Onward we go with my new series at PE about classical music. Like the previous thread about symphonies, the title has been chosen deliberately. I would like to know which violin concertos are your favorites, but I also want to know which violin concertos 'took you by surprise' or you find underestimated on general.
First, the best vc ever remains (for me) Brahms. This is a splendid version, I think:
But the following is also a major favorite of mine, and I'm in love with Hilary Hahn, so that helps. But the fun thing about this vc, is that the connection between the soloist and the orchestra couldn't have been better, and this vc has one of the best ending-sections of all. The last, often third, movement of a vc is often the worst of the three, but that's certainly not the case with this one. I'm talking about Prokofiev's 1st vc:
Last but not least, Myaskovsky's violin concerto. I think that one deserves much more recognition than received, for it's a thing of beauty for sure:
Besides these I rather like Alwyn, Barber, Bruch (all three, not just his famous no. 1), Saint-Saens (also all three, but no. 3 is his best), Beethoven (depending on the performer), Dvorak, Stravinsky, Weinberg (again an underestimated one), Elgar, Adams, both (!) Glass, Bartok's no. 1, Shostakovich both, Nielsen, Sibelius, Prokofievs no. 2, Ginastera, Saygun (Turkish, very underestimated composer), Mendelssohn (again, depending on the performer), Penderecki both, and Korngold.
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