Concerto

The Concerto is second only to the Symphony in perceived importance. It provides both for the soloist a means to demonstrate their technique and for the audience the thrill of hearing an solo instrument or instruments being pitted against the larger orchestral accompaniment. The concerto as we know it today derives from the concerti grosso of the baroque era which contrasted a small body of instruments (the concertino) with a full orchestra (the ripieno). During the eighteenth century the concertino became usually a single instrument although up until Mozart its role was still one of providing alternating contrast to the orchestra. Beethoven, in his piano and violin concertos, turned the relationship into a duel which was taken up enthusiastically by his Romantic successors and was used by many as showcases for their own instrumental talents. Most concertos are either for the violin or the piano although all members of the orchestra have had concertos written for them.

Key Works: Adams: Violin Concerto, J.S. Bach: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 - 5, Triple Concerto, Violin Concerto, Barber: Violin Concerto, Brahms: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Violin Concerto, Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1, Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Copland: Clarinet Concerto, Dvorak: Cello Concerto, Violin Concerto, Grieg: Violin Concerto, Elgar: Cello Concerto, Violin Concerto, Franck: Symphonic Variations, Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto, Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, Horn Concertos Nos. 1 - 4Piano Concertos Nos. 1 - 27, Violin Concertos Nos. 1 - 5, Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 4, Schumann: Piano Concerto, Shostakovich: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1, Violin Concerto