The greatest VCs written since 1960

[Jimfin]

I utterly agree about the Wright: I listened again to it yesterday and was captivated!

[Dundonnell]

I utterly agree about the Wright: I listened again to it yesterday and was captivated!

Is the Wright worth buying in view of its coupling with the RVW 5th Symphony

[Alan Howe]

Absolutely 100%, yes! I hesitated at first, but am glad I succumbed!

[eschiss1]

Haven't "lived with" any violin concerto written since or in 1960 long enough to consider which I like best , on the one hand, or which I consider greatest (in some sense I don't blush at using - a more objective sense , a work that's both of high quality and, optimally, best of its time and innovative - influential perhaps, or potentially if better-known- eh, hush Eric...) -

different questions for me if not for everyone. 

There's only a few in my collection (more symphonies and quartets written in that period there than violin concertos, I think, though I see I do have Margaret Sutherland's 1960 concerto, Ginastera's, Nordgren's 4th, one by Norgard I think, a couple by Lemeland, and van Hemel's fun 1968 2nd concerto ("four scherzandi with four instrumental groups") -(and a couple from here I haven't really listened to yet alas except for the Hoddinott Mistral which I enjoyed)... of concertos I'd love to have a recording of I count Vagn Holmboe's 3rd concerto...

hrm, you know - if you'd said "since  1950" on the third hand, I think me I'd have nominated Frank Martin's (1951) -
and not thought twice about, for first place. (Mildly innovative but to my ears best of its time and kind and a work that has only improved with acquaintance, like so much else by him- yes, I am being inconsistent...)

(With Benjamin Frankel's and Ivanovs' both of the same year given at least very high regard by me... sigh. Choices, choices, choices... better that than having none.)

[mjkFendrich]

There is another Meyer, which we have positively discussed in an old thread and that is Edgar Meyer. Another previously discussed VC, like Edgar Meyer's, is composed by Lee Actor for the violinist Pip Clarke. Nice, lyrical and accessible VCs worth listening once in a while.
However, a thread on great VCs written since 1960 isn't IMHO "complete" without mentioning both delightful VCs (No. 1 in D minor, op. 50 and no. 2 in B minor, op. 100) by Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski, despite the fact that both works are not composed in a contemporary idiom but in a romantic style.

I addition to Edgar Meyer's VC (which is one of my favourites) there are several other great American VCs that could be mentioned here:

James Yannatos
Eric Ewazen
John Adams' "Dharma at Big Sur"

and from other countries

Matthew Hindson's "Australian Postcards"
Magnus Lindberg
H.Hallgrimsson's "Poemi"

G.v.Zieritz -  Zigeunerkonzert  (I'll going to post an LP transfer of this work later)

[chill319]

If you don't already know it, I would commend to your attention the violin concerto of Benjamin Lees. Technically, it is out of the running since it was written in 1958, but it received its first performance in 1963, and IMHO it is worth shoehorning into this thread.

There's a sympathetic review here http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/a/atk00042a.php of a recording that got a 2009 Grammy nomination.

[minacciosa]

If you don't already know it, I would commend to your attention the violin concerto of Benjamin Lees. Technically, it is out of the running since it was written in 1958, but it received its first performance in 1963, and IMHO it is worth shoehorning into this thread.

There's a sympathetic review here http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/a/atk00042a.php of a recording that got a 2009 Grammy nomination.

Benjamin Lees' concerto is just great; one of my favorites.

[MikeW]

Ross Edwards' 1988 Violin Concerto 'Maninyas'.