The greatest VCs written since 1960

[Alan Howe]

OK, deep breath!
What in the view of forum members is the greatest violin concerto written in roughly the last fifty years?
My suggestion: George Rochberg (1974; restored original version 2001)
Reason: totally memorable; profoundly moving; beautiful in its neo-Romantic way. The violin really sings.

[Dundonnell]

Excellent choice, Alan 

I shall try to think of others

[Greg K]

I agree with Alan's description of Rochberg's VC, - a very plausible contender.

Right up there in my judgement would be Allan Pettersson's 2nd (1977).

[petershott@btinternet.com]

I don't disagree, but mulling over the question I'm having difficulty in distinguishing between the post 1960 Vn Concerto I've most enjoyed and the one that I think might be the greatest. The first category doesn't quite cohere with the second.

But, tee hee, my initial response is to think that this Alan fellow is always entirely unpredictable! I guess we all build up a picture of another's likes and dislikes from comments made and views expressed. And now and again I think to myself I've got Alan reasonably well pinned down. But then along comes a comment such as the one on Rochberg and my assumptions get thrown and I reckon its author is an especially discriminating and sensitive listener. That's a bit of praise, Alan!

[Dundonnell]

.....and well-deserved praise too   Remember that it was the same Alan who recently requested Harrison Birtwistle's Violin Concerto

(Always helps to be complimentary to a site Administrator  )

[BFerrell]

John Veale's.

[Peter1953]

I agree with Tapiola, John Veale is also my choice. Very romantic. What a most moving and wonderful 2nd movement (Lament: Largo), by the composer simply called love music. And that's true.
But I must make a confession: I don't know the Rochberg, which means I have to... investigate.

[TerraEpon]

Maybe not the 'greatest; but I'm very fond of Fazil Say's Violin Concerto '1001 Nights in The Harem' (a recording of which is available in the DL section)

And then of course there's Corigliano.

[Alan Howe]

Well, what responses!
Yes, I'd second the Veale as a contender - and now I must get to know the Corigliano. What's it like?

[Alan Howe]

Und was sagst du, Tobias?

[Jimfin]

I'm no judge of 'greatness', but I do like Thomas Ades' concerto, as well as both of George Lloyd's, the one with wind orchestra, the other with string orchestra

[alberto]

In my opinion the greatest Violin Concerto of the last 50 years is, by far, the Sciostakovich second (1967): in my opinion, in absolute terms, one of the greatest works of the last fifty years.
I could list some contenders (between concertos not yet named, but just for a "silver medal":
- John Adams Concerto (1993) (no longer minimalist)
- Philip Glass n.1 (1987)
- Peter Maxwell Davies n.1
-Henri Dutilleux "L'arbre des songes" (1985)

[violinconcerto]

Und was sagst du, Tobias?

There are many, many great violin concertos, so I checked my archive and found out that I have to choose 1 from more than 2000 works (let alone those works I don't have a recording of and so cannot decide how good they are). Honestly this decision is a bit too heavy for me on a Easter sunday morning. And in fact it depends much on the mood and the style I am looking for in a specific moment.

Best,
Tobias

[fr8nks]

Here is another vote for Fazil Say's Violin Concerto with Peteris Vasks' a close second.

[shamokin88]

I had to check out the date but I would go for the lone concerto [1964] of the German composer Ernst Hermann Meyer. It occupies a place somewhere near where Berg and Shostakovitch intersect, and there was a fine recording of it on the East German Eterna label with David Oistrakh.

Given the plural, I'd also put in a word for the lone concerto by Argentina's Alberto Ginastera.

And for the one I'd most like to hear, because I have never heard it, the late second concerto by Malipiero. I'm sure it might not make into this company though.

A friend once suggested that while the 19th century was an era of great piano concerti the 20th was one of great violin concerti.