Concertos: All for one and one for all?
Over 350 years concertos have evolved to be an exploration of the relationship between soloist and orchestra. Tom Service asks how they work and what it is like to be a soloist.
With the help of violinist Pekka Kuusisto Tom Service explores the concerto from Vivaldi in the early 18th century to today's composers. How has the idea of the concerto evolved over three centuries and what are the challenges for the soloist, walking the tightrope of virtuosity, sandwiched between orchestral colleagues and expectant audience?
David Papp (producer)
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Music Played
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Jean Sibelius
Violin Concerto in D minor Op.47 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Leif Segerstam.- Ondine.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: First Movement
Performer: David Helfgott.- Philips.
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato
Performer: Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Performer: Daniel Harding.- Decca.
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Antonio Vivaldi
The Four Seasons: Spring, RV269 - I. Allegro
Performer: Virtuosi di Kuhmo. Performer: Pekka Kuusisto.- Ondine.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K219 'Turkish': I. Allegro aperto
Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Performer: Tapiola Sinfonietta. Performer: Olli Mustonen.- Ondine.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61: I. Allegro ma non troppo
Performer: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Performer: Sir Charles Mackerras.- Warner Classics.
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Johannes Brahms
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77: I. Allegro non troppo
Performer: Hilary Hahn. Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Performer: Neville Marriner.- Sony.
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato
Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Performer: 成人论坛 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Thomas Dausgaard.- 成人论坛 Recording.
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Traditional
Finnish folksong
Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Performer: Chorus - Proms Audience.- 成人论坛 Recording.
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 99: IV. Burlesque
Performer: James Ehnes. Performer: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Kirill Karabits.- Onyx.
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Igor Stravinsky
Violin Concerto in D: IV. Capriccio
Performer: Hilary Hahn. Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Performer: Neville Marriner.- Sony.
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Arnold Schoenberg
Violin Concerto, Op. 36: II. Andante grazioso
Performer: Hilary Hahn. Performer: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Esa鈥怭ekka Salonen.- DG.
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John Adams
Violin Concerto: I. quarter note = 78
Performer: Chlo毛 Hanslip. Performer: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Leonard Slatkin.- Naxos.
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Felix Mendelssohn
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64: III. Allegro non troppo - Allegro molto vivace
Performer: Janine Jansen. Performer: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Performer: Riccardo Chailly.- Decca.
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Gyorgy Ligeti
Violin Concerto: I. Praeludium
Performer: Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Performer: Ensemble Modern. Performer: P茅ter E枚tv枚s.- 狈补茂惫别.
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Philip Venables
Venables Plays Bartok
Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Performer: 成人论坛 Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Sakari Oramo.- 成人论坛 Recording.
Broadcasts
- Sun 9 Dec 2018 17:00成人论坛 Radio 3
- Fri 2 Aug 2019 16:30成人论坛 Radio 3
- Sun 30 Jul 2023 17:00成人论坛 Radio 3
- Fri 4 Aug 2023 16:30成人论坛 Radio 3
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The Listening Service
An odyssey through the musical universe, presented by Tom Service