Mozart Piano Concertos

[DarkAngel]

The Perahia has four works not on the Anda set: Concerto for Two Pianos, Concerto for Three Pianos and the two Rondos for Piano and Orchestra.  Add in more generous timings per disc for the Anda, and there it is.

Yes the clever chaps at DG do not include some works mentioned by Bulldog, and were able to fit 3 or 4 early piano concertos on a single CD like 13,15,17 and 16,18,19 so Anda set fits on 8 Cds total, his overall timings are faster than Perahia

[DarkAngel]

Thanks for that information - when I checked the last time (not too long ago, maybe a few months) they did not offer this set, nor did anyone else.  In fact, the only source at the time was a European email from her website.  A couple of us exchanged some emails and the price quoted kept changing, and the deal seemed somewhat like a scam (hard to believe, I know, but neither of us ordered anything). 

Here is the discussion about the situation finding this set back then.

The JPC link above provided by Elgarian has short samples for each track of Sofronitzky set so you get some idea of sound balance and playing style

Viviana uses replica (Paul McNulty) Anton Walter forte piano, very early concertos on CDs 10,11 use harpsicord. Mozart was known to have personally owned an Anton Walter keyboard and insisted on its use when he performed his own works in public.....

[SonicMan46]

 

For forte piano I remain strong advocate for Viviana Sofronitzky set, her imaginative brilliant keyboard work make competitiors like Bilson and Immerseel seem earthbound by comparison........if Brautigam ever records a complete set then we have a real potential challenge.

Btw if I could put Gardiner's orchestral performance with Sofronitzky's keyboard and proper sound balance we would have a truely great set

DA - I own the Anda, Schiff, & Bilson sets of the PCs, but have been contemplating the Viviana Sofronitzky offering for a while just not easy for a Yank to purchase at a decent price! 

Amazon USA has it listed at $120 (but not available!) w/ no Marketplace sellers listed; JPC has the set for about 80 Eruos, so a similar price once shipping is included!

Now I did contact the Euromusica people in the Czech Republic and was quoted a price of $50 + $10 S/H - hey that's more like a deal!  But, their website is still in development and does not offer a secure credit card purchasing option, and I'm reluctant to place an order via e-mail - Dave 

[DarkAngel]

DA - I own the Anda, Schiff, & Bilson sets of the PCs, but have been contemplating the Viviana Sofronitzky offering for a while just not easy for a Yank to purchase at a decent price! 

Amazon USA has it listed at $120 (but not available!) w/ no Marketplace sellers listed; JPC has the set for about 80 Eruos, so a similar price once shipping is included!

Now I did contact the Euromusica people in the Czech Republic and was quoted a price of $50 + $10 S/H - hey that's more like a deal!  But, their website is still in development and does not offer a secure credit card purchasing option, and I'm reluctant to place an order via e-mail - Dave 

Sonic
Que has solved your dilema above..........
Arkiv Music seems to be best/safest deal for USA customers at $86, JPC has the sound samples

I agree with you and would not buy overseas without Visa card option.........

Are you in the USA? Arkivmusic is a well known vendor

[DavidRoss]

Presently enjoying:

[DavidRoss]

JPC are offering it at 80 euros here:
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart-S%E4mtliche-Klavierkonzerte/hnum/9591574

but of course there's the problem of high cost of shipping to the US.

Although after spending €80 for the set, another €13 seems trifling.

I just visited that jpc link and listened only to the clip of the first movement of the D minor:  so flaccid it makes Levine's Met brass in Die Walküre seem as vigorous as 18 year old boys watching a wet t-shirt competition.

[Elgarian]

I just visited that jpc link and listened only to the clip of the first movement of the D minor:  so flaccid it makes Levine's Met brass in Die Walküre seem as vigorous as 18 year old boys watching a wet t-shirt competition.

Setting new standards in thread cross-pollination there, Dave!

[DarkAngel]

Coop Anda/DG is a truely great set......I can find none better

The natural competition should be Schiff/Decca but it really is not as fluid or sparkling
Perahia is relaxed and introspective but not animated enough, very refined and elegant
New Barenboim is pretty good, better than I expected but no real threat
Brendel seems earhtbound to me, technically very good but never sparkles or puts a smile on my face
Uchida same comments as Perahia
Ashkenazy set not as consistently great but has its moments

The reason Schiff would naturally be compared to Anda is that same orchestral group is used directed by Sandor Vegh for Schiff many years later. I must give Anda the edge however since his performance sounds more fluid and spontaneous to me, he makes the music dance and sparkle compared to Schiff who seems slightly reserved by comparison and more cautious although technically sound.

In his notes Schiffs talks about his desire to keep things as simple as possible and not use ornaments or other individual touches that call too much attention to keyboard style......yet by his own admission Mozart was very loose in sketching out piano parts allowing much freedom in thier interpitation for the performer, Mozart undoubtly could play to the moment or as his mood dictates for the occassion, Anda for me displays this loose imaginative style in a more convincing fashion   

[DavidRoss]

Setting new standards in thread cross-pollination there, Dave!

Thought you'd like that one, Alan. ;^)

[mc ukrneal]

Hoping a get a little Mozart Help. I have a standard question with less than standard parameters. I already own a good deal of Mozart's concertos, mostly on singles/doubles of Perahia and Brendel (with a de Larrocha thrown in). I'd like to get one set so that I can have them all in one location with me. I am also missing some here and there, so this will help bridge that gap as well. Seeing as I have some Brendel and Perahia already, I have eliminated those two from contention.

I am looking for good sound and piano (no fortepianos and such). From what I have read here, my best choices would seem to be:
Anda
Ashkenazy
Schiff (EDIT: Should mention that at $80+ or so, this is less competitive than the others)

I wil be going through the clips of these over the next days/weeks to see if one of them might seem best for me, but there are a  few others I see little about. These include:

1. This set from Warner. It has The Piano Concerti. (Martha Argerich [in #20], Daniel Barenboim [#'s 5, 6, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22 & 24], Karl Engel [#'s 1-4 & 7 {Concerto for Three Pianos w.Till Engel & Leopold Hager}], Till Fellner [#19], Sebastian Knauer [#16], Friedrich Gulda [#'s 10 {Concerto for Two Pianos w.Chick Corea}, 23 & 26], Maria-Joao Pires [#'s 9, 12, 13, 17 & 27 + Rondos, K.#'s 382, 386 & 511] and Sviatoslav Richter [#25. With Bashmet cond.].


2. Brilliant set with Han/Freeman. I have found three different covers. Not sure they are all the same, but the red ones say complete:
or or

I also considered Uchida, Serkin, and Barenboim, but decided they were probably not for me.  I would be interested in your thoughts on these and any others, especially the two pictured above compared to the others.

Thanks for you help!

[George]

I am looking for good sound and piano (no fortepianos and such). From what I have read here, my best choices would seem to be:
Anda

*Pounds fist on table*

[DavidW]

Schiff's playing is dull, haven't heard Ashkenazy, Anda is excellent.

[Bulldog]

I am looking for good sound and piano (no fortepianos and such). From what I have read here, my best choices would seem to be:
Anda
Ashkenazy
Schiff (EDIT: Should mention that at $80+ or so, this is less competitive than the others)

Of these three, I consider Schiff the clear winner.  Anda's quite good, but the sound is not the best.

[Scarpia]

Of these three, I consider Schiff the clear winner.  Anda's quite good, but the sound is not the best.

Same here.  Schiff is excellent.  Ashenazy is good, but I don't like his handling of the orchestra, too mushy.  Barenboim (Berlin) is an interesting option, a very Romanticized version, if that sort of thing is appealing.

[Leon]

He hasn't recorded all of them, but John O'Conor with Mackerras is very good in the four CDs (17/24, 19/23, 20/22, 21/27) he has done.  I have all but the 21/27 but I expect that one to be of the same level.

[SonicMan46]

Hoping a get a little Mozart Help.

I am looking for good sound and piano (no fortepianos and such). From what I have read here, my best choices would seem to be:
Anda
Schiff (EDIT: Should mention that at $80+ or so, this is less competitive than the others)

Well, I have 4 sets, 2 on modern piano (i.e. Anda & Schiff), and 2 on fortepiano (i.e. Bilson & Sofronitzki) - from your comments above, Anda might be your best choice - older recordings that some consider on the 'sweet side' of performance, but his No. 21 (in the movie that I won't mention) was one of my early introductions to Wolfie!  OTOH, I have little problem listening to Schiff - I obtained this set for half the price of the current Amazon offerings and am pleased to own both; but Anda is enjoyable and is less expensive!

Now, I don't understand your dismissal of the fortepiano - bad experience or inexperience?  I love a good fortepiano (and it has taken me a number of years & this forum to appreciate the instrument) when played for the music composed during its dominance, as in Mozart's life time.  My most recent purchase above was the Viviana Sofronitzki set on a fortepiano built by her husband (check out Gurn's Classical thread if interested) - now, I would still suggest the Anda box, but if indeed you have not listen to a lot of fortepiano recordings, then you have much to learn and enjoy - 

[Scarpia]

He hasn't recorded all of them, but John O'Conor with Mackerras is very good in the four CDs (17/24, 19/23, 20/22, 21/27) he has done.  I have all but the 21/27 but I expect that one to be of the same level.

I agree.  O'Conor manages to evoke a Forte-piano like sound on a modern piano through his articulation.  Very satisfying recordings in marvelous sound.

[Tyson]

It saddens me that we'll get no more Mozart recordings from Mackerras - his last decade was almost pure gold.

[Scarpia]

It saddens me that we'll get no more Mozart recordings from Mackerras - his last decade was almost pure gold.

I found his last Mozart release, Symphonies 35, 36, 34, 32, 29, to be rather a disappointment.

[Mandryka]

1. This set from Warner. It has The Piano Concerti. (Martha Argerich [in #20],

Anyone got any views on this one? Wild? Spontaneous?

Daniel Barenboim [#'s 5, 6, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22 & 24],

Very strange choice that since the one where DB is as far as I know peerless, they leave out -- 16