.blogspot.com/search/label/Unusual concertos


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Aho - Theramin

Villa-Lobos - Harmonica


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Eduard Tubin composed a concerto for balalaika and orchestra, and it's quite good.

André Jolivet's Concerto for ondes martenot and orchestra. Possibly that instrument has been incorporated in many modern works, but as a soloist instrument is rather unusual. It's a stunning piece, very resourceful.


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## sbadman (Nov 22, 2008)

I have a ton of old LP's. An old MHS LP (4175) has a concerto for hurdy-gurdy and Orch. Haydn has an LP (Turnabout TV 34055S) with lira organizzata concerti, which is a small boxy piano type. Glazounov and Ibert wrote concerti for saxophone and Orchestra (Nonesuch H-71030). Dittersdorf has a concerto for double bass and orchestra (Turnabout TV 4005 in Monaural) I know I have others but will have to dig a little deeper and will post them when they're located.


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## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

Tan Dun has a concerto for Pipa and string orchestra.


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## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

KenOC said:


> Johann Georg Albrechtsberger - Concerto for Jew's Harp, Mandora and Orchestra. One of several. He got kind of crazy between lessons for Beethoven.


It took a few minutes of listening until I was convinced that this was a real 18th century concerto, and NOT by Peter Schickele..


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Some favorites:

Gliere: concerto for coloratura soprano
Gliere: harp concerto
Aho: contrabassoon concerto
Rimsky-Korsakov: trombone concerto
Mahler: horn concerto (aka Symphony 5)


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Piazzólla: Concerto for Bandoneon & Orchestra= must have.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Well, I do hugely enjoy - not as a novelty but as a powerful piece of music - Birtwistle's Cry of Anubis, which is effectively a tuba concerto. And Gubaidulina has written a concerto for bassoon, a percussion concerto (Glorious Percussion) and two concertante works for accordion (Fachwork for accordion, percussion and strings and Seven Words for concertante cello and accordion with strings) - all powerful and rewarding works. 

I'm also thinking of two of Britten's most well-known song cycles - the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings and the Nocturne (tenor, seven obbligato instruments and strings) - as being prominent works that highlight unusual instruments.


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## WatchfulRaven (Nov 20, 2018)

The Mandolin Concerto and Lute Concerto by Antonio Vivaldi, maybe?


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Milhaud's Marimba Concerto is quite good. Full of Milhaud's typical wit.


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