# Which are your favorite underground piano concertos and why?



## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

Piano concertos are a must for classical music. You can find a bunch of them in classical music collections. But if you're like me you eventually are sick of hearing the same and the same regardless of how well is performed. Pieces like Tchaikovsky piano concertos, several Mozart's, Brahms, Chopin and even Liszt are all great. But gosh! Let me hear something different! (except Rach, he's just great) So I embarked to a musical exploration and found a great bunch of lesser known pieces from mainly unheard of composers. So this is my list of favorites:

*Moszkowski's Piano Concerto (Op. 59)*
This piece is amazing! Moszkowski is a Polish descent and born German. To me this concerto _can_ beat Chopin's in romanticism. This is a must for me.

*Stenhammar's Piano Concerto No. 1 (Op. 1)*
It's unusual for somebody to have a first hit from his first opus and this piece can challenge that _status quo_! This is a nice piece indeed. It may be a little underestimated because it isn't that hard to play, but the melodies, tones and all 4 movements are filled with talent, nice structure and are enjoyable to listen. I don't recommend the Tanyel recordings (sorry but I just don't like them).

*Scharwenka's Piano Concertos No. 1 (Op. 32), No. 2 (Op. 56) and No. 4 (Op. 82)*
These concertos are fun but they may take more than one listen to fully get a grip of them. I enjoy listening them from time to time.

*Rubinstein's Piano Concerto No. 4 (Op. 70) and parts of Piano Concerto No. 2 (Op. 35) and maybe No. 5*
The fourth concerto is just great. Pure romanticism _alla_ Beethoven but with the uniqueness of Rubinstein. Sadly I'm yet to find a fine recording of it. The second may not be as beautiful but it certainly has a lot of great bits.

*Pierné's Piano Concerto 1 (Op. 12)*
This is another fun piece. It is an enjoyable piece and it isn't very long. To someone it may not be very appealing but for me it is.

*Schytte's Piano Concerto (Op. 28)*
This is a very fun piece filled with piano skills and melody. To some he kind of has some Liszt resemblances. Well, according to Wikipedia he studied a while with him so I wouldn't wonder so much why some believe that. However, another piece to know.

BONUS
*Schumann's Piano Concerto (Op. 54)*
This piece is not as widespread as the other well known composers and has such a beauty it gets me. Maybe some of you may not consider it underground, but it isn't that known, either, at least in my town.

There's another bunch for the want-to-know-more such as the Raff concerto, the not-so-much-recorded Bach piano concertos, Dvorak's (which was considered bad but to me is greater than most mordern concertos) and many, many more who are worth at least one listen but that may be a subject for another thread.

So what are your favorite underground piano concertos?


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Thank you! Several of these i haven't heard yet.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Your bonus (with the odd spelling of Schumann) is one of the most played and recorded if we look outside your town.....

I agree with many of your more obscure names (Hyperion has an excellent series dedicated to mostly obscure romantic piano concertos by the way).

A personal favourite of mine and less familiar as well is the concerto by John Ireland.


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Probably not so unknown, but maybe lesser know - Piano Concerto by Poulenc.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Rautavarra has a pretty good set of 3, of which I particularly like 2 and 3. Milhaud has a neat little set of 5 piano concertos, of which I'm most fond of 2-4. Lepo Sumera has a good piano concerto that has an awesome buildup in it if I remember correctly.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Concerning the selection above - supposedly you mean Robert Schumann´s a-minor op.54 ?
It´s been recorded a real lot, but perhaps slightly less performed during the recent decades (?).

I´ve got many more than I know in depth, but a few extra:

1) *Medtner 3rd Concerto*, but definitely in the Ponti recording, which is much faster than the traditional playing of the work (including Medtner´s own, rather incoherent recording). Ponti´s has an impressionistic flow which makes it an incredibly beautiful concerto, not at least due to the many details of this work, and the Luxembourg orchestra under Cao gives a sufficient background for him, with good sound. Ponti has a reputation for being superficial or hasty now and then, but it´s not valid here IMO.

2) *Nørgård piano concerto*. A very complex and quirky work, but once you get to know it better, it is great to explore further due to its freshness and modern innovation (and it´s definitely not sentimental, without being "noisy" !).

3) *Keuris Piano concerto*. A modern work that received a Rostrum award and likewise has a lot of freshness to it, rather classicist in its clarity.

4) They´re probaby bordering to kitsch, but I like *Silvestrov´s "Metamusik" and "Postludium*" too - they´re a a bit like Pärt´s "Tabula Rasa" in their simplicity, but very evocative and with a strange stasis-like, wind-swept character.

5) *Prokofiev´s 4th Piano Concerto*. Another absolute favourite, and again due to a specific recording - Krainev/Kitayenko adds a freshness and tempo to it that I haven´t heard equalled.

6) *Adolf Wiklund Concerto 2*. It´s in a grandiose style with some sweeping, catchy statements and nice as a supplement to Rachmaninov.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

'Round these parts the Schumann concerto is as popular as the next.

This is one of my favorite 'underground' discs ever:


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I agree heartily on the Pierné. 

I'm not sure Litolff or Hummel qualify, but if so they're my additions to the list. Also, if either count, Bernstein's "Age of Anxiety" symphony and Franck's Symphonic Variations.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Hovhaness' Lusadzak, which is basically a piano concerto. Kind of exotic sounding.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Also, the Strauss Burlesque for piano and orchestra in d-minor is a treat every now and then.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

I don't know any of these you mentioned except Rubinstein's 4th. in D minor. Have myself listening to Hofmann's recording so many times (and maybe the best interpretator of this concerto, he played the concerto under tha baton of the composer) didn't find it so far better than those standards i.e. Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov or Prokofiev.

I like *Henselt*'s concerto in f minor, it deserves more attention by pianists...Also those written by russian composers like *Rimsky-Korsakov*'s beautiful concerto and *Lyapunov*'s two huge Lisztian concerti.


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## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

From the ones already mentioned, I really like Scharwenka's 4th and Rautavaara's 1st. I also like concertos by Kapustin, Vaughan Williams and Górecki (it sounds better on a harpsichord, however).

Best regards, Dr


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## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

The less often played Prokofiev 2nd is a favorite. As is Tippett's. And whichever Scharwenka Earl Wild recorded with the BSO in the early '70s. And occasionally, Benjamin Britten's. And there was one by Kuhlau that came out on Turnabout ca. 1970 that I really liked but have since lost.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

I can't for one minute claim that any of these are favourites of mine,they are interesting that's all.
If they were particularly good they would be better known.

I am sure that Litolff qualifies and he wrote five Concerti Symphoniques altho' the first one is lost.
Joseph Rheinberger Piano Concero in A Flat Maj.,Op.94
Bernard Stevenhagen Piano Concerto,Op.4
Christian Sinding Piano Concerto
Gian-Carlo Menotti Concerto in F This is unusual.
Aaron Copland Piano Concero Earl wild recorded these two for Vanguard.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

I'd not heard the term "underground" applied to Piano Concerti. I guess it's alright. 

Some infrequently played/recorded faves of mine are Barber, Britten, Delius, Khachaturian, Ligeti, Lutoslawski, Rawsthorne 1 & 2, Schnittke 2 & 3. RVW.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Yeah, the Menotti is awesome and I listen to the Copland so much I don't even consider underground.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Damian said:


> *Rubinstein's Piano Concerto No. 4 (Op. 70) and parts of Piano Concerto No. 2 (Op. 35) and maybe No. 5*
> The fourth concerto is just great. Pure romanticism _alla_ Beethoven but with the uniqueness of Rubinstein. Sadly I'm yet to find a fine recording of it. The second may not be as beautiful but it certainly has a lot of great bits.


The* Rubinstein* No. 5 is just about my favorite next to Beethoven' concertos. That opening theme is unforgettable.





What else?

*Dmitri Kabalevsky* wrote three (?) of which the No. 2 sticks in my head somewhat. I don't think his work is considered ground breaking, but it is solid and well crafted. [Edit: sorry, it's the No. 1 that sticks in my head. I don't care as much for No. 2]





*Herbert Howells* wrote at least two, and there is only one recording I know of on Chandos that features both. It's a fantastic album and both works reward close listening. They seem to fly by to me. 





Finally *Einar Englund*'s Piano Concerto No. 1 is a nice enigmatic piece I enjoy very much.


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## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Your bonus (with the odd spelling of Schumann) is one of the most played and recorded if we look outside your town.....
> 
> A personal favourite of mine and less familiar as well is the concerto by John Ireland.


Hi, sorry for the misspell, I'm not used to writing and after writing a bunch of "weird" names it was just a matter of time I screwed up. I'm surprised since it's Schumann's concerti is rarely listened in here. I don't know that John Ireland concerti, maybe it's nice...


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

"underground" means, for me, not only the lesser-known opus, but also works for piano and orchestra which may "hide" under various titles other than the Concerto:


*Charles Koechlin*'s 1919 Ballade for piano and orchestra 



 Why? Koechlin is my favorite composer and his Ballade is a prime specimen of Koechlin's aural journeys into, and out from, the darkness and into the light.

Choros No.11 for piano and orchestra (1928) by *Heitor Villa-Lobos* 



 The "Choros" is a unique musical form issued forth by Villa-Lobos and represents his essence. 
Villa-Lobos also wrote 5 piano concerti, but I sometimes feel this Choros #11 gets overlooked due to its nomenclature.

Concierto para piano (1940) by *Carlos Chavez* 



 The music of Mexican composers doesn't seem to get the exposure it should. This PC by Chavez has been described as one of the most difficult to perform. Via the virtuosity of its soloist, it radiates "Mexicana" without any ersatz exoticism.

*Roberto Gerhard*'s 1951 concerto for piano and strings 



 A significant portion of Ohana's music has been underground for such a long while that we should consider ourselves fortunate that his PC got recorded.

*Harrison Birtwistle*'s 1992 Antiphonies for piano and orchestra 



 A tough nut to crack for many listeners, no doubt, but worth the effort ... as is the following PCs from the 1990s ...

*Ivan Fedele*'s 1993 piano concerto 



&

*Horatiu Radulescu*'s 1996 piano concerto "The Quest" 



 "bad ***" is one of the YouTube comments, if I recall.


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## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

Ravndal said:


> Thank you! Several of these i haven't heard yet.


You're welcome. I believe you'll get a nice time knowing these pieces as I have!


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## Alydon (May 16, 2012)

Underground certainly, and never heard in the concert hall are 7 piano concertos by John Field, which I listen to on a regular basis. There are many fine things in this music and several of them sound like a curious bridge between classical and romantic styles - fortunately, these are at least are fairly well represented on CD now and are well worth looking into.
One more composer whose piano concertos could be described as underground are those of early romantic and now vitually forgotton composer, William Sterndale Bennett and as far as I know has had his concertos recorded once.


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## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

Alydon said:


> One more composer whose piano concertos could be described as underground are those of early romantic and now vitually forgotton composer, William Sterndale Bennett and as far as I know has had his concertos recorded once.


I see that the Bennett concert is also an Opus No. 1 such as Stenhammar's... that's ironic. I see the John Field concertos are great. So far I listened No. 2.

Thank you for your share!


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

Dvořák's is great, I agree. I also really like Glazunov's one-movement Piano Concerto No. 2 in B major, Op. 100, which I feel is not very well-known.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Alydon said:


> Underground certainly, and never heard in the concert hall are 7 piano concertos by John Field, which I listen to on a regular basis. There are many fine things in this music and several of them sound like a curious bridge between classical and romantic styles - fortunately, these are at least are fairly well represented on CD now and are well worth looking into.


I really enjoy the few Field piano sonatas in my collection and his nocturnes, which I believe he is credited with inventing. I'd love to hear those concertos. People sometimes think of Hummel as "the other Beethoven," but it is really Field in my opinion. Hummel was no slouch either though.


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## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

kv466 said:


> 'Round these parts the Schumann concerto is as popular as the next.


It's hard not to like Earl Wild's style.

As a side note, I believe he should have done the Liszt compilation and not Leslie Howard. Some say that Wild was the last true romantic pianist alongside Arrau and Rubinstein and I specially like his Liszt opera transcriptions.

Thanks for sharing that recording I'll look for it!


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## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

moody said:


> I can't for one minute claim that any of these are favourites of mine,they are interesting that's all.
> If they were particularly good they would be better known.


I've known many people who prefer some underground concerti like these than the popular ones. There are many good concerti which aren't that well known. I've read that back in the time some of the underground concerti were much more performed than the current favorites. So, as an analogy, by the "well known" measure stick we could say that Britney Spears is a much better pop singer than almost any other pop artist. Many people would agree she is not.

Fortunately in the realm of classical music is much more richer than pop in general.

Sadly in the world there are many lost gems and there's undervalued assets also. To me is extremely pleasuring listening to all of the concerti in my list as well as newer findings because of your contributions above the Beethoven's Emperor concerto or Tchaikovsky's (which I don't like that much by the way). We as savvy listeners the ones who decide which composers deserve more recognition. I am grateful for the pianists who enliven those otherwise dead pieces.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Barber's concerto (mentioned by vaneyes already) has a lovely second movement (later transcribed as the Canzone, op.38a for flute and piano) and a really motoric finale.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Prokofiev 5 Listen to Richter play it.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Also, there's Alex North's Rhapsody for piano, trumpet obbligato, and orchestra, which has a great jazzy first movement (marked "Jazz", in fact...)


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

The humongous piano concerto by Ferruccio Busoni is probably the wildest and craziest piano concerto, certainly the longest at about 70 minutes.
It's in FIVE movements and the finale features a men's chorus ! It requires a pianist with a monster technique and stamina . You might call it the mount Everest of piano concertos . Alfred brendel has said that the piano part is "monstrously overwritten", but that may just be sour grapes !
Leon Botstein, the American symphony and a pianist whose name I can't recall offhand played it in New York last year . The only previous performance I cna recall there was around 1989 in Carnegie hall with Garrick Ohlsson, Christoph von Dohnanyi and the Cleveland orchestra, which they also recorded for Telarc at the time . 
I recently borrowed the excellent EMI live recording on library interloan, with Peter Donahoe, Mark Elder and the B.B.C. symphony . 
The Busoni piano conbcerto is like no other P.C. you've ever heard !


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Of Sorabji´s piano concertos, only the short 5th has so far been recorded, from what I know. But there are 11 works, cf.

http://www.sorabji-archive.co.uk/compositions/compositions.php

One could hope that BIS or others might try some of them.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Damian said:


> BONUS
> *Schumann's Piano Concerto (Op. 54)*
> This piece is not as widespread as the other well known composers and has such a beauty it gets me. Maybe some of you may not consider it underground, but it isn't that known, either, at least in my town.


Schumann's Piano Concerto is my favorite in the entire genre. You might also enjoy the fairly obscure, one-movement piano fantasies of Schumann's:

Schumann: Introduction & Allegro Appassionato in G, Op. 92
Schumann: Allegro & Introduction for Piano and Orchestra in D Minor, Op. 134

Both are remarkable works. The Op. 92 is my favorite, but the Op. 134 is very fiery and turbulent.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

I find the inclusion of the Schumann _Concerto_ in this discussion unusual. Next to the Grieg it is the most frequent concerto that my orchestra performs. (Note: I am not a pianist. I am referring to my position as a member of an orchestra who backs up a soloist.)


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Damian said:


> I've known many people who prefer some underground concerti like these than the popular ones. There are many good concerti which aren't that well known. I've read that back in the time some of the underground concerti were much more performed than the current favorites. So, as an analogy, by the "well known" measure stick we could say that Britney Spears is a much better pop singer than almost any other pop artist. Many people would agree she is not.
> 
> Fortunately in the realm of classical music is much more richer than pop in general.
> 
> Sadly in the world there are many lost gems and there's undervalued assets also. To me is extremely pleasuring listening to all of the concerti in my list as well as newer findings because of your contributions above the Beethoven's Emperor concerto or Tchaikovsky's (which I don't like that much by the way). We as savvy listeners the ones who decide which composers deserve more recognition. I am grateful for the pianists who enliven those otherwise dead pieces.


This is fairly difficult for me as I'm doing it with only one eye,but your post needs an answer.
Firstly I should think I have more unknown piano concerti than most people would own up to.
But you said it and savvy listeners did decide which concerti deserved more recognition---and it wasn't these.
If all the savvy listeners through history had supported them they wouldn't be dead pieces---which they pretty well are.
Incidentally,I have not met many people in the last sixty -odd years who prefer underground concerti such as these ,most people have little idea of their existance !
Also it is revealing to note the pianists who have recorded them---I don't see Rubinstein,Arrau,Brendel,Solomon,Argerich or Horowitz on the list ,why is that do you think ?
The pop singer comments are irrelevant.
You listen to what you want of course,but I would suggest that wild claims on behalf of most of these "gems"only show them up for what they actually are, tub-thumpers and gaudy display pieces.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Don´t forget a very important factor: general laziness/bourgeois self-complacency.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

joen_cph said:


> Don´t forget a very important factor: _general laziness/bourgeois self-complacency_.


There's a lot of it about !!


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## Alydon (May 16, 2012)

Damian said:


> I see that the Bennett concert is also an Opus No. 1 such as Stenhammar's... that's ironic. I see the John Field concertos are great. So far I listened No. 2.
> 
> Thank you for your share!


Well worth trying the piano concertos of Ignaz Moscheles as well.


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## Alydon (May 16, 2012)

Weston said:


> I really enjoy the few Field piano sonatas in my collection and his nocturnes, which I believe he is credited with inventing. I'd love to hear those concertos. People sometimes think of Hummel as "the other Beethoven," but it is really Field in my opinion. Hummel was no slouch either though.


Worth checking out youtube for the Field concertos - someone has put them all on there -


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I don't consider the Busoni to be 'underground' - it would require a good-sized cavern to contain it anyway - and it has been recorded several times. My onetime favorite, featuring Volker Banfield, could be placed in the not-big-name category. The recording that replaced it in my pantheon, MewtonWood/Beecham, probably not.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> I don't consider the Busoni to be 'underground' - it would require a good-sized cavern to contain it anyway - and it has been recorded several times. My onetime favorite, featuring Volker Banfield, could be placed in the not-big-name category. The recording that replaced it in my pantheon, MewtonWood/Beecham, probably not.


Mewton-Wood's is a mythical effort,also remembered is the late John Ogdon's recording with the RPO/Ravernaugh.There were also some interesting solo works included.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Here are a couple of fairly interesting compositions--gems I'm sure!
Ferdinand Ries, Concerto No.3,Op.55.
Carl Czerny. Variations On a Theme of Haydn. The theme is Deutschland Uber Alles, which is very stirring of course to all .
Back to underground :
Stavenhagen. Concerto In, b Minor, Op.94.
Sinding (Rustle Of Spring person). Concerto I B Flat,Maj,Op.6.
D'Albert. Concerto No.2.
Reinecke. Concerto No.1.
Hiller Piano Concerto.,Op.69,
Pixis. Concerto For Piano,Violin and String Orchestra. ( Quite fun ).
Finally a good one,though not officially a concerto. Alan Bush. Variations,Nocturne and Finale On An Old English Sea Song.


I have repeated one or two I see---that's just to make sure you are paying attention !!


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

^^ Ferdinand Hiller's Konzertstück for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 113 was recorded for Vox Candide by Jerome Rose/Pierre Cao/Radio Luxembourg Orch., coupled with Mihaly Mosonyi's concerto. The Mosonyi is good, the Hiller not so much.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

It's "underground" in that it's very rarely performed .


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

superhorn said:


> It's "underground" in that it's very rarely performed .


ref Busoni

But it's heard quite often, because of those several recordings by people who did/do not specialize in 'underground' music. Ipso facto it is above ground, though not flying high.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Hilltroll72 said:


> ^^ Ferdinand Hiller's Konzertstück for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 113 was recorded for Vox Candide by Jerome Rose/Pierre Cao/Radio Luxembourg Orch., coupled with Mihaly Mosonyi's concerto. The Mosonyi is good, the Hiller not so much.


My impression too - that Mosonyi recording is charming. The CD includes a concerto by yet another composer, as far as I remember.

The Busoni concerto is great indeed. There´s a fine version with Donohoe/Ermler live at the Proms too (EMI).


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## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

superhorn said:


> The Busoni piano conbcerto is like no other P.C. you've ever heard !


I know the Busoni. It's a charming concerto and monstrous indeed. However I don't find it that appealing. Maybe because of the recording I had. I will dig it over again as you made me curious about it's greatness. The B.B.C. symphony is amazing!

Thanks!


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## HIDEKI SUKENOBU (Mar 31, 2015)

Of course, my choice is Schumann's a minor concerto. I also this is underground enough, but I wonder why. Many, many recordings are given, but I've almost never felt joy.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Last time this came around, I didn't mention Pierné for some reason. Terrible oversight! 

Franck's Symphonic Variations might be obscure enough to count as well.


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## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

The one that is ment to be played on a dehammered piano by directly plucking the strings with the fingers all the way through it and shall be premiered without an audience in an cave somewhere in the depths of Indochina. It just hasn't been written yet.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Richannes Wrahms said:


> The one that is ment to be played on a dehammered piano by directly plucking the strings with the fingers all the way through it and shall be premiered without an audience in an cave somewhere in the dephs of Indochina. It just hasn't been written yet.


The key to the piece will be a miner, I believe.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Favorite underground piano concerto:

Back in 2008, I listened to Mozart's 23rd Piano Concerto while deep in the London Tube, traveling to St. Paul's Cathedral.


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## HIDEKI SUKENOBU (Mar 31, 2015)

I don't know any of these you mentioned. How about Saint saens's 4th. Is not this underground enough. I don't know the reason why famous pianists don't take it. Did you listen to it?


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Piano concertos of the 18th century composer *John Field*.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

ArtMusic said:


> Piano concertos of the 18th century composer *John Field*.


19th century (other than his 1st concerto, which was 1799).


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Hm, I really don't know how "underground" these are, but I'll give it a shot:

*Medtner*: 1, 2, and 3. IMO, all are awesome works, the first is my least favorite, the second is the most melodic/conventional, and the third is just sublime
*Prokofiev 5*: I would list all his concertos, because they're some of the best of the last century, but they seem to be more popular than this one. I think the fourth is equally not as popular, but I don't care for it. This one is a kaleidoscope of moods and textures, brilliant writing and one of the best examples of a piano concerto where the piano and orchestra are inseparable entities of equal importance 
*Reger*: Idk about this one, Reger's pretty well known, but I think this work is shied away from. I can understand that: it's long, complex, the piano part is extra-difficult without any showoffy moments to win the crowd, and like other Reger works, there aren't any "melodies" or rather, there are no catchy ear worms that audiences would like. But it's still a damn great work; it's like if Brahms did cocaine.
*Martinu*: Again, Idk how popular or unpopular his concertos are, but they don't seem to be very above ground. Brilliant writing from the ones I've heard. His concerto for 2 pianos is awesome
*Britten*: His Diversions for lefty piano and orchestra are mildly popular. I don't know how popular his early piano concerto is, but it's a cool work. Kind of Prokofiev-esque 
*Kilar*: His first has been recorded, his second has not. They're both minimalist and beautiful


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

GreenMamba said:


> 19th century (other than his 1st concerto, which was 1799).


But style of his music is late 18th century, mature Classcicism.


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## Guest (Apr 3, 2015)

I've never heard of a concerto written for underground piano. De Falla's Noches en Jardines Espana has a part for piano played in another room.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

About 4 months ago, I listened to the Brahms Second Piano Concerto on a New York Subway train.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Tristan said:


> Dvořák's is great, I agree. I also really like Glazunov's one-movement Piano Concerto No. 2 in B major, Op. 100, which I feel is not very well-known.


I agree, *Glazunov's* Second Concerto is simply wonderful, and I tend to like it more than his First, otherwise very well written.

The other concerti that caught my fancy and for a long time are of:

*Zygmunt Stojowski:* his First Concerto is nicely written, with nobility and dignity that evoke Anton Rubinstein (the dedicatee of the work). But his Second Concerto is quite in a different league in terms of ingenuity in the structure and the abundance of melodic invention (the opening is dream-like and autumnal and the theme et variations are captivating. Why it is severely under-performed, let alone under-recorded is a mystery to me.

*Sir Arnold Bax:* Both Winter Legends and Symphonic Variations show the composer on the top of his game. The orchestration is splendid and his piano writing is as poetic and adventurous as ever. Even though his much later Concerto for the Left Hand shows us that the best years were well behind Bax, the music is attractive, even glowing.

*Sergey Lyapunov:* Why o why the Russians continue to neglect the First Concerto, so full of lavishness, lucidity, passion, poetic utterance. Sure it shows how much he learned from Liszt and Balakirev. But goodness, the piece is full of enthralling ideas. The Second Concerto, barely more recorded, is not as invigorating as the First, but attractive nonetheless. But the Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes, is as great as the First.

*Herbert Howells:* The First is wonderful, Rachmaninovian in is rhetoric. But how well does it stand on it own feet, and with an appealing British accent? The material (in the first movement at least) is simply unforgettable.

*Vittorio Giannini:* A rather massive piece (not quite as colossal as Busoni's), but highly lyrical and even flamboyant at places. It is a quintessential Italian-American work, and with no apologies.

*Emil von Sauer:* His music tends to be facile at times, but the graceful, lilting attributes of his First Piano Concerto are inescapable.

*Dimitri Kabalevsky:* What's more to say about his soaring, autumnal melodic lines that color his First Concerto? The kind that would have done Myaskovsky proud? The first movement is borderline masterpiece and the second movement is lovely. The finale, though, runs a bit thin, but the piece is what I find myself turning to quite regularly.

*Kurt Atterberg:* In his Concerto, the overall atmosphere is Nordic, but with that Slavic concentration and coloring that brings to mind the young, searching Scriabin. The Andante movement is especially memorable: the mood, which is subtle and melancholic with the piano writing that, is soothing, flowing, and grandeur in the worlds of Rachmaninov and even Medtner.

*Nikolay Medtner:* Speaking of this proud Russian, is there anything more dignified and arrestingly subtle than his Third Concerto?


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Underground piano concerto? This sounds like a potential avant-garde work...


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Funny . I don't recall any piano concertos ever being performed underground . Most concert halls aren't !






:lol: :lol: :lol:


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

If they haven't been mentioned yet then I'll nominate the two by Ervin Schulhoff - the first one is late romantic/impressionist, the second jazz-based.


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## Beban (Nov 9, 2015)

Adolf von Henselt 
Piano Concerto Op.16 





Pejačević 
Phantasie Concertante - Piano Concerto No.2 in one movement, a thrilling hollywoodian-style composition 





Johann Nepomuk Hummel 
Piano Concerto No.4 " Les Adieux"


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

My absolute favorite is Hovhaness: _Lousadzak_, as performed by Ajemian/Surinach.

Respighi: _Concerto in Modo Misolidio_ has much to recommend it (Respighi allegedly thought it was the best thing he ever composed, but he was in error), but it needs pruning IMHO.

Clara Schumann: _Piano Concerto in A Minor_, a very pleasant work of its time.

Bruch: _Concerto for Two Pianos_, started as a suite for organ and orchestra, then was rewritten for two pianos for the Sisters Sutro of Philadelphia PA. It was essentially kidnapped by the sisters after Bruch died, extensively rewritten by them to aid their limited talents, then disappeared entirely when the last sister died at the age of 98 in 1970. It was thereafter reconstructed back to Bruch's version, in part from fragments found in the last sister's trunk, bought for eleven dollars at auction.


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## LHB (Nov 1, 2015)

Classical:





Romantic:





Modern:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Have you considered this one?









Also, did anybody already mention that Camille Saint-Saëns has some very nice piano concertos. Or is he not underground?


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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

My favorite is Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto played in my basement.


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## OldFashionedGirl (Jul 21, 2013)

Lutoslawski and Ligeti Piano Concertos.


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## Damian (Feb 3, 2013)

Thank you very much to all! I've liked most of the suggestions quite a bit.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Tippett
Gerhard


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Oh and don't forget some very different piano concertos by Bartok. Perhaps they were mentioned before but I did not go through the whole thread.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

In Seven Days is probably not Adès's best work, but I do like it quite a bit.


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## sam93 (Nov 9, 2015)

Beban said:


> Adolf von Henselt
> Piano Concerto Op.16


I second Henselt's Piano Concerto, it's beautifully written. The modulations in the second movement are dream-like.


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