DiscountDelight - Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2
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List Price: $17.98
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Manufacturer: Philips
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0028944257120
Label: Philips
Manufacturer: Philips
Number Of Discs: 2
Publisher: Philips
Release Date: 1994-10-11
Studio: Philips
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2 Alfred Brendel
Comment: Nice interpretation of Mozart's piano concerto.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Marvelous Mozart
Comment: Alfred Brendel's place as an interpreter of the Viennese Classic repertory is by now unassailable, and his recordings of the Mozart Piano Concertos are a prime example of his art. His lean, focused sound can strike a listener as insufficiently sensuous in Romantic repertory, but against the backdrop of an orchestra, it seems a perfect modern equivalent of the eighteenth-century fortepiano, so much so that I don't really miss having an "authentic" instrument. Besides, discarding recordings such as these on the basis of inauthenticity would deny all listeners the chance to experience Brendel's practically infallible sense of style and taste.
Perhaps the real surprise in this collection of five concertos is that Brendel is at his most relaxed and insightful in the E-flat major Concerto, K. 482, which in most critical canons occupies a slightly lower place than the works which come before and after it. Mozart's warm-hearted and colorfully orchestrated (clarinets instead of the usual oboes) piece brings out an equivalent and unexpected playfulness of dynamic and rhythm in the pianist's irresistible reading, with profuse but always appropriate ornamentation in the rondo, and intriguing, stylish original cadenzas for the first and last movements. Incidentally, the same virtues hold for all of Brendel's emendations to Mozart's original notes in these pieces; in this he is decidely superior to Ashkenazy in his Mozart concerto recordings. (The one drawback of this entire set is that the inclusion of five concertos necessitates splitting K. 482 between the first and second CDs.)
It is only by these exalted standards that the performances of K. 271, the dashing "Jeunehomme," pushing the boundaries of standard concerto form with its unexpected piano interjections at the outset, and the Olympian K. 503 come off as slightly stiffer and less attuned to the finest nuance; however, the latter performance was recorded live and astonishes with its digital clarity, the concluding roar of applause being amply justified.
Brendel's collaborators, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Neville Marriner, supply exemplary accompaniments, notwithstanding some slight inaccuracies in the live K. 503 and, more surprisingly, K. 595. One hopes these recordings will be available for a long time to come.
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Summary: Artistic Genius
Comment: Mozart is rightly hailed as a musical genius. Some say he was the best that ever was. I personally prefer Bach and baroque organ fugues but this CD is a good argument for the Mozart partisans.
In the first place, the compositions are excellent. Mozart was a genius and it shows. In the second place, the performances preserved here are exquisite. The recordings are clear and vibrant.
It is a first class album all around.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Almost Perfect
Comment: If you love Mozart you will really enjoy this CD. In my opinion Sir Neville Marriner & the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields performs Mozart better than any other. The only problem I have with this CD is some tracks on the first CD are recorded live. I have never been a big fan of live recordings. An occasional cough is heard on track 4 which makes me cringe. If only they passed out cough drops that evening I would have awarded this CD five stars. Otherwise the music is simply sublime. Robitussin anyone?
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Summary: Penguin Guide "Recommended Recording"
Comment: With his 27 piano concertos, Mozart developed the form to a new level of artistry and claimed dominion of the new musical genre. The first seven concertos resulted from early composition exercises from his father converting Baroque sonatas to concerto form (most not-so-special). The first truly-original piano concerto No. 5 was composed at age 17 and No.'s 14-27 are all considered mature and monumental with anything in the 20's truly magnificant. Even works as early as No. 9 "Jeunehomme" (composed for a female French student, Mlle. Jeunehomme, perhaps a love interest) reveal an uncharacteristic maturity, depth of beauty and perfection of form for such a young composer. While most of the 27 concertos are sunny and galante, the two minor-key concertos (No. 20 & 24 on Volume I) reveal Mozart's evolution into more personal, dramatic expression - foreshadowing the Romantic era ushered in part by Beethoven. However, by the late 1780's, the fickle Vieneese who were "so done" with his music, leading to Mozart's demise. Late in Mozart's life there appeared to be a "new phase" of introspection and simplicity as seen in the poignant last Concerto #27 (along with his last chamber works). But this was sadly cut short by his early death in 1791.
These readings by Brendel and Marriner are alive with enthusiasm, warmth, and the typical Brendel precision. The balance of the piano and orchestra is perfect and allow the drama to unfold unhindered. Along with Murray Perahia's and Andras Schiff's complete cycles, Brendel's performances of Mozart's piano concertos are considered - on the whole - to be at the top of the list overall. Highlights in Vol. II here must certainly be the simple beauty and chamber-like feel of Concerto No. 9 "Jeunehomme," the sparkling No. 22 (K.482) and the poignant "swansong" concerto, No. 27 (K. 595). Where volume II features these two more subdued concertos of immense tenderness (no timpani or trumpets), Volume I contains the powerfully emotive, crowd-pleasing D-minor and C-minor concertos No. 20, 24 - along with the famous and bubbly C-major concerto. Both volumes are essential listening, but that much might guide your first purchase if you can only get one set.
The six works on these two CD's (along with those of the sister set) are among the most skillfully composed, musically appealing and rightfully popular of Mozart's 27 piano concertos (hence the term, "Great Concertos"). Both sets received the highest Penguin Guide rating (Rosette) and are an official "Recommended Recording." Nice compliment. Additionally, Gramophone says "this set can be recommended without any reservations." The value and sound quality/balance are excellent (as with most all Philips DUO label CD's).
For those who like the sound of a Mozart-era fortepiano and more "period performances," there is a splendid 9-CD "complete" set of Mozart's piano concertos (no.'s 5-27) by Malcolm Bilson and the English Baroque Soloists w/ Sir John Gardiner conducting that is both top-notch music and a super value on DG. Also, if you are building a Mozart collection, many of these Philips' DUO sets are excellent choices and in the top-tier of quality: Great Serenades (Marriner), Piano Quartets (Beaux Arts Trio), Piano Trios (Beaux Art Trio), Violin concertos (Grumiaux), Violin Sonatas (Szeryng/Haebler), and Complete Quintets I, II (Grumiaux et al).
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