The White Hat Guide to the Top 100 Concerti

During 2007, the ABC conducted a survey of its listeners to find their top 100 concerti which prompted us at White Hat to compile our own list.

Please bear with us for a couple of weeks while we get our list together. It takes a while to track down the correct spelling over a range of languages.

Here is our incomplete list (in no particular order as yet)

Mozart Concertone in C (for two violins), K190 [ABC - not listed]

Britten Violin Concerto, Op 13 [ABC - not listed]
Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto in F minor [ABC No.98]

Jongen Symphonie Concertante (for organ and orchestra) [ABC - not listed]

Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor Op.22 [ABC No.58]

Elgar Violin Concerto in B minor Op.61 [ABC No.35]

Mozart Bassoon Concerto in B flat K191 [ABC No.95]

Villa-Lobos Harp Concerto [ABC - unlisted]

Korngold Violin Concerto in D Op.35 [ABC No.88]

Marcello Oboe Concerto in D minor [ABC No.69]

Haydn Cello Concerto No.2 in D Hob2 [ABC No.87]

Vivaldi Piccolo Concerto in C major, RV535 {ABC - not listed] - the middle movement shows that the piccolo can be a romantic instrument.

Finzi Clarinet Concerto [ABC - unlisted]

Villa-Lobos Harmonica Concerto [ABC - not listed] - one of the finest works of this prolific composer.

Margaret Sutherland Concerto Grosso (for violin, viola and harpsichord) [ABC -unlsited]

Mozart Piano Concerto No.22 in E flat K482 [ABC No.63]

Bruch Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor Op.26 [ABC No.4] - although Bruch wrote nine violin concerti this remaisn by far the most popular.

Dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor Op.104 [ABC No.14]

Bartók Piano Concerto No.2 [ABC - not listed]

Haydn Sinfonia Concertante in B flat, Hob.I:105

Poulenc Concerto for Organ, String Orchestra and Timpani [ABC - not listed]

Mozart Piano Concerto No.21 in C K467 [ABC No.13]

Jongen Symphonie Concertante for organ and orchestra [ABC - not listed]

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor Op.23 [ABC No.9]

Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor Op.16 [ABC No.11]

Piazzolla Aconcagua – Bandoneón Concerto [ABC - not listed]

Telemann Viola Concerto in G [ABC No.97] - this deceptively simple work allows the viola to display its lyrical qualities in the lower register.

Bartók Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No.2  Sz.112 [ABC - not listed]

Bruch Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor Op.26 [ABC No.4]

Walton Violin Concerto [ABC - not listed] - commissioned by the great violinist Jascha Heifetz

Milhaud Concerto pour harpe, op323 [ABC - not listed] - there are a number of romantic concerti for harp full of glissandi and romantic swooshes, but this sparkling neo-classical concerto exploits the clarity the harp can bring to the texture of an orchestral work.

Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat Op.73 'Emperor' [ABC - No.1]

Walton Viola Concerto [ABC - not listed] - when rejected by the most prominent viola soloist of the time, a fellow composer, Paul Hindemith, showed his belief in the work by playing the solo part in the work's first performance

Shostakovich Violin Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 99 [ABC - not listed]

Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor Op.85 [ABC No.5]

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor Op.64 [ABC No.12]

Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A K622 [ABC No.6]

Ravel Piano Concerto in D Major for the left hand [ABC - not listed] - a work that is both dark and deep and the first that we chose for this list.

Bach Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor BWV1043 [ABC No.8] - Any work that can survive being scraped away at by two 10 year old girls and still leave you engrossed in Bach's music deserves to be number 1.

Selected performances in Australia featuring concerti from White Hat's Top 100 Concerti:

Sidney Myer Free Orchestral Concerts at the Music Bowl - Concert 1 - 'Romantic Favourites' Did you miss this event? Then subscribe to our free email newsletter to receive advance notice of events such as this one. White Hat has kept its subscribers Informed since last century and has long become a Melbourne Institution for those Intelligent and Independent souls prepared to look beyond the bounds of either the mainstream -commercial or mainstream-alternative marketing machines. (However, be warned that we can occasionally be a little Irreverent.) The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Lutz Koehler (conductor) and Maxwell Foster (piano) perform: Verdi The Force of Destiny: Overture Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Concerti) Brahms Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.68 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Symphonies) The Sidney Myer Free Orchestral Concerts in the Music Bowl are one of the highlights of the Melbourne Summer. The businessman and philanthropist Sidney Myer left a trust to benefit the people of Melbourne and Australia. Not only did this trust make possible the building of the public Music Bowl, it continues to continues to contribute to the quality of life of Melburnians through works and events such as the annual free concerts. Gates open at 4pm and the concert starts at 7pm. White Hat recommends you get there early because, if the weather is fine it can fill quite quickly. This is the ideal place to have a champagne picnic with friend under the stars while listening to classical music. You are allowed to bring reasonable amounts of food and alcohol but no breakable glasses, sharp objects, or seating which obstruct the view of others. Before you decide to turn it into a fully-fledged camping expedition we suggest you check the conditions of entry. Our rating: Five Hats Wednesday 17th February 2010 Sidney Myer Music Bowl -