Best Concerto
Updated Daily
Premiered in 1901, this renowned piano concerto by Sergei Rachmaninoff established his reputation following a severe period of compositional depression.
Completed in 1909, Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 is notorious for its immense technical difficulty and grand, sweeping late-Romantic melodies.
Premiered in 1921, this piano concerto by Sergei Prokofiev is renowned for its motoric rhythms, lyrical themes, and demanding, highly virtuosic solo part.
Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759) was a German-born British Baroque composer celebrated for his operas, oratorios, and the enduring masterpiece Messiah.
German-British Baroque composer renowned for the oratorio Messiah (1741), Italian operas, and his influential role in English musical life.
Alban Berg's 1935 concerto is a notable 20th-century work that merges twelve-tone technique with tonal elements, dedicated to the memory of Manon Gropius.
Edward Elgar completed his Cello Concerto in E minor in 1919, a melancholic masterpiece that stands as his final major orchestral work and a cello repertoire staple.
Robert Schumann completed his Piano Concerto in A minor in 1845; it is a quintessential work of the Romantic era and remains a staple of the classical piano repertoire.
Jean Sibelius completed the Violin Concerto in D minor in 1903; it is his only concerto and ranks among the most technically demanding works in the Romantic violin repertoire.
Composed in 1934, this concertante work by Sergei Rachmaninoff uses Niccolò Paganini's 24th Caprice for a set of 24 dazzling piano variations.
Beethoven's 1806 violin concerto, the most performed violin concerto in the repertoire, admired for its lyrical breadth and structural innovation.
Russian Romantic composer and virtuoso pianist of the early 20th century, celebrated for his technically demanding piano concertos.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed this renowned Romantic piano concerto in 1874, famous for its massive opening chords and virtuosic demands.
Mozart's 1791 clarinet concerto, his last completed instrumental work, written for Anton Stadler and central to the clarinet's concert repertoire.
Written in 1878 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, this highly virtuosic violin concerto is celebrated for its technically demanding and lyrical melodies.
Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor, completed in 1868, is the Norwegian composer's most famous work and was the first piano concerto ever recorded in its entirety.
Completed in 1931, this piano concerto by Maurice Ravel blends classical form with jazz influences, famously including a prominent opening whip-crack.
Antonio Vivaldi composed this set of four violin concertos around 1720, using Baroque music to vividly depict scenes from nature.
This concerto is a cornerstone of the Romantic repertoire, showcasing breathtaking technical demands for the soloist while maintaining profound emotional resonance. Tchaikovsky masterfully blends lyrical beauty with dramatic flair, making it instantly engaging for listeners of all levels. It represe...
Italian Baroque composer and violinist known for The Four Seasons and a prolific output exceeding 500 concertos.
French composer Camille Saint-Saëns wrote his Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor in 1872; it is notable for its single continuous movement structure and immense popularity.
Mozart's 1775 violin concerto, nicknamed 'Turkish' for its dramatic minor-key episode in the finale, the last of his five violin concertos.
This concerto is a monumental display of romantic passion channeled through the piano. It is sweeping, dramatic, and emotionally overwhelming in the best possible way. The interplay between the soloist and the orchestra is breathtaking, creating a dialogue of immense depth. It is a demanding but pro...
Russian composer Alexander Glazunov completed this late Romantic violin concerto in 1904, noted for its lyrical, sweeping melodic structure.
Niccolò Paganini composed his Violin Concerto No. 1 in 1817, creating a bravura showpiece that highlights his legendary and highly demanding violin techniques to this day.
Dmitri Shostakovich composed this vibrant piano concerto in 1957, known for its sparkling, neoclassical fast movements and lyrical central Andante.
William Walton completed this technically demanding violin concerto in 1939, written for Jascha Heifetz and blending lyricism with modern rhythms.
Aram Khachaturian (1903–1978) was an Armenian-Soviet composer famous for his ballet scores Gayane and Spartacus, including the ubiquitous 'Sabre Dance.'
Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778–1837) was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist who bridged the Classical and Romantic eras with his piano concertos.
