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The Ten Most Famous Piano Concertos of all Time

Da, da, da, daa…baff! Ba, ba, ba, baa…baff! Yep, we know that one! But which other famous piano concertos – subjectively chosen, naturally – round out our top ten?

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  • Beethoven
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor op. 37
     •
    I. Allegro con brio
  • Beethoven
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor op. 37
     •
    II. Largo
  • Beethoven
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor op. 37
     •
    III. Rondo. Allegro
  • Brahms
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat major op. 83
     •
    I. Allegro non troppo
  • Brahms
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat major op. 83
     •
    II. Allegro appassionato
  • Brahms
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat major op. 83
     •
    III. Andante
  • Brahms
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat major op. 83
     •
    IV. Allegretto grazioso
  • Mozart
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 21 in C major KV 467
     •
    I. Allegro maestoso
  • Mozart
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 21 in C major KV 467
     •
    II. Andante
  • Mozart
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 21 in C major KV 467
     •
    III. Allegro vivace assai
  • Beethoven
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major op. 73 “Emperor”
     •
    I. Allegro
  • Beethoven
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major op. 73 “Emperor”
     •
    II. Adagio un poco moto
  • Beethoven
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major op. 73 “Emperor”
     •
    III. Rondo. Allegro, ma non troppo
  • Rachmaninoff
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in D minor op. 30
     •
    I. Allegro ma non tanto
  • Rachmaninoff
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in D minor op. 30
     •
    II. Intermezzo. Adagio –
  • Rachmaninoff
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in D minor op. 30
     •
    III. Finale. Alla breve
  • Schumann
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor op. 54
     •
    I. Allegro affettuoso
  • Schumann
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor op. 54
     •
    II. Intermezzo. Andantino grazioso
  • Schumann
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor op. 54
     •
    III. Allegro vivace
  • Liszt
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E flat major S 124
     •
    I. Allegro maestoso
  • Liszt
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E flat major S 124
     •
    II. Quasi adagio
  • Liszt
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E flat major S 124
     •
    III. Allegretto vivace – Allegro animato
  • Liszt
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E flat major S 124
     •
    IV. Allegro marziale animato
  • Grieg
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor op. 16
     •
    I. Allegro molto moderato
  • Grieg
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor op. 16
     •
    II. Adagio
  • Grieg
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor op. 16
     •
    III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato
  • Tchaikovsky
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B flat minor op. 23 TH 55
     •
    I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito
  • Tchaikovsky
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B flat minor op. 23 TH 55
     •
    II. Andantino semplice – Prestissimo – Tempo I
  • Tchaikovsky
    •
    Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B flat minor op. 23 TH 55
     •
    III. Finale. Allegro con fuoco

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is of course there as number one. All classical lovers know his First Piano Concerto, even if not all of them like it. It's nevertheless one of those works whose beginning at least – Richard Strauss's 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' is another – has imprinted itself on the collective consciousness: that introduction so gloriously pregnant with foreboding, so red-bloodedly Russian. The other two movements are crafted with no less skill in the distinctive architecture of the piano concerto.

Other popular piano concertos by Liszt, Mozart and Co. are always worth revisiting, though with Mozart's Piano Concerto in C major KV 467, it's rather the melancholically lilting second movement that proved most memorable.

In any case, let's begin with tenth place, with Beethoven's Third, followed by Brahms's Second at No. 9. Mozart's No. 21 comes in eighth, and Beethoven's Fifth, "Emperor" is No. 7. Rachmaninoff's fearsome Piano Concerto No. 3 is in sixth place, followed by Schumann's poetic Concerto in A minor. Liszt's martial Piano Concerto No. 1 (with starring role for triangle) comes fourth, and the sweeping romance of "Rach Two" gains it third place. And trailing behind the Tchaikovsky in this particular race, Grieg's evergreen Piano Concerto in A minor.

As always, we've chosen some of the finest performances featuring the very best soloists, conductors and orchestras.

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