The BBC Proms pocket guide to great concertos

Classical music is more available to all than ever before. On the radio, the internet, on CDs, on television and at concerts, the great masterpieces of music can be heard in countless different performances. But where can you find out more about the pieces you hear?The BBC Proms Pocket Guides provide all the background and information you need about some of the most exciting works in the repertory. As one of the world's leading music festivals, the BBC Proms has over the years published unrivalled, highly praised programme notes by today's leading writers on music.This second volume in the series provides an accessible guide to the some of the most familiar and best-loved concertos in the repertory. From Vivaldi's Four Seasons, through Mozart's glorious piano concertos and the great virtuoso display-pieces of the nineteenth century by Brahms, Tchaikovsky and many others, this volume brings us musically right up to date with the modern masterpieces of Prokofiev and Britten, Lutoslawski, Ligeti and John Tavener.The thrilling duel between soloist and orchestra which is at the heart of concerto form has remained constant through centuries of change and many different musical languages. If you want to know more about how the great concertos were written and what to listen out for as you encounter these remarkable pieces, this is the place to start.