Mozart

[Madiel]

Indeed, not only does our friend not want to convert people, I think the statement about Tchaikovsky might be the first ACTUAL OPINION they've expressed.

Sorry, but coming onto a message board to do nothing but ask questions is getting a bit annoying. Next time you ask "what do you think?" my response is going to be "no, what do YOU think?".  At a wild guess we are being asked about music you like, but for heaven's sake say so.

[vers la flamme]

I don't know why WAM's "what do you think of x" posts get on so many people's nerves. I've seen people accuse him/her of being a troll, posting sarcastic responses, etc. If you don't want to answer, don't answer.

@WAM, I do like the 24th PC, and Richard Goode, but I've not heard that recording. Lately I've been going for Murray Perahia and the ECO.

[Madiel]

It gets on my nerves because it puts all the mental energy on others.

I don't think it's trolling. I just think it's a misunderstanding of how conversations work.

[amw]

Many people think that the Piano Concerto No. 24 is one of the best pieces of Mozart. Do you agree with the mainstream opinion? How do you rate the piece?

While definitely one of the greatest of the concerti it does not have the pure structural perfection of No. 27 (KV 595) or No. 25 (KV 503), nor does it quite reach the depths of feeling in No. 17 (KV 453) or No. 22 (KV 482). The minor mode usually necessitated a somewhat simpler style for Mozart, with occasional exceptions (e.g., the string quintet no. 4, KV 516). KV 491 can be impersonal and "rhetorical" at times (whereas, e.g., the slow movement of KV 482 in the same key feels much more confessional and intimate), although it is nevertheless very moving; this elegiac style may be what attracted Beethoven to it to the point where he modelled his own C minor piano concerto on it almost section-for-section.

This is obviously a personal assessment and some may disagree.

For the concerto No. 24 (and for the No. 20 too) I recommend the version of Richard Goode (piano) with the orpheus chamber orchestra, that you find here below. Do you know better versions?

I have not heard this version. My go-to recordings are probably:

Annie Fischer/Philharmonia Orchestra/Efrem Kurtz
Viviana Sofronitsky/Musica Antiqua Collegium Varsoviense/Tadeusz Karolak
Malcolm Bilson/English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner
Christian Zacharias/Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (featuring somewhat odd cadenzas from the pianist-conductor)
Clifford Curzon/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Rafael Kubelík

...of which the Bilson recording is the one I've apparently listened to most frequently, and the Fischer is the choice that comes to mind if someone were to pressure me to pick just one. The best performances of this work rely on an operatic sense of drama that does not fall quite as far over into self-parody as the likes of Lang Lang/Wiener Philharmoniker/Nikolaus Harnoncourt or Mikhail Pletnev/Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, while also not being as cool and objective as Ronald Brautigam/Die Kölner Akademie/Michael Alexander Willems.

I am definitely looking forward to what I expect to be the dream team recording from Kristian Bezuidenhout & the Freiburger Barockorchester, provided they get around to it for their ongoing cycle within the next 60 years.

[Mandryka]

@amw Hope you're well. Did you ever get to hear the bootlegs of Lang Lang with Manfred Hoeneck doing k491? Very good, much better than with Harnoncourt (it's as if Harnoncourt messed up.)

[W.A. Mozart]

While definitely one of the greatest of the concerti it does not have the pure structural perfection of No. 27 (KV 595) or No. 25 (KV 503), nor does it quite reach the depths of feeling in No. 17 (KV 453) or No. 22 (KV 482). The minor mode usually necessitated a somewhat simpler style for Mozart, with occasional exceptions (e.g., the string quintet no. 4, KV 516). KV 491 can be impersonal and "rhetorical" at times (whereas, e.g., the slow movement of KV 482 in the same key feels much more confessional and intimate), although it is nevertheless very moving; this elegiac style may be what attracted Beethoven to it to the point where he modelled his own C minor piano concerto on it almost section-for-section.

This is obviously a personal assessment and some may disagree.
I have not heard this version. My go-to recordings are probably:

Annie Fischer/Philharmonia Orchestra/Efrem Kurtz
Viviana Sofronitsky/Musica Antiqua Collegium Varsoviense/Tadeusz Karolak
Malcolm Bilson/English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner
Christian Zacharias/Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (featuring somewhat odd cadenzas from the pianist-conductor)
Clifford Curzon/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Rafael Kubelík

...of which the Bilson recording is the one I've apparently listened to most frequently, and the Fischer is the choice that comes to mind if someone were to pressure me to pick just one. The best performances of this work rely on an operatic sense of drama that does not fall quite as far over into self-parody as the likes of Lang Lang/Wiener Philharmoniker/Nikolaus Harnoncourt or Mikhail Pletnev/Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, while also not being as cool and objective as Ronald Brautigam/Die Kölner Akademie/Michael Alexander Willems.

I am definitely looking forward to what I expect to be the dream team recording from Kristian Bezuidenhout & the Freiburger Barockorchester, provided they get around to it for their ongoing cycle within the next 60 years.

I've tried many suggestions, including yours, and the best one I've received till now is probably Haskil/Markevitch.

[Mandryka]

I've tried many suggestions, including yours, and the best one I've received till now is probably Haskil/Markevitch.

I started a thread somewhere here just to note down responses to various recordings I heard, it may be useful, maybe not.  Here -- found it!


https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,19598.msg1203052.html#msg1203052

[Que]

I've tried many suggestions, including yours, and the best one I've received till now is probably Haskil/Markevitch.

Three more for your list: Casadesus/ Szell; Moravec/Marriner; Géza Anda.

[George]

I'm interested in getting a complete cycle of the string quartets, as I've only heard the Haydns. Any recommendations? Or if not for a complete set, maybe a recommendation for a recording of some of the string quartets beyond the Haydns that are worth hearing?

After doing a lot of comparisons online a few years ago, I landed on this one. I'm very, very happy with it:

[Atriod]

While definitely one of the greatest of the concerti it does not have the pure structural perfection of No. 27 (KV 595) or No. 25 (KV 503), nor does it quite reach the depths of feeling in No. 17 (KV 453) or No. 22 (KV 482). The minor mode usually necessitated a somewhat simpler style for Mozart, with occasional exceptions (e.g., the string quintet no. 4, KV 516). KV 491 can be impersonal and "rhetorical" at times (whereas, e.g., the slow movement of KV 482 in the same key feels much more confessional and intimate), although it is nevertheless very moving; this elegiac style may be what attracted Beethoven to it to the point where he modelled his own C minor piano concerto on it almost section-for-section.

This is obviously a personal assessment and some may disagree.
I have not heard this version. My go-to recordings are probably:

Annie Fischer/Philharmonia Orchestra/Efrem Kurtz
Viviana Sofronitsky/Musica Antiqua Collegium Varsoviense/Tadeusz Karolak
Malcolm Bilson/English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner
Christian Zacharias/Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (featuring somewhat odd cadenzas from the pianist-conductor)
Clifford Curzon/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Rafael Kubelík

...of which the Bilson recording is the one I've apparently listened to most frequently, and the Fischer is the choice that comes to mind if someone were to pressure me to pick just one. The best performances of this work rely on an operatic sense of drama that does not fall quite as far over into self-parody as the likes of Lang Lang/Wiener Philharmoniker/Nikolaus Harnoncourt or Mikhail Pletnev/Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, while also not being as cool and objective as Ronald Brautigam/Die Kölner Akademie/Michael Alexander Willems.

I am definitely looking forward to what I expect to be the dream team recording from Kristian Bezuidenhout & the Freiburger Barockorchester, provided they get around to it for their ongoing cycle within the next 60 years.

The Annie Fischer performance is absolutely fantastic. I'm going to have to listen to the Curzon/Kubelik which I see is on Audite.

I've tried many suggestions, including yours, and the best one I've received till now is probably Haskil/Markevitch.

One of the greatest Mozart performances out of his entire output.

[W.A. Mozart]

Let's discuss about the Symphony 35 of Mozart. I think it's nice!

Here below you find a recording of Karl Böhm with the Berliner Philharmoniker with pictures of beautiful landscapes (the visual images can enhance your musical experience!).
Which is your favourite recording?

Mozart - KV 385 - Symphony No. 35 in D major "Haffner" (1782):
00:00 I. Allegro con spirito
05:33 II. Andante
10:23 III. Menuetto - Trio
13:55 IV. Finale. Presto

[lordlance]

I am not an opera guy but while searching for latest Sawallisch uploads when I came across his performance of Magic Flute with English subtitles (the entire channel may be of interest to opera lovers):

[lordlance]

Harnoncourt is such an eccentric conductor. His tuning for the strings in the CMW early symphonies set is different than any other I've heard. When performing the 30th symphony, the statement of the main theme has the brass playing louder than I've ever heard and a signature Harnoncourtism might be how piercing (not just volume) he makes his brass be in the orchestral texture. It's all very unmistakable but also so very odd. There's always something different when you're hearing him conduct a piece and that can be a good or a bad thing. Just kind of intriguing I suppose. 

[Scion7]

I'm interested in getting a complete cycle of the string quartets, as I've only heard the Haydns. Any recommendations? I will wire you hard cash currency for your advise.

Been very happy with the performances by the Alban Berg Quartet, for the later ones, at least. They have to be available on CD by now.

[JBS]

I have four sets. In current order of preference

[George]

I have four sets. In current order of preference

The best I have heard, too!

[DavidW]

I have four sets. In current order of preference

Is that greatest to least or least to greatest?

[JBS]

Is that greatest to least or least to greatest?

Talich is top.
TBH, the top three are close enough that they can change places easily. The Amadeus set I'm a bit meh about.

[Jo498]

The Alban Berg Quartett never recorded the first 13 quartets but their recording shown above for the 10 "late" quartets is great (they recorded them again for EMI about 10? years later in the 1980s or early 90s but I have only heard the 70s Teldec, they have been on CD in several issues).
I have 2 recordings of all, incl. the early ones, the Italiano and Hagen, both are very good, the Italiano maybe a bit too weighty, esp. in the early ones. (I have only heard a few with the Amadeus, they are passionate but quite "romantic" and neither recorded nor string quartet sound are a match for the Italiano.)

The Hagen recorded the early ones shortly before the 1991 anniversary and this was in their "straight" phase whereas some of the later recordings (~2000) can be a bit mannered (although not was much as those they made after leaving DG). They are now all in a reasonably cheap box, so it's probably useless to search for that separate 3 disc early quartets issue.

[Florestan]

Not many people have probably heard (of) this set



but it's a real sleeper.