What are you listening to right now?

Oistrakh.

Naupilus, Berg's Concerto is a peak of the 20th century, but I cannot possibly find how it can be considered alongside the greatest Classical ones. The form, the concept, the scope, the writing are so different.

I'm glad, Guillaume, if you consider Mendelssohn's as the only one "peak" of the Violin Concertos. Depending on how you may defend your position, it may be true. I wonder, though, which are the "quite a few" 20th century works "equal" or 'surpassing' (!) the three Classic greats.

The reason I mentioned these three Concertos (Beethoven, Brahms and Tchaikovsky) as the "peaks" of the Violin Concerto are based on the following facts:

-All three are following a similar form of the Grand Concerto: a huge, grandiose, almost epic First movement, with very impressive and exciting orchestral passages. The violin soloist has an enormous task to handle in this First movement, ending with some very demanding musically and technically cadenzas. The slow movements are lyrical but of utmost beauty and clarity as well as musicality. The Finales are fast, technically dazzling and rhythmically very exhilarating.

-All three are in D major, a bright key and "friendly" to violin, based on its normal tuning of its open strings, adding enough richness and splendour in the sound of the instrument. The orchestration is identical to all three, with the exception of one additional flute and two horns in the case of Brahms and Tchaikovsky. The treatment of the orchestration presents quite a few similarities, leading to the maximum splendour of the orchestral sound.

-In these concertos, the soloist has to "shine" in a very challenging orchestral environment, where he may feel almost as a sort of primus inter pares.

-Most of the greatest violinists deal with these works at the height of their maturity and artistry or with a view to proving that.

Mendelssohn's Concerto is close to the above characteristics, but it is somehow a much shorter work, albeit very demanding, innovative and exciting work. The scope and the whole form as well as the structure are, however, a bit smaller.

Parla

Alexander Tcherepnin: Piano Concerto No. 4 on Spotify:

http://open.spotify.com/album/3GnWKkfvBGo1uqqJLRY7a6

I can't see how anyone can find the Beethoven violin concerto "overrated" or even inferior to his piano concertos.
To me, it's the absolute pinnacle of the concertos - and not only Beethoven's.
Just take that opening, with the four timpani beats preparing you for one of Beethoven's most gorgeous melodies - and for 40 minutes more of Beethoven in his most inspired and generous mood.
If there's one concerto in parla's "top three" that's overrated, it's the Tchaikowski. Hanslick for once was right about this one.

@Tom, wonderful indeed. Szymanowski is still underrated, he should by now be regarded as one of the greatest early 20th century modernists. And talking about violin concertos, his two concertos are among the best of the 20th century. I once analyzed the 4th symphony (a fascinating symphony/piano concerto hybrid) for theory class, and the deeper you dig into a piece like this, the more you're amazed by the richness and quality of it.
Too bad his music will always be too complex and difficult for the masses to understand.

Indeed. As I think most reasonable listeners would agree.

Oh dear. We have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.

No problem 50m, but you did set yourself up for a bit of a poke with that one.

I have to confess Szymanowski's music continues to leave me cold, and that perplexes me. He's the only early/mid 20th century Eastern European composer I don't thoroughly enjoy and my attempts to get into his music go back to an ancient Heliodor lp I bought as a student, coupling his first VC with Wieniawski's second. I keep trying. Lately I've been walking around with his string quartets on my portable.

Hope springs eternal. I'm sure we've all got stories of composers who've suddenly clicked after years of failing to register with us.