# What is the best of Beethoven's piano concertos



## Handel

Before this week, I had only listened to no 5. I got a CD including all the five (Pollini-Abbado-Berliner Philarmoniker). So, now, I will be able to see if the 5th is really the better (however, friends of mine say that the 4th is better)

Anyway, what is your opinion? What is the better?


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## Handel

No opinions?


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## ChamberNut

Handel said:


> No opinions?


My personal favorite is currently PC # 3, but it was # 4 for a long time.

I am not sure which is considered the "best", but I'd venture money that # 5 would win.


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## Hexameron

I can't possibly discuss one work of Beethoven's being "better" than another. How do we define "better"? Compositionally more innovative, greater posthumous reputation, more melodic/harmonic appeal?

I can only say which one I *like* "better", which is the 4th Piano Concerto.


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## Handel

Hexameron said:


> I can only say which one I *like* "better", which is the 4th Piano Concerto.


This is what I mean.


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## Handel

No 4 is truly great. (first movement in particular). A great "discovery".


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## jjfan

For the 1st, and 2nd movement alone i choose the 5th concerto, but the 3rd movement just doesn't work for me (its like listening to Mozart instead of Beethoven). So I choose the 3rd concerto as a whole. I haven't heard the 4th concerto yet.


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## opus67

troyr31sg said:


> the 3rd movement just doesn't work for me (its like listening to Mozart instead of Beethoven).


Interesting. I actually think the final movement is a grand rondo that is typical of Beethoven.


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## Handel

troyr31sg said:


> I haven't heard the 4th concerto yet.


It is a must.


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## Rondo

opus67 said:


> Interesting. I actually think the final movement is a grand rondo that is typical of Beethoven.


I like them both, but I can understand why one would think that. And even to me, in agreement with troyr31sg, I believe that the 3rd mvt's to the 1st, 3rd and 4th (and, to mention other Rondo movements, namely that of the first violin concerto) are characteristic of the quintessential Beethoven rondo finales.


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## terotero

Hexameron said:


> I can't possibly discuss one work of Beethoven's being "better" than another. How do we define "better"? Compositionally more innovative, greater posthumous reputation, more melodic/harmonic appeal?
> 
> I can only say which one I *like* "better", which is the 4th Piano Concerto.


I personally disagree. Some works are better than other in the standard musical sense i.e. they are better built, flawless counterpoint, development,....etc. Moreover, some works are better than others being more emotionally mature...and this "I guess" takes some learning to say. Of course what matters at the end is the personal taste...no shame in that, but mind you that this changes a lot with maturity of the personal taste itself.


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## Manuel

I prefer each one to each one of the others.


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## Gustav

I don't know what "best" means.


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## Manuel

Gustav said:


> I don't know what "best" means.


I'm sure you don't.


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## beethoven_fan92

*They are all beautiful!!!*

It is a really difficult question....  
I would say no. 4 or 5... but the no. 3 is REALLY  
They are all so different, AND special, in theyr own way!!! 
But I just LOVE  the first movement in no. 4 
and the second in no. 5....


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## cjr3559

That's tough, and I am in no position to rate them, but I would guess No. 5 since it has a nickname. This is my order of preference: 5, 4, 3, 1, 2.


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## Manuel

cjr3559 said:


> That's tough, and I am in no position to rate them, but I would guess No. 5 since it has a nickname. This is my order of preference: 5, 4, 3, 1, 2.


Hey! You just inverted the order in which they were composed!


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## Manuel

Handel said:


> Before this week, I had only listened to no 5. I got a CD including all the five (Pollini-Abbado-Berliner Philarmoniker). So, now, I will be able to see if the 5th is really the better (however, friends of mine say that the 4th is better)
> 
> Anyway, what is your opinion? What is the better?


I don't think there's a better. All of them are pretty good, and very different. Nevertheless, they are just five. So, why don't you listen to all of them? If you were about to go through a long catalog (like Haydn's piano sonatas, or Miaskovsky's symphonies) an advise is useful. But in this case, being just five concertos*. My suggestion is for you to explore them all.

*Seven if you count the Op. 61 and the concerto in E flat Major, which Paul Jacobs happened to record a long time ago.


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## Titanium left hand

I enjoy them all greatly...but right now I would pick #3 as my favorite!!!


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## Rondo

If you wanna hear a good 3rd, check out Brendel/Abbado- Lucerne Orchestra


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## Titanium left hand

I have several recordings of Brendel performing the Beethoven Concerti!!! Breathtaking!!!


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## Dividend

I like them all, hard to compare. 5 maybe.
His _pianoversion_ of his violinconcerto (thus a pianoconcerto? no?), if you are able to find it, is the work of Beethoven i like the most.

Worth checking out....


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## Kurkikohtaus

Best vs. Favourite.

As I have stated so many times in various posts, let's please talk about "Favourite", and not "Best".

If we were to have a *serious* discussion about "Best", we would have to list *serious criteria* by which "Best" is determined. This criteria would be by no means absolute, it would be an attempt to abstractly objectivize the subjective, and we would probably spend 6 ot 7 pages of forum space simply trying to determine the criteria list, its relative weighting... and in the end, it would come down to people trumpeting their "Favourite" anyway.

For the record, my Favourite is number 3.


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## SalieriIsInnocent

I think I just like the overall calmness of no. 5 the Emperor


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## Novelette

'Tis interesting seeing the slight divergence here from the recent poll of the same question.

True, the cohort has changed almost completely, but if I'm not mistaken, the fourth piano concerto received the most votes, with the fifth following closely behind. Still, I stick with the third.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Opus 58 

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


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## Bix

I listened throughout them all today just to make sure and it was a toss up between 5 and 4, but 5 just beat it to the to of my list - I think it's the sentimentality of the second movement.


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## Monkey

I personally really like his 2nd piano Concerto, but in the end I like them all.


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## KenOC

#4 for me these days. I'm a little surprised to see #1 and #2 tied, albeit with a single vote each. I would think most people would judge #1 the better of the two.


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## maestro267

No. 4. Followed by 3, then quite a way down to 5, and even further to 1 & 2.


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## csacks

The second movement of the 5th, and the link between it and the third movement makes me vote for The Emperor. 
I do love the final movement of the first one as well.


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## Skilmarilion

For me, the masterful third and fourth would be tied at the top, the second and fifth very close behind, and the first just a tad further below.

As a set, they're just fantastic.


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## Überstürzter Neumann

If I had to pick one, it would be No. 4.


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## Lord Lance

I have grown sick of hearing the First, Second and Fifth. So, right now, I will go for the fourth Piano Concerto. But, as with all things in life, my musical taste keeps growing, evolving and changing. Come back next month or year and maybe, the Third will be my most favorite piano concerto. Musical tastes are never static.


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## DavidA

They're all pretty good in the hands of a great interpreter, but no 4 is my favourite. Really magical.
Got some great recordings by Kempff, Gould, Fleisher, the young Baremboim, etc.
Interesting that Richter never played it in public.
There was a rumour Argerich was recording it. Anyone know anything about this?


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## nightscape

4 is great, saw it a couple months ago performed with Bronfman on piano. That being said, I prefer the 5th.


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## Orange Soda King

I'd undoubtedly go with 4 as my favorite, and then 5 as second favorite. The middle movements are both unbelievable, in totally different ways. The first movement of 4 does a lot for me, as does the finale of 5.


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## Op.123

I like No. 4..............................


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## Ukko

The 1st is very interesting in historical context, and impressively competent. The 3rd may be unique in that it can be performed with great effect by not-so-inspired pianists. The 4th requires sympathetic interpretation, but is about as euphorically intense an expression of inner strength as music can get when it receives such an interpretation. The 5th... well, the 5th is of the same species as the Rachmaninoff 3rd. Many pianists can produce the highs, a few can reveal the innards that balance them.



:devil:


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## Brahmsian Colors

Best in what sense? I can only assume you're thinking of favorite. Mine would be the Fourth.


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