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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)

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Fri 4 Aug 2023 16:30
±«Óătv Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Jean Sibelius

    Violin Concerto in D minor Op.47 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Leif Segerstam.
    • Ondine.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: First Movement

    Performer: David Helfgott.
    • Philips.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato

    Performer: Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Performer: Daniel Harding.
    • Decca.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    The Four Seasons: Spring, RV269 - I. Allegro

    Performer: Virtuosi di Kuhmo. Performer: Pekka Kuusisto.
    • Ondine.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato

    Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Performer: ±«Óătv Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Thomas Dausgaard.
    • ±«Óătv Recording.

  • Traditional

    Finnish folksong

    Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Performer: Chorus - Proms Audience.
    • ±«Óătv Recording.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 99: IV. Burlesque

    Performer: James Ehnes. Performer: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Kirill Karabits.
    • Onyx.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Violin Concerto in D: IV. Capriccio

    Performer: Hilary Hahn. Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Performer: Neville Marriner.
    • Sony.

  • Arnold Schoenberg

    Violin Concerto, Op. 36: II. Andante grazioso

    Performer: Hilary Hahn. Performer: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Esa‐Pekka Salonen.
    • DG.

  • John Adams

    Violin Concerto: I. quarter note = 78

    Performer: Chloë Hanslip. Performer: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Leonard Slatkin.
    • Naxos.

  • 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.

  • Gyorgy Ligeti

    Violin Concerto: I. Praeludium

    Performer: Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Performer: Ensemble Modern. Performer: Péter Eötvös.
    • ±·ČčĂŻ±č±đ.

  • Philip Venables

    Venables Plays Bartok

    Performer: Pekka Kuusisto. Performer: ±«Óătv Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Sakari Oramo.
    • ±«Óătv Recording.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 9 Dec 2018 17:00
    ±«Óătv Radio 3
  • Fri 2 Aug 2019 16:30
    ±«Óătv Radio 3
  • Sun 30 Jul 2023 17:00
    ±«Óătv Radio 3
  • Fri 4 Aug 2023 16:30
    ±«Óătv Radio 3

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