This edition of Milestones of the Millennium examines the concerto: that musical form which pits the soloist against the entire orchestra in a cliff-hanging display of virtuosity. The winner in this contest is inevitably the audience, which is treated to an �incredible variety of musical experience.� Musicologist Michael Steinberg shares his thoughts on the �rich and magical� theatrical drama of a live concerto performance, while Martin conducts us through a musical survey of the form. We begin our feature with a movement from Bach�s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, performed by the Musica Antiqua of Cologne with Reinhard Goebel conducting.

Where to begin? With concerti, composers have come up with radically different answers to that question. We have Beethoven to thank for pioneering the form's tendency towards innovative introductions. Originally, the concerto was conceived as a sort of instrumental derivative of opera and usually began with a lengthy orchestral introduction. In his earliest concertos, Beethoven played by these rules. But in his Piano Concerto No. 4, the soloist's piano speaks first, breaking with convention and setting the stage for even greater structural variety. We hear a variety of introductions, including Tchaikovsky�s first piano concerto, the simple sigh that starts Aaron Copland�s Clarinet Concerto, and the musical Heimlich maneuver that commences Camille St. Saens� cello concerto.

Of course, it is not only in the beginning that a concerto makes a statement; we hear many examples of intense personal and sometimes political statements throughout such works. Steinberg argues that each of Bach�s cadenzas are a �self-portrait,� and that Mozart�s instrumental arias provide an intimate portrayal of the musicians he wrote for, what they were like and how they played.

In his music-driven essay, Steinberg also highlights the �choreography of courtesies� and stage arrangements that complement a concerto performance. Certainly, the dynamics between the soloist, conductor and orchestra heighten the drama already prescribed by the composition. �Who will shake whose hand?�, Steinberg asks, and �will the orchestra clap?� after the virtuoso�s elegant handling of a musical high-wire act. For the audience, this drama is thoroughly entertaining. �We enjoy watching other people sweat,� says Steinberg, who equates the virtuoso�s role with that of a superstar athlete, under the gun in a grueling championship match.

Exploring concerti from the 20th century, we listen to the silvery and transparent cadenza from Sergei Rachmaninoff�s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, performed by Martha Argerich with Riccardo Chailly conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony. We conclude with a crackling virtuosic show-stopper, the Violin Concerto by Samuel Barber performed by soloist Robert McDuffie with the Atlanta Symphony conducted by Yoel Levi.

Listen as PT host Martin Goldsmith guides us through the history and variety of the concerto, and hear Michael Steinberg's musical essay on Milestones of the Millenium. Note: Some music parts have been edited from the commentary due to internet rights issues. (This audio segment requires the free RealPlayer 5.0 or higher. You can also listen with a 14.4 connection)