Mozart piano sonatas

[king ubu]

I would recommend this. Cheap too...

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I you like period instruments (fortepiano), this is hard to resist - either everything, or just the sonatas:

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Q

Yes, that Brilliant box offering Pires' Denon cycle comes highly recommended!

Regarding fortepiano, I've just started exploring the series of Mozart solo discs by Kristian Bezuidenhout on HM - very good! Have the first two by now, will definitely get the entire series! (His disc of violin sonatas with Petra Müllejans is easily recommended as well, btw.)

[SonicMan46]

Yes, that Brilliant box offering Pires' Denon cycle comes highly recommended!

Regarding fortepiano, I've just started exploring the series of Mozart solo discs by Kristian Bezuidenhout on HM - very good! Have the first two by now, will definitely get the entire series! (His disc of violin sonatas with Petra Müllejans is easily recommended as well, btw.)

SO, just curious, what are some favorites of these works on a fortepiano?  I own the Brautigam box and several others on a modern piano - comments please about the more historic instrument - Dave

[kishnevi]

The only fortepiano set I have is van Oort, and  I like it enough that I do not feel compelled to find another.  But I am not "in" to this part of Mozart's output as others are: my only modern piano sets are Uchida, Kraus, and possibly a third whose name eludes me at the moment.

[Gurn Blanston]

SO, just curious, what are some favorites of these works on a fortepiano?  I own the Brautigam box and several others on a modern piano - comments please about the more historic instrument - Dave

Two I am very fond of: Lubimov on Erato (I have the six individual disks but I understand it has been released as a box set (probably on Warner)) and Bilson on Hungaroton. Of course, #1 in my book is Badura-Skoda on Naive. Along with Brautigam, if you have those 4 you really don't need more than 4 or 5 other modern piano sets to go along with. Uchida, of course, and Haebler. Then any other two you like. I like Klien, for example.... 

[Cosi bel do]

So, about Mozart piano solo works on pianoforte :

- Staier is excellent, in Mozart as everywhere else... Cheap twofer in HM Gold Collection
- Also, I know some dislike him, but Immerseel recorded 2 CDs of the late Mozart piano and it really is a glorious recording, I like it even better than Staier's (Sony Vivarte, but oop). He also did a CD for Accent, never heard it.

I would start with these two. And then :

- I quite like Van Oort, but find him less compelling than these two. Still essential and cheap. For a better complete cycle, Lubimov can't be avoided. Really excellent, almost perfect, though I prefer Lubimov's more recent recordings (but he only recorded one recent Mozart CD and it is for 2 pianos).
- I'm hoping for a Badura-Skoda new and cheaper edition one of this days. Kind of a historical approach now, but still an important account.
- From what I've heard, Bezuidenhout is good indeed, even if a little "standard" maybe... I'll buy his cycle when it will be released at midprice...
- Brautigam : never heard his sonatas. Really expensive...
- I've never heard Levin's account for DHM. I think he had started a complete sonatas cycle, but it was stopped after one release. Never been a great fan of Levin anyway, as a performer.
- Oh, and I almost forgot, but there's a very interesting session by Leonhardt for Seon, I think his only recording on fortepiano !

[Gurn Blanston]

So, about Mozart piano solo works on pianoforte :

- From what I've heard, Bezuidenhout is good indeed, even if a little "standard" maybe... I'll buy his cycle when it will be released at midprice...

You might try this Bezuidenhout. It predates his cycle, and is quite a bit more spirited perhaps you would agree:



I am an ardent Staier fan, yet oddly, I have none of his Mozart. I will rectify that now you have mentioned him. Thanks for that.

This is the Bilson I mentioned earlier. He is easily the finest American fortepianist and if you can run across this I think you will enjoy it too.



I don't do comparison listening, as I know you do, I am merely pleased to listen to any one of these at any given time, they all have their merits.

[SonicMan46]

Two I am very fond of: Lubimov on Erato (I have the six individual disks but I understand it has been released as a box set (probably on Warner)) and Bilson on Hungaroton. Of course, #1 in my book is Badura-Skoda on Naive. Along with Brautigam, if you have those 4 you really don't need more than 4 or 5 other modern piano sets to go along with. Uchida, of course, and Haebler. Then any other two you like. I like Klien, for example.... 

Hi Gurn et al - just had a chance to review what I own!  WOW - have not listened to these sets in a while - have five performances w/ two on fortepiano, including the Brautigam already mentioned but also the Lubimov on fortepiano - these will be up next on my listening list - thanks for the comments - Dave

[Gurn Blanston]

I had never realized that this Badura-Skoda had gone rare; I have always thought that if I had it, everyone else could get it easily too!      Anyway, if it is on your favorite stream or download site, by all means give it a listen. He's brilliant.

[Que]

SO, just curious, what are some favorites of these works on a fortepiano?  I own the Brautigam box and several others on a modern piano - comments please about the more historic instrument - Dave

Considering the query, I limited my response to complete cycles. Here is the update on my explorations:

I started off with Lubimov and Brautigam. I respect Lubimov, but never got quite into it - I do not get the Mozartian "feel" with him.
He is the eccentric "outsider" IMO. in Mozart, not Beethoven or Schubert - which is more his natural habitat, I think.

I fel in love with Brautigam (BIS) but grew weary of his pushy, overly heightened playing. A relief after being used to many traditional recordings, but the effect wears off over time..

My new love is Van Oort (Brilliant): a seemingly simple and more natural approach, loads more subtlety. Not in-your-face Mozart, but not pedestrian either. Though some might find it too low key/sober?

I have high expectations of Badura-Skoda (Naive), who plays a Schantz (a big plus in my book), if it ever will resurface.. 

Also on the wish list is Schoonderwoerd (Alpha), which must be very, very interesting at the least, after what I heard from him in the concertos.

Q

[amw]

I got the Bezuidenhout recordings out from the library when I noticed I had no Mozart solo piano in my collection. They're pretty good, if MOR. Badura-Skoda is likely to be more strongly characterised—and I'm quite fond of his Mozart violin sonatas & 2 piano stuff etc—but I'm content for now.

[Cosi bel do]

You might try this Bezuidenhout. It predates his cycle, and is quite a bit more spirited perhaps you would agree:



I am an ardent Staier fan, yet oddly, I have none of his Mozart. I will rectify that now you have mentioned him. Thanks for that.

This is the Bilson I mentioned earlier. He is easily the finest American fortepianist and if you can run across this I think you will enjoy it too.



I don't do comparison listening, as I know you do, I am merely pleased to listen to any one of these at any given time, they all have their merits.

Oh I didn't know about the first Bezuidenhout. I'll check that.

Bilson, yes I know him of course, for his concertos with Gardiner. I don't have a very precise memory of him. I'll try his sonatas when I'll see them at a reasonable price.

[Mandryka]

Oh I didn't know about the first Bezuidenhout. I'll check that.

In the first recording he seems really jejune, just pounding it out in a completely superficial way. I prefered the second set - but in Mozart sonatas I mostly prefer to hear what people have done on modern pianos.

[Gurn Blanston]

In the first recording he seems really jejune, just pounding it out in a completely superficial way. I prefered the second set - but in Mozart sonatas I mostly prefer to hear what people have done on modern pianos.

We must agree to disagree on both counts. Yes, he does seem like a young man playing as young men do, not as old men do. Superficial? I don't think so.

I have little interest in modern piano Mozart. I've heard what they had to say and moved on. I don't like playing the 'if Mozart had been born a hundred years later this is what he could have sounded like' game, which is all it is to me. 

[Cosi bel do]

I don't like playing the 'if Mozart had been born a hundred years later this is what he could have sounded like' game, which is all it is to me. 

I don't think this is what playing on modern piano is about, and I'm afraid that by thinking that you kind of miss the point. I mean, when I listen to Richter, Haskil, Kraus or Virsaladze playing Mozart, it couldn't even cross my mind to remark that "they pretend very well like if it was composed for modern piano". There's more to music than the instrument, and even the most prominent HIP interpreters admit that and don't mind playing pieces on "unaccurate" instruments at times.

[king ubu]

Late to the party ... but Bilson is the one complete fortepiano cycle I've got so far and I love it!
His concertos with Gardiner are terrific as well, and his Schubert box (on Hungaroton) is recommended, too!

In fact, in Schubert Badura-Skoda is the contender, as far as fortepiano goes - but I've not had the chance to hear PBS' Mozart, alas. Would be all over it if it was reissued, for sure!

As for Staier, I'm not really a fan. He often does seem to try too hard, and then kind of lose the fun of it ... love his CPE Bach and Dussek, but the Mozart sonatas I've heard I didn't like much (just the ones included in the Lumières box, didn't bother to buy more after hearing those). No doubt he's good, but he just doesn't convince me with Mozart (or Schubert, at that ... the Schumann I've heard was more to my liking again, but this is the Mozart thread, sorry for digressing).

[Moonfish]

Personally I have always been an Uchida fan when it comes to the Mozart sonatas although Pires has been alluring at times. Lately, I have been utterly charmed by Kraus's performances, which are delicate although free-flowing. She seems in complete command of the music in these sonatas and she does so with such grace and artistry.  I am now starting to lean towards Kraus as the muse of the Mozart sonatas. Fantastic performances.

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[king ubu]

Personally I have always been an Uchida fan when it comes to the Mozart sonatas although Pires has been alluring at times. Lately, I have been utterly charmed by Kraus's performances, which are delicate although free-flowing. She seems in complete command of the music in these sonatas and she does so with such grace and artistry.  I am now starting to lean towards Kraus as the muse of the Mozart sonatas. Fantastic performances.

[asin] B00LLHG94W[/asin]

I plan to get that box very soon ...

What's the opinion on Arrau here? I don't think I ever flat out disliked anything I've heard (and I love some of it - Schumann, Chopin mostly), but his Mozart may be ... how to put it, somewhat too weighty? (It's not "heavy" or "heavy-handed", that's not it ... but maybe not "galant" enough, too "aristocratic", too "classical"?)

[Mandryka]

We must agree to disagree on both counts. Yes, he does seem like a young man playing as young men do, not as old men do. Superficial? I don't think so.

I have little interest in modern piano Mozart. I've heard what they had to say and moved on. I don't like playing the 'if Mozart had been born a hundred years later this is what he could have sounded like' game, which is all it is to me. 

Well, that first recording is a bit fast and furious sometimes, and not very nuanced in terms of voicing or timbre.

The second point is interesting. Let's take something specific like Richter playing K 457 on Philips, or his K 310 from the late London concert. Apart from the instrument, is there something anachronistic about the performance?

[Cosi bel do]

I'm thinking, a Mozart sonata would be perfect for a blind comparison... With two categories, modern piano and pianoforte...
Or mayve even better, the Fantasia in C minor...

[Mandryka]

I plan to get that box very soon ...

What's the opinion on Arrau here? I don't think I ever flat out disliked anything I've heard (and I love some of it - Schumann, Chopin mostly), but his Mozart may be ... how to put it, somewhat too weighty? (It's not "heavy" or "heavy-handed", that's not it ... but maybe not "galant" enough, too "aristocratic", too "classical"?)

Be sure to hear his live Mozart on Orfeo and the recently released Tanglewood Mozart concert (on Music and Arts I think.)

What do you think of Leonhardt's Mozart sonatas (he said he was very uncomfortable with a piano.)