Mozart

[Florestan]

Can you recommend a few European pianist/conductor/orchestra combination? By your comments you don't mean "European" as in the UK or Eastern European but rather Austrian/German.

I don´t know what Scion7 means but I do recommend this:



Excellent cycle all around. And you can´t get more Austrian than that.

[Que]

I don´t know what Scion7 means but I do recommend this:



Excellent cycle all around. And you can´t get more Austrian than that.

Perhaps not more Austrian, but certainly Austro-Hungarian (although we have recently learned that Salzburg wasn't part of the Empire in Mozart's time): 

[asin]B00004YZ36[/asin]

And it happens to be the best complete cycle on modern instruments I know.... 

[PerfectWagnerite]

Perhaps not more Austrian, but certainly Austro-Hungarian (although we have recently learned that Salzburg wasn't part of the Empire in Mozart's time): 

[asin]B00004YZ36[/asin]

And it happens to be the best complete cycle on modern instruments I know.... 

Close enough. The guy worked with Furtwangler early in his career so I guess he qualifies.

Fully Scion mentioned Ashkenazy earlier, neither he nor his orchestra is Austrian/German.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

And it happens to be the best complete cycle on modern instruments I know.... 

I used to have the Anda set (still have two concertos on LP). It's good, but no match for Schiff/Vegh with the same orchestra.




[asin]B000025706[/asin]

[Jaakko Keskinen]

The minor key concertos are sublime, as is 21, 22, 23 and 27. Not wanting to sound too predictable, I would like to point out the excellency of KV450 aka no. 15 in B flat major. Amadeus introduced me to this work's delightfully catchy finale.

[jlaurson]

I don´t know what Scion7 means but I do recommend this:



Excellent cycle all around. And you can´t get more Austrian than that.

Seconded; there's a new re-issue of that cycle out there: http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2015/12/best-recordings-of-2015-8.html

And frankly, Schiff-Camerata is terrific, too.

[North Star]

Christian Zacharias & Lausanne on MDG is another very fine cycle.

[Ken B]

Many great sets. I like the controversial Sofronitzky set very much indeed. Perahia , Ashkenazy are great . This less known set is excellent too.

[asin]B000VZAVUI[/asin]

[Madiel]

I don't have a set, Perahia has been on my long-term shopping list for... a long term!

I know the D minor impressed me because it managed to get through to me even on a plane.  In-flight sound quality is hardly a great thing (especially not for classical music), so if I enjoy new music in that setting it makes an impression.

[aligreto]

Many great sets. I like the controversial Sofronitzky set very much indeed. Perahia , Ashkenazy are great . This less known set is excellent too.

[asin]B000VZAVUI[/asin]

My interest is piqued. What is the controversial issue with the Sofronitzky set if I may ask?

[Ken B]

My interest is piqued. What is the controversial issue with the Sofronitzky set if I may ask?

It is very, very vigorous, and sometimes there are a few ensemble or intonation problems. If Anda is at one end of the interpretative scale -- a prettifier -- then this is at the other end. I think both are great. Here I like the sense of Mozart pushing the bounds of what the orchestra and fortepiano are capable of that comes through. But if you want reflective poetry look elsewhere.

[aligreto]

It is very, very vigorous, and sometimes there are a few ensemble or intonation problems. If Anda is at one end of the interpretative scale -- a prettifier -- then this is at the other end. I think both are great. Here I like the sense of Mozart pushing the bounds of what the orchestra and fortepiano are capable of that comes through. But if you want reflective poetry look elsewhere.

My interest is even more piqued. Thank you for that 

[king ubu]

I like that Softonitzky set! With the Bilson/Gardiner, I feel we have two fine PI cycles.

Now if only Bezuidenhout would do one ...

Btw, what's word on Schoonderwoerd's sonatas cycle? Just finally got it and haven't really started listening yet.

[Florestan]

Btw, what's word on Schoonderwoerd's sonatas cycle? Just finally got it and haven't really started listening yet.

If it´s the Schoonderwoerd of the infamous Beethoven PCs cycle, then I´ll pass, thank you. 

[Gurn Blanston]

If it´s the Schoonderwoerd of the infamous Beethoven PCs cycle, then I´ll pass, thank you. 

Since there are few similarities in the music, I doubt it will be relevant. We'll have to judge for ourselves all over again.

[Florestan]

Since there are few similarities in the music, I doubt it will be relevant. We'll have to judge for ourselves all over again.

That´s true as well, but once a traitor... 

Did you like his Beethoven?

[Gurn Blanston]

That´s true as well, but once a traitor... 

Did you like his Beethoven?

I was tepid about the concertos. I didn't dislike them intensely, as some did, but I didn't replace my Gardiner/Levin with them either.    I have never heard any sonatas he may have done...

[Florestan]

I have never heard any sonatas he may have done...

Given the way he tackled Beethoven´s piano concertos, I expect him to play them as sonatas for the left hand only, occasionally hitting some key with his nose... 

[(poco) Sforzando]

Btw, what's word on Schoonderwoerd's sonatas cycle? Just finally got it and haven't really started listening yet.

Then there's still hope.

[Mandryka]

Are you talking about Beethoven sonatas by Schoonderwoerd? Or Mozart? I never heard he was recording Beethoven solo music. I like his Mozart I think, and indeed the Beethoven op 15 and increasingly the Op 58, but I'm hardly a real connoisseur of Beethoven's orchestrated music.

It got my attention because I'd like to hear op 111/ii on a christofori.