complete CD-set of Mozart’s piano concertos

I say go for complete sets! I love 'em. Well, I love them in certain repertoire, Mozart's piano concertos being a prime example. Keep in mind, though, that not everything Mozart wrote in this genre is great. Many of the earliest concertos are uninspired.

That written, I currently own both the Barenboim / ECO and Perahia / ECO recordings, and I enjoy them both. Barenboim is more romantically inclined and can make some of the concertos seem a bit overdone. Sound is pretty good, but not great. Perahia is more restrained and poised, and some find it not quite exciting enough. (Not me!) The sound quality varies. The early digital recordings, in particular, can annoy the ear.

The more recent Uchida / Tate set should boast better sound, but I am not a big Uchida fan. There's also the Schiff / Vegh set that I've pondered buying (it's not available in the States). One recent purchase exposed me to Ingrid Haebler's Mozart, and sure enough, she also recorded a complete set in the 60s with Colin Davis. I may try to hunt one of those boxes down.

As to incomplete sets, do consider the Robert Casadesus / George Szell recordings on Sony. There are two 3-disc sets at Amazon France that are incredible. These are among my favorite of all Mozart piano concerto recordings. And don't forget Clara Haskil's various recordings of specific concertos.


"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Hi Urs,

are you saying you don't like the Brendel set, or are you looking for a different perspective?

The Perahia set has been mentioned a couple times, and yes, the sound is early digital. The set is ultra cheap. If I would have to pick a color to characterize Perahia's interpretation I'd pick white or light blue. The Uchida set is quite different. I'd pick dark red. Mozart is much more of a romantic in Uchida's account; together with conductor Tate she takes the concertos to the opera world, while Perahia keeps them close to keyboard sonatas and chamber music.

I'm a little amazed no one has mentioned the complete cycle by Geza Anda and the Salzburger Mozarteum from the sixties. It sits smack between Perahia's classicism and Uchida's romanticism and it's completely uncontrived and lovely. Maybe it's because Anda is a sixties man, but his Mozart sounds as if the ink on the scores is still wet - it's got energy, humor and love.

Andras Schiff's cycle is not so great IMHO. Every cycle has ups and downs (Uchida's has an astounding 482, Anda's 467 and 453 are unbeatable), but Schiff's best is always bested by another performance. Ashkenazy is not your typical Mozartian, but a more interesting musician than Schiff, and so his Mozart is more interesting too. Obviously it's a forward-looking, romantic Mozart.

If you're willing to look at uncomplete recordings, Rudolf Serkin made quite a bunch of concerto recordings with Abbado towards the end of his career. Of course they are an old man's Mozart.

Herman

I'll admit up front that I don't know enough about various recordings to make anything approaching a definitive recommendation, but I was given a gift of a very interesting boxed set that sounds really great to my ears.

It's published by Brilliant Classics-Mozart Edition series, and features Pieter-Jan Belder on harpsichord on Mozart's KV107 1-3 which are based on Johann Christian Bach's Sonatas 2-4, Opus 5. These are performed with the Musica Amphion ensemble, using period instruments. To fill out the CD are clavichord performances of those three J.C. Bach sonatas.

Then follow nine discs containing 25 of the concerti 1-27 played by pianist Derek Han, with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Paul Freeman. I enjoy Han's playing very much; he plays with clarity, unsentimental lyricism, and creative playfulness.

The eleventh disc features Mozart's concerto for two pianos (KV365) played by Zoltan Kocsis and Dezso Ranki, the concerto for three pianos (KV242, adding Andras Schiff); both are conducted by Janos Ferencsik and the Hungarian State Orchestra. Rounding out the disc are two rondos for piano and orchestra (KV382 and 386), played by Annerose Schmidt and the Dresdner Philharmonic, Kurt Masur.

I know this is probably an off-beat collection; it's certainly a bargain (according to the friend who gave it to me). All I know is that it sounds great, very musical.

I also very much enjoy Keith Jarrett's performances of K467, 488, and 595 with the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Dennis Russell Davies. There is a second volume with more concerti which I haven't heard, but these also sound very musical to my ears.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your suggestions.
(I’m aware, there are these old legends, such as Clara Haskil and others, whose artistic merits are beyond questions, but actually, I would prefer a contemporary recording, IF it were artistically OK).

As I’m not an expert in how Mozart is played now, compared to say 40 years ago, I just wonder, whether a similar change/development (I won’t say whether it’s to the better or the worse !) has happened, like for instance with Vivaldi.

Actually one reason for buying an additional version is the quality of the recording (Brendel/Academy/Mariner, I think by Philips ?) Possibly, it’s early digital and somewhat bland- less from a musical point of view, but sound-wise.
I do have selected works by Friederich Gulda/ Concertgebouw/Harnoncourt, which are much more sparkling, lively & involving, with a much better sound overall (and this both on vinyl and on CD – meaning they benefit from good analog to digital remastering).


Regards

Urs

Has anyone heard the Pollini recordings with Boehm and the Vienna Philharmonic?

Steven

I have the 488 / 457, and I believe those are the only Mozart ctos they did.

Of course it's a nice collaboration, Pollini, the VPO and Böhm in his last flowering (including a new Vienna recording of 40 and 41, and some Beethoven piano ctos). However it would not be my top recommendation. Pollini is no true Mozart pianist, and Böhm was perhaps a little too mellow by this time.

Herman

Lili Kraus was an excellent and often overlooked Mozart specialist. I have all the sonatas on Sony and love them. I still can't track down the earlier set she did for the Hadyn Society. I'm a little less familiar with her concerto readings but I'd bet they would be worth a listen.