While I was a high school student, I began to ponder what field I should pursue and what the future was going to hold for me. The choices of pursuing a field in the sciences or mathematics were strongly represented by members of my family. That is, I come from a family of scientists and mathematicians. But the influences of my classmates led me to listen to lots of great music as a break from lots of studying. My musical environment was created by my peers. We listened to Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade and Mahler and Beethoven symphonies. I loved the big chords of the Romantic era and the "warhorse" concertos where the piano is the featured instrument.

As we see the daylight hours diminish, I thought I would make a few suggestions on some great piano concertos worth listening to... perhaps even on your large family TV with the family all gathered together and comfortably sprawled on the floor or on a couch. What a luxury to listen to music this way, rather than in a classical music concert hall where one must sit politely upright in the audience!

Here are three great piano concertos by three great pianists:

Tchaikovsky Piano concerto No. 1
Grieg Piano concerto in A minor:
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor

Send me your suggestions! What is your favorite music: piece, composer, performer?

Sachiko