Mozart Piano Concertos

Started by Mark, September 08, 2007, 03:01:39 PM

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rubio

I consider sampling some of the piano concertos with Serkin. Which ones should I start with? No. 19 and 20 with Szell?

"One good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain" Bob Marley

George

Quote from: rubio on September 11, 2007, 11:33:33 AM
I consider sampling some of the piano concertos with Serkin. Which ones should I start with? No. 19 and 20 with Szell?



Great idea!  :)

val

Quoterubio

I consider sampling some of the piano concertos with Serkin. Which ones should I start with? No. 19 and 20 with Szell?

YES. The 19 is my favorite piano concerto. And Serkin and Szell are extraordinary. Listen the dialogue between the piano and the winds of the orchestra in the 2nd movement of the 19. A moment of incredible beauty.

rubio

"One good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain" Bob Marley

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: longears on September 09, 2007, 05:59:29 AM
...love Schiff/Vegh (thanks again, Donwyn!).

Yes, this one gets my vote! Perfect 'classical' execution. From all involved.




Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Tyson

No mention of Brendel?  I think his glittering tone works with mozart much better than most other pianists mentioned here, all of whom seem to offer a softer grained sound (even Schiff).
At a loss for words.

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Tyson on September 12, 2007, 06:08:43 PM
No mention of Brendel?  I think his glittering tone works with mozart much better than most other pianists mentioned here, all of whom seem to offer a softer grained sound (even Schiff).

'Soft grained' to some...subtle and finely etched to me...




Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

longears

Quote from: Tyson on September 12, 2007, 06:08:43 PM
No mention of Brendel?  I think his glittering tone works with mozart much better than most other pianists mentioned here, all of whom seem to offer a softer grained sound (even Schiff).
I do like Brendel better in Mozart than in Beethoven, but prefer Schiff, Goode, and Uchida (despite the cumbersome Tate).  Brendel usually seems a bit...well...prissy to me--but I do enjoy his recent recording of sonatas including the B minor adagio K540.

Tyson

Quote from: longears on September 13, 2007, 04:41:49 AM
I do like Brendel better in Mozart than in Beethoven, but prefer Schiff, Goode, and Uchida (despite the cumbersome Tate).  Brendel usually seems a bit...well...prissy to me--but I do enjoy his recent recording of sonatas including the B minor adagio K540.

Interesting, as I would place Goode very close to Brendel in overall style in these works.  Uchida and Schiff also naturally group together (at least in their playing, if not in the orchestral accompaniment).  I prefer Goode and Brendel (speaking specifically of his partial set with Mackerras), as they play the music much more "straight", while Uchida and Schiff (and Perahia) consciously seek to "plumb the depths" with it, and I find that a bit off-putting.
At a loss for words.

Que

#49
Quote from: Tyson on September 14, 2007, 08:38:23 AM
.. I prefer Goode and Brendel (speaking specifically of his partial set with Mackerras), as they play the music much more "straight", while Uchida and Schiff (and Perahia) consciously seek to "plumb the depths" with it, and I find that a bit off-putting.

Very much agree. All those pianists exploring the "mysteries" in Mozart in brooding, Romanticised and overly "sculpted"/stylised (Uchida!) readings. Has not much to do with Mozart IMO.

(For other posters: if it rocks your boat - please don't mind this comment  ;) ;D)

BTW if you like Goode you're just one step away from HIP: try Staier or Van Immerseel. 8)

Q

longears

Quote from: Que on September 16, 2007, 03:28:14 AM
Very much agree. All those pianists exploring the "mysteries" in Mozart in brooding, Romanticised and overly "sculpted"/stylised (Uchida!) readings. Has not much to do with Mozary IMO.

BTW if you like Goode you're just one step away from HIP: try Staier or Van Immserseel. 8)

I even like Ashkenazy in the late ctos!

I'd say Goode pretty much is HIP, but not "original instrument."  Your and Bill's recommendation were sufficient to cause me to order Immerseel's set.  I particularly liked the clips you posted, Que.  I generally prefer HIP with original instuments, but don't like Bilson/Gardiner, so I'm looking forward to this one.

Que

Quote from: longears on September 16, 2007, 07:47:43 AM
Your and Bill's recommendation were sufficient to cause me to order Immerseel's set.  I particularly liked the clips you posted, Que.  I generally prefer HIP with original instuments, but don't like Bilson/Gardiner, so I'm looking forward to this one.

Bravo for that "leap of faith"! :)
Play at adequate volume - the fortepiano is not recorded up-front but as a "first amongst equals", the role that Mozart intended - and then I hope you'll have the time of your life. As I did.

Q

FideLeo

#52
Quote from: Que on September 16, 2007, 08:20:07 AM

Play at adequate volume - the fortepiano is not recorded up-front but as a "first amongst equals", the role that Mozart intended - and then I hope you'll have the time of your life. As I did.

Q

The Bilson/Gardiner recordings use (at the suggestion of Neal Zaslow, the historical advisor for the project?) a "stepped" scheme for balancing dynamics in which many so-called "orchestral" passages are reduced to the front desks playing.  These happen to be the parts where the fortepiano plays its solos and will sound exactly like primus entre pares as suggested by Q.  Most other memebers of the orchestra play only in the "tutti."  I find the results to be entirely convincing and delight at their perfect mixture of "symphonic" and "chamber" sonorities.  I think the same principle has been applied to many HIP concertante instrumental /operatic recordings, even if it is not always expressly pointed out as in the fine, fine Bilson/Gardiner Mozart series.
HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

Valentino

Interesting, masolino. I've noted a similar approach in Andsnes' recording of nos. 9 and 18.
We audiophiles don't really like music, but we sure love the sound it makes;
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FideLeo

Quote from: Valentino on September 17, 2007, 12:33:51 AM
Interesting, masolino. I've noted a similar approach in Andsnes' recording of nos. 9 and 18.

The Mozart performances by Andsnes and Anderszewski, to name another young pianist of
the "A" rank, are more prone to HIP-influences than those of the "B" rank or "G" rank I think  ;)
HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

Solitary Wanderer

I'm about to hit Buy Now on this set:



Anybody have a different opinion?  ;D
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

Great Gable

No arguments about that one - he's top drawer. I have heard Uchida's and love her readings. My set is by Barrenboim - and that's fine - right down the middle, no idiosyncracies but hey, that's good in my book.

(poco) Sforzando

Not a Perhia fan here; to me he's bland. I would get whatever you can of Casadesus, filled in by the Bilson/Gardiner set on fortepiano.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Wanderer

For a complete set, either Perahia or Anda (Schiff and Barenboim are quite good too) would be just fine. Of course, you'd have to get Casadesus eventually.

Que

Perahia's set is good, but too "glamorous" for my taste.

Best complete non-HIP cycle I know is Geza Anda's on DG - non ponderous, witty and small scale performances in central-European style.



My favourite HIP-cycle (and overall favourite) is the one with Van Immerseel (Channel Classics).
(Not quite complete - depending how you look at it - because it excludes the "pastiche" harpsichord concertos Mozart wrote as a young child.



Apart from the complete cycles: I strongly second the recommendation of the recordings by Casadesus with Szell (Sony) and the single disc with Moravec (Supraphon).

Q