{"id":36455,"date":"2023-04-21T10:00:48","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T09:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/9a339c79-4a13-45b4-8111-1aba0670d42b"},"modified":"2023-12-12T19:40:00","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T18:40:00","slug":"the-greatest-piano-concertos-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/the-greatest-piano-concertos-of-all-time\/","title":{"rendered":"The greatest piano concertos of all time"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Freya Parr\n <\/p>

Published: Friday, 21 April 2023 at 09:00 AM<\/p>

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Well, it was quite a task, but we’ve stuck our necks out and selected some of the greatest piano concertos ever written.<\/p>

We’ve made a conscious choice to include just one concerto<\/strong><\/a> by each composer – so many apologies to (deep breath) Brahms 1, Chopin 2, Prokofiev 3, Beethoven 4, Saint-Sa\u00ebns 5, a dozen Mozarts and many, many other wonderful works for piano and orchestra.<\/p>

Here we go, though. What do you think?<\/p>

The greatest piano concertos of all time<\/h2>

Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 <\/strong><\/h3>

The ultimate technical challenge and test of stamina for any pianist, Prokofiev<\/a><\/strong>‘s Second Piano Concerto drives forward like a freight train, pulling out of the station gracefully, tentatively, before hammering on its way.<\/p>

The opening movement\u2019s cadenza<\/a><\/strong>, so densely written it\u2019s scored on three staves, is a white-knuckle test for any pianist, while the final movement is an unstoppable force of pure energy.<\/p>

  • The best recordings of Prokofiev’s Piano Concertos<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>

    It\u2019s also incredibly beautiful, the composer perfectly balancing virtuosity and aesthetics.<\/p>

    Chosen by former editor Oliver Condy<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>

    <\/p>

    • 10 piano concertos you may not know<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    • What is the difference between a concerto and a symphony?<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>

      Khachaturian Piano Concerto <\/strong><\/h3>

      In the creepily sinuous Andante con anima<\/em> second movement of Khachaturian<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s Piano Concerto, a distinctly eerie sound \u2013 like something from a horror movie \u2013 emerges from the back of the orchestra<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>

      • Four of the best Khachaturian recordings<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
      • Who invented the piano recital?<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>

        While this appearance of the musical saw (or, alternatively, the flexatone) gives the Armenian<\/strong><\/a> composer\u2019s 1936 work a uniqueness within the concerto repertoire, there is a lot more to his Concerto<\/a><\/strong> than just that.<\/p>

        The opening movement of the Khachaturian Piano Concerto<\/a><\/strong> is a riot of oriental colour and chromaticism, while the Allegro brillante<\/em> finale hurls the soloist, orchestra and listeners towards a thrilling finish.<\/p>

        Chosen by deputy editor Jeremy Pound<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>

        Read our reviews of the latest Khachaturian recordings here <\/a><\/strong><\/p>