# 20/21st Century Violin Concertos



## Triplets

I've recently been smitten by a disc featuring hte Britten and Weinberg Violin Concertos (Linus Roth, v; Channel Classics).
This has made me realize that while my listening habits for VC Concertos were for many years confined to the usual 18th/19th Century warhorses (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky,
Sibelius, Mendelsohn, Bruch, etc), of late I've been attracted more to the 20th Century Concerto VCs: Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Khachaturian, Berg, and the aforeentioned disc. The one exception is the Bartok Concerto, which I've tried to like, and somehow acquired 4 recordings of, but just hasn't clicked for me, despite the fact that I otherwise listen to a lot of Bartok. The Schoenberg Concerto doesn't do much for me either.
So I am realizing that there must be a lot of VCs written in the last 100 years or so that I might like. I am looking for recommendations. It would help if there are youtube or Spotify availability so I could audition before I buy.


----------



## maestro267

I've discovered a few 20th-century violin concertos recently, and it's re-perked my interest in that form. I used to not really enjoy violin concertos as much as piano concertos (Elgar's being the main exception), but some of these later-20th-century works are really interesting. One of my favourites is the 2nd Concerto by Boris Tishchenko (1939-2010), a mammoth 53-minute work in four movements. All the movements run without a pause, and half of the second movement is a long cadenza. I'd say it's a cross between 4th-Symphony-intense Shostakovich and the avant-garde of composers like Penderecki.


----------



## joen_cph

Should I pick 5 on top of my head, it would be

- Elgar
- Shosty 1
- Pettersson 2nd with Ida Haendel
- Taktakishvili 1 



- Gubaidulina 1

Among these, the Pettersson 2nd takes time to know and appreciate, but it is difficult music. The others are quite "approachable", Gubaidulina´s being an interesting diptych of a more chaotic beginning & main section, and then a serene ending.

There are dozens of other good ones, 7 lesser known being for example
- Cerha´s (2004. Not very avant-garde, actually)
- Rosenberg´s 2nd 
- Saariaho: Graal Theatre
- Schnittke 4th
- Akses
- Rochberg
- Janacek


----------



## joen_cph

This is also an occasion to recommend *Tobias Broeker´*s incredible work on 20th Century violin concertos, his encyclopedia/discography on the subject now available for free download on his website:

http://www.tobias-broeker.de/


----------



## hpowders

The finest 20th Century violin concertos I know are Elgar, Sibelius, Berg, Bartok 2, Prokofiev 2. I don't find either the William Schuman or the Carl Nielsen on that exalted level.


----------



## nightscape

John Williams' Violin Concerto is probably my favorite of his concert works.


----------



## Orfeo

Not quite a concerto, but I'll go for *Ernest Chausson's Poeme *that I just played this morning. Then I would wholeheartedly recommend (besides the ones already mentioned):

Glazunov's Concerto (plus his Mazurka-Oberek in D and Meditation), 
Atterberg's,
Tchaikovsky's Conc. (plus his Sérénade Mélancolique, Souvenir d'un lieu cher, & Valse-scherzo),
Boris Tchaikovsky's,
Myaskovsky's, 
Melartin's (an excellent, overlooked gem),
Tubin's two (esp. the second),
Bax's,
Moeran's (likewise an excellent, overlooked gem),
Ivanovs' (tuneful, sweet lyricism),
Taktakishvili's Violin Concertino,
Roslavets' two (the first is the most striking of the two).
Max Reger's,
Schumann's,
David Diamond's Concerto no. II,
Samuel Barber's
Paul Creston's Conc. no. II,
Shostakovich's two,
Nikolay Rakov's Conc. no. I, and 
Lev Knipper's Violin Concertino (for violin and strings).

Enjoy.


----------



## PetrB

Igor Stravinsky ~ _Violin Concerto_
Alban Berg ~ _Violin Concerto_
(the above two now firmly in the rep as 'classics' along with the Beethoven....)

George Rochberg ~ _Violin Concerto_
Ellen Zaaffe Twillich ~ _Violin Concerto_
John Adams ~ _Dharma at Big Sur_ (six-string electric violin) / his 'other' and first _Violin Concerto_
Michael Daugherty ~ _Falling Water_ for violin and orchestra / _Fire and Blood_ for violin and orchestra
Jennifer Higdon ~ _Violin Concerto_
Esa Pekka Salonen ~ _Violin Concerto_
Nico Muhly ~ _Seeing is Believing_ for electric violin and orchestra
Ligeti ~ _Violin Concerto_


----------



## Blancrocher

I'll add Unsuk Chin's:






And Walton's:


----------



## Triplets

I left out Martinu and Walter Piston from my original list. Thanks to all for the suggestions.


----------



## elgar's ghost

May I add the concerto of Hindemith? Seek out the recording by David Oistrakh with Hindemith conducting the LSO. Also, you might want to listen to the earlier concerto for violin and chamber orchestra (no. 4 of his immensely enjoyable 'Kammermusik' series).


----------



## dgee

Fedele (2 excellent works), Lindberg, Zimmerman and Knussen have all written nice concerti. A bit surprised not to see Szymanowski yet - his two are worth a look!


----------



## GreenMamba

Janacek has a short one that is a lot of fun.

Elliott Carter's is good too, although I hear it was originally considered a flop. One of those pieces that needed a proper performance.


----------



## Itullian

I think John William's is very good


----------



## Bruce

Quite a few good violin concertos have already been mentioned, so I'll try to stick with a few I've learned to like that are not on any of the lists so far. 

William Bergsma has a rather nice one. 
I'm surprised not to see Bernstein's Serenade mentioned--in effect, a concerto for violin, strings and percussion.
Philip Glass's Violin Concerto is rather nice, if you like that sort of stuff. 
Benjamin Lees is a composer I don't hear much of, but he also has written an attractive violin concerto.
I'd also recommend the violin concerto by Stephen Paulus.
Finally, Ned Rorem's Violin Concerto is worthy of making this list. Or some other list somewhere.


----------



## Guest

Golly gee, how can I even remember all my favorites. The violin concerto seems to be second only to the string quartet in modern/contemporary music in terms of "who _didn't_ write one?!"

I will second these:
Adams
Bartok 2
Berg
Chin
Glass
Gubaidulina
Ligeti
Pettersson 2
Saariaho
Salonen
Shostakovich 1
Stravinsky
Walton

And I'll throw in, off the top of my head:
Dutilleux
Holliger
Jolivet
Norgard
Szymanowski
Vasks

I'm not going to bother with anything late romantic - no point looking up dates for a thread clearly leaning towards modernism.

Also, once you're tackling this time period, you should really be paying just as much attention to *viola* concertos


----------



## starthrower

Here's a great CD I can heartily recommend. I find the Ligeti concerto breathtaking in it's beauty, innovation, and originality. And the Norgard is icing on the cake. And quite good too!


----------



## maestro267

Now this is my kinda thread! Tons of recommendations here. I'm a big fan of Penderecki, so I definitely want to get his two violin concertos on disc (both over 35 minutes, so very big-boned works)


----------



## Torkelburger

Don't forget Schoenberg's.

And I'd like to add Thomas Ades' to the list. Really worth a listen.


----------



## KenOC

Adams has been mentioned. But he also wrote The Dharma at Big Sur, a very impressive concerto for electric violin.


----------



## hpowders

I have the two Piston Violin Concertos and I find them dull. I would place them behind William Schuman's and Carl Nielsen's.

Meanwhile Hindemith's fine violin concerto deserves to be revived.


----------



## MoonlightSonata

Barber's Violin Concerto, with the famous finale.
Personally, I don't see how it is physically possible, but...


----------



## Triplets

MoonlightSonata said:


> Barber's Violin Concerto, with the famous finale.
> Personally, I don't see how it is physically possible, but...


I can't believe I left the Barber off my list--I have 3 different recordings of it. Perhaps because while it is a 20 century work, it seems like it could be frm an earlier era.
I also once heard a work by Einojuhani Rauutavaara (I am sure I botched the spelling), played by Elmar Olivera in Concert, with Angels in the Title, but it seems to have wandered out of my collection...


----------



## Triplets

hpowders said:


> I have the two Piston Violin Concertos and I find them dull. I would place them behind William Schuman's and Carl Nielsen's.
> 
> Meanwhile Hindemith's fine violin concerto deserves to be revived.


I really like Piston as a Composer, but many people find his music dull and academic. Perhaps I'm dull? Whatever, some Composers just seem to click with me and Piston is right there.


----------



## Guest

Torkelburger said:


> Don't forget Schoenberg's.
> 
> And I'd like to add Thomas Ades' to the list. Really worth a listen.


Wow, good catch


----------



## GreenMamba

Bruce said:


> Finally, Ned Rorem's Violin Concerto is worthy of making this list. Or some other list somewhere.


Just listened to this one, and it is definitely worthy. Thanks for mentioning it.


----------



## senza sordino

This is a list of the 20th Century violin concerti I have in my CD collection. It's more extensive than earlier centuries. I added a few which are not called "violin concerto" but all of these pieces are for solo violin and orchestra, in some form. Some of these pieces are so sublime, I couldn't imagine life without them, some I could leave and not hear again.


Glazanov 1904
Sibelius 1904
Elgar 1910
Nielsen 1911
Vaughan Williams The lark Ascending 1914
Delius 1916
Szymanowski #1 1916
Prokofiev #1 1917
Kurt Weil 1924
Ravel Tzigane 1924
Stravinsky 1931
Szymanowski #2 1933
Prokofiev #2 1935
Berg 1935
Schoenberg 1936
Bartok #2 1938
Hindemith 1939
Walton 1939
Barber 1939
Britten 1939 rev 1954, 1965
Khatchaturian 1940
Moeran 1942
Korngold 1945
Schuman 1947, rev 1956, 1959
Kabelevsky 1948
Shostakovich #1 1948
Martin 1950-51
Rubbra 1959
Shostakovich #2 1967
Schnittke Sonata for violin and chamber orchestra 1967
Part Tabula Rasa 1977
Gubaidulina Offertorium 1980-86
Takemitsu Nostalghia 1987
Ligeti 1989-92
Part Fratres 1992
Adams 1993
Gubaidulina In Tempus Praesens 2006-07
Dean The Lost Art of Letter Writing 2009


----------



## Haydn man

My favourites from Senza's list are the Elgar and Delius violin concertos along with The Lark Ascending.
But I would to put in another mention for Glass Violin Concerto. I was introduced to Glass on another thread on TC and it is a work I have listened to and enjoyed several times now.


----------



## shed

Sessions 1935 — I remember listening to some 'round-table' type discussion with a number of composers including Rorem, Zwilich, Perle and Babbitt. Babbitt listed Sessions's violin concerto among the greatest works of the 20th century. Don't agree, but I do enjoy listening to it.
Birtwistle 2010


----------



## Torkelburger

Almost forgot another very rare but brilliant one (seeing the Korngold mentioned above reminded me). Another golden age film composer wrote a marvelous violin concerto.

Miklas Rozsa. Performed and recorded by Heifetz, too!:


----------



## Polyphemus

Torkelburger said:


> Almost forgot another very rare but brilliant one (seeing the Korngold mentioned above reminded me). Another golden age film composer wrote a marvelous violin concerto.
> 
> Miklas Rozsa. Performed and recorded by Heifetz, too!:


Rozsa also composed a wonderful symphony. I do not think there are any recordings in the current catalogues.


----------



## Marschallin Blair

Polyphemus said:


> Rozsa also composed a wonderful symphony. I do not think there are any recordings in the current catalogues.


He did?

The _Tripartita for Orchestra_? Or a '_Symphony_' proper?

If he did compose a symphony, I definately have to hear it!


----------



## Alfacharger

Marschallin Blair said:


> He did?
> 
> The _Tripartita for Orchestra_? Or a '_Symphony_' proper?
> 
> If he did compose a symphony, I definately have to hear it!


A recording is available.


----------



## Art Rock

To continue the hijack, YouTube has a 1 min snippet of that symphony here.


----------



## hpowders

I third the Rorem Violin Concerto, especially with Kremer/Bernstein. It is NOT one of the greatest violin concertos of the 20th century but, nevertheless it is a fine work and deserves to be played.


----------



## Andrei

My Favourites are (in a loose order of preference)

Sibelius - I have nine digital versions plus a few on LP
Walton 
Prokofiev No. 1
Prokofiev No. 2
Glass No.2 (subtitled American Four Seasons)
Glass No.1
Stravinsky
Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending (Not strictly a concerto)
Kavakos
Elgar
Barber


----------



## Orfeo

dholling said:


> Not quite a concerto, but I'll go for *Ernest Chausson's Poeme *that I just played this morning. Then I would wholeheartedly recommend (besides the ones already mentioned):
> 
> Glazunov's Concerto (plus his Mazurka-Oberek in D and Meditation),
> Atterberg's,
> Tchaikovsky's Conc. (plus his Sérénade Mélancolique, Souvenir d'un lieu cher, & Valse-scherzo),
> Boris Tchaikovsky's,
> Myaskovsky's,
> Melartin's (an excellent, overlooked gem),
> Tubin's two (esp. the second),
> Bax's,
> Moeran's (likewise an excellent, overlooked gem),
> Ivanovs' (tuneful, sweet lyricism),
> Taktakishvili's Violin Concertino,
> Roslavets' two (the first is the most striking of the two).
> Max Reger's,
> Schumann's,
> David Diamond's Concerto no. II,
> Samuel Barber's
> Paul Creston's Conc. no. II,
> Shostakovich's two,
> Nikolay Rakov's Conc. no. I, and
> Lev Knipper's Violin Concertino (for violin and strings).
> 
> Enjoy.


Oh, and I'll add:

Goldmark's,
Dohnanyi's two (but esp. the First),
Korngold's,
Saint-Saens',
Dvorak's,
Suk's Rhapsody,
Taneyev's Concert Suite,
Moszkowski's,
Karlowicz's.


----------



## joen_cph

Continuing the off-the-beaten track concertos:

Mlynarski´s 1st is very good: 



Menotti´s charmingly melodical: 




and
Valen´s should be mentioned too; here, a scratchy old recording, the only one youtube


----------

