# Lesser Known Concerti Grossi Cycles?



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Obviously Vivaldi, Handel, and Corelli are well known. What are some other Concerti Grossi Cycles of any Era to check out?


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Definitely Geminiani´s - inventive and some of them quite catchy.

And the 20th century ones - Bloch, Martinu and Schnittke are the most well-known composers of multiple concerti grossi ;-).

EDIT: Martinu wrote one work called "Concerto Grosso", but besides that there is a good bunch of concertos for several instruments and orchestra.


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

Vaughn Williams wrote an interesting one for three sections of strings: experts, intermediate players and novices (open strings only).


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Post 1900:

Alfred Schnittke wrote a bunch even if one perhaps would not think of them as cyclic.. Penderecki wrote at least one, Swedish composer Anders Nilsson has written two, first for Saxophoine Quartet and Orchestra and the second for percussionists and strings. Ernest Bloch wrote two very late romantic and warm. Morton Gould, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Villa-Lobos, Karl-Birger Blomdahl, Ellen Taaffe Zwillich, Bengt Hambraeus, Knut Nystedt, Malcolm Williamson, Arturs Marskats and Bohuslav Martinu wrote one each, Philip Glass has also written one for Saxophone Quartet, Ernst Krenek wrote at least two, William Alwyn wrote three of the top of my head...

And didn't Alessandro Scarlatti write some and Francesco Geminiani & Johann Helmish Roman have some real sets if we look backwards!  .. I think that is what my record-shelf can turn up tonight!

/ptr


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Charles Avison's 12 Concerti Grossi after themes from Scarlatti are quite rewarding. It would have been interesting if he had chosen to pursue a more English flavor, but he seems firmly stuck in the Italian concerto grosso tradition. Still, he does it well.


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## gridweb (Jun 19, 2011)

I really like the Concerti Grossi by Locatelli.

Best,
Willem


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## presto (Jun 17, 2011)

joen_cph said:


> Definitely Geminiani´s - inventive and some of them quite catchy.


Love Geminiani too, also try Hellendaal, 6 Concerti Grossi Op 3
These are really fine works.
Sadly I think there's only ever been one recording of the complete set.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

A well known contemporary one is by* Karl Jenkins*, _Palladio Concerto Grosso for string orchestra._ There's several clips of bits of it on youtube, but the whole thing is in three movements. Here's one clip: 




(Edit: I realise now its not a cycle, just one work, but I'll leave this post as some might be interested?)


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## Rapide (Oct 11, 2011)

Sid James said:


>


The orchestra played out of tune. What a horrible performance!


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## Andolink (Oct 29, 2012)

Both Helmut Lachenmann and Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen have produced one-off's in this genre which are both outstanding. Both are for string quartet + orchestra.

Lachenmann: Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied (on the Naive label)

Gudmundsen-Holmgreen: Concerto Grosso for String Quartet and Symphonic Ensemble (on the Da Capo label)


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

Sid James said:


> I realise now its not a cycle, just one work, but I'll leave this post as some might be interested?


It's the shortest possible cycle.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Schnittke No. 1 w/ Gidon Kremer on DG

Schnittke No. 6 paired with symphony no. 8 on Chandos.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

Giuseppe Torelli (1658 – 1708) and his pupil F. O. Manfredini (1684 – 1762) wrote concerti grossi. In fact, just like with Corelli, Manfredini's most famous music (at least these days) is also a "Christmas Concerto". (Op.3, no.12)

As long as we're talking single and modern ones, Tippett's Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli propably counts.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Norse said:


> As long as we're talking single and modern ones, Tippett's Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli propably counts.


And perhaps his "Concerto for Double String Orchestra" as well den!

/ptr


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## Ebab (Mar 9, 2013)

*Yeah, Locatelli*



gridweb said:


> I really like the Concerti Grossi by Locatelli.


I really do too.

Established reception seems to regard him as one of those "OK" but essentially forgettable composers. I keep coming back to these concerti, and still think they're fresh and have an enjoyable immediacy.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*Schnittke's* Concerti Grossi are some of his best works...do check them out. :tiphat:


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

My favorite lesser known cycle has not been mentioned and I only recently heard them myself. The Georg Muffat 12 concerto grossi. These are a model of baroque excellence, good sense of phrasing and good timing and direction/limits with sequences. Contemporaneous with Corelli but more contrapuntally vigorous.


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## Guest (Sep 21, 2014)

+1 for Schnittke.

+1 for "some of [Schnittke's] best works".


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

William Boyce wrote three that I can find on the internet. Very very nice pieces, the counterpoint is almost Bachian, with that solid sturdy English feel that Boyce has in his symphonies. A little bit bothersome that I can find it on period instruments, but this is what is available.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

A few other 20th-century concerti grossi are mentioned on this list

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concerti_grossi

(Eshpai, Tamberg etc.)


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Some other names to mention:
Alessandro Scarlatti wrote 6 I think, and they are very nice, one of them is very dark and in F minor.

Sammartini, a somewhat later composer wrote some that are a bit more Vivaldi-like or influenced by gallant trends.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Georg Muffat's concerti grossi need more recognition. They actually predate Corelli's in their publication. And I like them better than Corelli's, if that means anything to anyone.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Schnittke's Concerto Grossi are very awesome.


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