Mozart Piano Concertos

[Spotted Horses]

Now, I've not auditioned any of Ronald Brautigam's recordings - his BIS box (last pic below) is expensive; the best price I could find was $72 from PrestoMusic - not bad for 12 SCADs - I own his Mozart sonata jewel case stuffed w/ 6 discs!  Will need to do some Spotify listening of Ronald but any comments from PI aficionados who have heard him?  Thanks - Dave

I love them, as much for the PI orchestra as for Brautigam's contribution. I have the original individual releases so I don't know what the format of the box set is.

[George]

I feel like I want to like that set more than I do. I should listen to it some more.

And great to see the word (penultimate) used correctly! It seems like the majority of time people use it to mean "even more ultimate," rather than "second to last."

What I really think I need now is the Haebler set. I've ignored Haebler until now (who knows why) but some enthusiastic mentions I've seen somewhere make me think that might be a big mistake. Can't find much of it on streaming, however. There is a colossal box set, though.

I really like Haebler's work on the Beethoven violin sonatas with Szeryng, but everything else by her that I have sampled didn't move me.

[Mandryka]

And great to see the word (penultimate) used correctly! It seems like the majority of time people use it to mean "even more ultimate," rather than "second to last."

At school we learned the word peripenultimate. I don't think I've ever used it or heard it used other than by my old head teacher.

[DavidW]

Now, I've not auditioned any of Ronald Brautigam's recordings - his BIS box (last pic below) is expensive; the best price I could find was $72

Dave I own the box set.  Each cd is in a sleeve.  What gives the box its width is the inclusion of all booklets (from the individual releases) instead of a unified booklet.

I thought I didn't pay as much, but for the life of me I can't find AT ALL where I ordered it.

[DavidW]

I thought I didn't pay as much, but for the life of me I can't find AT ALL where I ordered it.

It was Walmart and it was about the same price.  Walmart doesn't include any details about orders in their emails which is why I couldn't find it.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It was Walmart and it was about the same price.  Walmart doesn't include any details about orders in their emails which is why I couldn't find it.

🤣 😀

PD

[Atriod]

Piano Concertos on fortepiano w/ Bezuidenhout - just finished listening to 2 of his 3 releases on Spotify and enjoyed, however, the attached reviews have been mixed - plus, these were recorded from 2012 to 2022 and I won't be around if he decides to do a disc every 5 years or so - 

Now, I've not auditioned any of Ronald Brautigam's recordings - his BIS box (last pic below) is expensive; the best price I could find was $72 from PrestoMusic - not bad for 12 SCADs - I own his Mozart sonata jewel case stuffed w/ 6 discs!  Will need to do some Spotify listening of Ronald but any comments from PI aficionados who have heard him?  Thanks - Dave

P.S. for those who own Brautigam please comment whether these discs are in thin sleeves or each in its original jewel case (a game breaker for me).

There is one more (isn't that always the case  ) HIP cycle that is little known and quite good - Viviana Sofronitsky. I like Brautigam, I'd own both if I listened to this music more. These HIPsters rarely play Schnabel's cadenzas so that is one boo from me

[DavidW]

There is one more (isn't that always the case  ) HIP cycle that is little known and quite good - Viviana Sofronitsky. I like Brautigam, I'd own both if I listened to this music more. These HIPsters rarely play Schnabel's cadenzas so that is one boo from me

Oh yes Sofronitsky was my favorite!  Set is a bit harder to find now.  I say was because I think Brautigam is every bit as good.

[Jo498]

At school we learned the word peripenultimate. I don't think I've ever used it or heard it used other than by my old head teacher.

Have not heard this one. But antepenultimate (third to last). For whatever reasons syllables (for stress) are counted from the last one (ultima) in languages, especially in Latin and Greek, although we usually used the German terms (like "vorvorletzte").

[Spotted Horses]

It was Walmart and it was about the same price.  Walmart doesn't include any details about orders in their emails which is why I couldn't find it.

You can buy CD boxed sets with period instrument performances of Mozart Piano Concerti in Walmart. What a country!

[Mandryka]

Have not heard this one. But antepenultimate (third to last). For whatever reasons syllables (for stress) are counted from the last one (ultima) in languages, especially in Latin and Greek, although we usually used the German terms (like "vorvorletzte").

Yes, we used to use a book called Abbott and Mansfield's Primer of Greek Grammar. There were two things I could never get my heard round - verbs in μι and the rules of accentuation.

[Florestan]

You can buy CD boxed sets with period instrument performances of Mozart Piano Concerti in Walmart. What a country!

A few years ago I bought Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory in Kaufland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaufland

[SonicMan46]

Dave I own the box set.  Each cd is in a sleeve.  What gives the box its width is the inclusion of all booklets (from the individual releases) instead of a unified booklet.

I thought I didn't pay as much, but for the life of me I can't find AT ALL where I ordered it.

Oh yes Sofronitsky was my favorite!  Set is a bit harder to find now.  I say was because I think Brautigam is every bit as good.

Thanks David for the info above; actually I sent BIS an email and the founder/CEO, Robert von Bahr responded w/ the same description quoted below; so do I want to put out $72 (plus $10+ S/H) and order the discounted box from PrestoMusic?  BTW, I've Sofronitsky and will definitely keep although I'm liking the 'bands' w/ Brautigam better (been doing some Spotify listening).  Dave

No, it is a compact Box with 12 SACDs in paper sleeves inside plus booklets.  The width is 4 cm, corresponding to 4 normal jewel cases.

Tighter it cannot be...

Best - Robert (von Bahr, CEO, BIS Records)

[AnotherSpin]

Oh yes Sofronitsky was my favorite!  Set is a bit harder to find now.  I say was because I think Brautigam is every bit as good.

There's Sofronitsky on Qobuz.

[Spotted Horses]

I did manage to hear some Haebler in the Mozart Piano Concerti. Quite good, but not a revelation that I must have, given that there are so many other options on my (virtual) shelves.

[Florestan]

I did manage to hear some Haebler in the Mozart Piano Concerti. Quite good, but not a revelation that I must have, given that there are so many other options on my (virtual) shelves.

Which concerts have you heard? Just today I listened to the KV 242 "Lodron" for three pianos and I enjoyed it greatly, not least for the sound. Even through my low-end equipment I was able to distinctly hear all three pianos, left, center and right, as well as lots of orchestral details, both strings and winds. A beguiling aural experience.

[Spotted Horses]

I figured I should give Haebler a more fair trial, and listened to her recording of the 23rd Concerto, with Rowicki and the LSO (one of the handful that can be found on my streaming service). It was pleasant and skillfully performed, but didn't really expand my horizons, given that I have the sets by Brendel and others on modern piano with a similar ethos. Then, on a lark, I listened to one movement by Gaza Anda (the finale of Concerto #21). I had neglected this famous recording, probably because it has always appeared with reference to the film, Elvira Madigan, which was a turn-off for me.



But wow! Brilliant! Unfortunately it appears the full set is not streamed, so I have to think about whether I should look for the full cycle.

[George]

I figured I should give Haebler a more fair trial, and listened to her recording of the 23rd Concerto, with Rowicki and the LSO (one of the handful that can be found on my streaming service). It was pleasant and skillfully performed, but didn't really expand my horizons, given that I have the sets by Brendel and others on modern piano with a similar ethos. Then, on a lark, I listened to one movement by Gaza Anda (the finale of Concerto #21). I had neglected this famous recording, probably because it has always appeared with reference to the film, Elvira Madigan, which was a turn-off for me.



But wow! Brilliant! Unfortunately it appears the full set is not streamed, so I have to think about whether I should look for the full cycle.

I recently was asked which set of Mozart concertos I would take to a desert island. Anda was my pick. Uchida is my newest set, so I'd be tempted to take that one, but I think in the end I'd choose Anda. Schiff and Perahia are both up there, for different reasons, but Anda is my tried and true set. It was gifted to me by a kind GMGer a number of years ago (thank you!) 

[SonicMan46]

.........Then, on a lark, I listened to one movement by Gaza Anda (the finale of Concerto #21). I had neglected this famous recording, probably because it has always appeared with reference to the film, Elvira Madigan, which was a turn-off for me.

 

But wow! Brilliant! Unfortunately it appears the full set is not streamed, so I have to think about whether I should look for the full cycle.

Elvira Madigan on release was an early introduction to classical music for me and I was enamored w/ Wolfie's No. 21 - I have the Anda box inserted above; there are some 'used' sets on the Amazon MP for $30+ - can't remember what I paid a while back and have not checked other sellers - good luck.  Dave

[Jo498]

I recently got the complete "old" Zacharias recording (rec. ca. 1981-91 with different conductors and orchestras). I had got one half of this very cheaply at some earlier time, and eventually decided to get the whole lot.

There are a few things a bit special. Zacharias plays his own cadenzas (unless there are Mozart cadenzas, so no Beethoven cadenzas in K 466) and within this has added a woodwind transition in K 482,i, a musical clock (IIRC it's actually an electronic keyboard) in K 537,i and the d minor tutti chord from Don Giovanni ouverture in a historical recording in K 466,iii) (I don't care much for that last "gag" but the others are nice and work well.)
Zacharias must also have been among he first with a very flowing tempo in the K 467 andante (about 5 instead fo 7-8 min).
The general approach is lively, some of the accompaniments can be a bit generic
This was probably a bit more interesting >30 years when it came out as we have since then many lively, lean, chamberish, today we'd say HIP influenced interpretations.

Among my favorites of Zacharias' are K 238 (almost as good as Kocsis, with better orchestral contribution), 414, 449, 451 (almost as good as P.Serkin/Schneider), K 467 and 537 mentioned above and maybe also 503. Everything else is at least very solid, the two minor mode concerti could be a bit more dramatic, two of my favorite pieces K 271 and 453 are also a bit on the cool side.
It's still quite cheap, either concertos only or a more recent box with the sonatas and some more fillers, incl.the double concerti and sonata K 448 wit Marie Luise Hinrichs (recorded a few years later).