Mozart

[Octave]

I have nothing even approaching a discographic or 'library-building' amount of Gran Partitas under my belt, so any recommendations are in lieu of vast experience-lacunae and I can't make any pseudo-definitive claims of which I am so fond in many another bit of repertoire. 

That is an Octave Sentence!  The style is Pseudowallacean.

[jlaurson]

That is an Octave Sentence!  The style is Pseudowallacean.

Pseudowallacean is redundant.

[Octave]

Pseudowallacean is redundant.

No, or, yes, it's Kantian-tautological.
EDIT: thanks for those recommendations.
EDIT EDIT: Brian will be no-doubt-thrilled to hear that "redundant" comment.

[Mandryka]

Can we all just celebrate the fact that I've just managed to hang five quite large and heavy pictures in a straight line, same distance between each picture and all of them level. I have surpassed my own expectations, though I say so myself.

Re GP I've looked into this one a bit. There are some very good oldies, like Klemperer and Furtwangler. There are some very good modern instrument performances, like Harnoncourt and Giulini. And there are some very good PI performances, like Bruggen. I have a recording by Herreweghe somewhere,  but I can't remember anything about it. I'll listen this afternoon, while admiring the pictures.

If you want to avert overt sentimentality, true to stereotype, Pierre Boulez delivers and delivers (given the parameters) very well:

Boulez

It's not so much sentimentality that the piece needs, it's tension. For me tension has become a major part of what I'm looking for in Mozart.

[Karl Henning]

That Boulez disc is outstanding, for the Berg as well.

[Gurn Blanston]

These 2 are tops on my list;



which is, as you can see, a BBC magazine disk that may be hard to get. They never released a regular commercial version, AFAIK. 


And this one, which 'shame on you' if you don't already have it, this is some wonderful playing, and if you are (like me) especially partial to the unique sounds of period wind instruments, this is a must have. 


Also have this one, which I apparently like more than most;



This group has their own idiom (they're French, you know?),  like it or don't. This is a nice box to have though, and I got it for a song ($15) on the Marketplace about a year ago.

I got more too, if you want to talk.

[Parsifal]

I have nothing even approaching a discographic or 'library-building' amount of Gran Partitas under my belt, so any recommendations are in lieu of vast experience-lacunae and I can't make any pseudo-definitive claims of which I am so fond in many another bit of repertoire.    Still, it might help in some small way:

If you want to avert overt sentimentality, true to stereotype, Pierre Boulez delivers and delivers (given the parameters) very well:

Boulez

I got that recording for the Berg, but found the Mozart astonishingly boring.

This one is interesting, as non-HIP as it comes

[asin]B00000DO7L[/asin]

This one is probably my favorite among many versions:



I don't know if you can get it anymore.

[Mandryka]

This all started with me mentioning that I was listening to the Nachmusique performance, and then saying that I had reservations.

Well, the thing about the Nachmusique performance is this: it's serious and it's objective. The first movement allegro is played with no  rumbustuous joyfulness whatsoever. The Romance is played completely dry eyed. There's not a hint of sentimenality in the whole performance. In short, this is modernist Mozart. Matter of fact Mozart.

So the question becomes, is there a soul to the performance? Or is it just drudgery?  A beautifully executed, beautifully recorded rendition on lovely sounding period instruments, which ultimately lacks life, humour, spirit?

I'm not sure what the answer is to that question. Every time I listen I try to find passages which show depth of feeling, storm and stress, passion. But I'm not sure I really hear any of that.

[Octave]

Thanks everyone for these Grand Partita recs.  I was happy to see the following...

Also have this one, which I apparently like more than most;


This group has their own idiom (they're French, you know?),  like it or don't. This is a nice box to have though, and I got it for a song ($15) on the Marketplace about a year ago.

A couple of the constituent Capriccio titles can still be had cheaply via BRO, though not cheap enough to make them a better deal, exactly.  Also, I think I like La Dolce Volta's packaging, based on that nice Mozart Quintets box; I hope they didn't excise any of the recordings from the Capriccio discs, as they removed the clarinet quintet from their quintets box...I was unhappy to hear about that.   

[kishnevi]

On modern instruments,  I have this one featuring Sergio Azzolini* that I've always liked enough that I've never felt motivated to look for another one, although I have the Marriner and the Collegium Aureum recordings as part of larger sets (the CA in fact is not yet listened to).  I may also have the Herreweghe, but I'd need to go searching for it to be sure.


The first issue shown is apparently made from platinum or gold, to judge by the Amazon pricing.
But the form in which I have it is this EMI budget triple,  which also includes wind serenades 11 and 12, the Harmoniemusik from Abduction from the Seraglio, and the Clarinet and Horn Quintets.
[asin]B001BJ84AM[/asin]
I have no idea why EMI thought a piano was involved in any of these recordings....

*as bassoonist; the official name of the ensemble and official star of the recording is of Sabine Meyer, who plays in everything except, of course, the Horn Quintet.

[Geo Dude]

This is great


Which leaves me sorely tempted to get this next month:

[San Antone]

This is great


Which leaves me sorely tempted to get this next month:

Both very good recordings, especially the Neidich disc.

[Gurn Blanston]

Both very good recordings, especially the Neidich disc.

I agree on both counts. I wouldn't hold back; if opportunity arises to get both, you won't be disappointed at all.

[Parsifal]

I agree on both counts. I wouldn't hold back; if opportunity arises to get both, you won't be disappointed at all.

I'd say the finest recording I've hear of that work is this one:

[asin]B000002S11[/asin]

[San Antone]

I'd say the finest recording I've hear of that work is this one:

[asin]B000002S11[/asin]

That is also a very fine recording of those quintets.

I am of the opinion that one cannot have too many recordings of these works.  It does not get much better than late Mozart or Brahms.

[Gurn Blanston]

I'd say the finest recording I've hear of that work is this one:

[asin]B000002S11[/asin]

Indeed, that looks interesting. I've liked the Melos strings in whatever they've played.

[Parsifal]

Indeed, that looks interesting. I've liked the Melos strings in whatever they've played.

...and de Peyer is my favorite clarinetist.

I believe it is included in the EMI Icon box for the Melos Ensemble.

[Octave]

I'd say the finest recording I've hear of that work is this one:

[asin]B000002S11[/asin]

FWIW, these recordings are also available in that nice Melos Ensemble EMI ICON box, which I found very useful as a cross-section of essential repertoire and many pieces a bit more off the beaten track.

[Geo Dude]

I suspected as much.  After all, I doubt the Quatuor Mosaiques would tarnish their sterling reputation by working with an inferior clarinettist.

[Wakefield]

And this one, which 'shame on you' if you don't already have it, this is some wonderful playing, and if you are (like me) especially partial to the unique sounds of period wind instruments, this is a must have. 

+1

The merits and beauty of this set cannot be exaggerated. It is strictly mandatory, IMHO.