# Gulda



## Op.123

What do you think of him

I adore his Mozart


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## PetrB

One helluva musician, and his Mozart was / is fantastic. I also much appreciated his completely no-drama / no flair / matter of fact manner when playing. It was always first and foremost about making music, with no theater as to being 'a performer.'

A high compliment a musician friend of mine gave him when we saw a televised concert with Gulda playing a Mozart concerto,
"He just plays."

... but what playing that was!


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## Animato

Artists from Austria have a special way to "handle" art and music - much in contrast to german artists.
Gulda is no exception. He plays Mozart and Bach in a way that leaves no "doubts". There may be better pianists
for Beethoven and Chopin, but hardly any pianist is playing Mozart and Bach as sophisticated as Gulda.


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## Vaneyes

Gulda's WAM *and* LvB are as good as it gets. The summit. Some rivals in one and/or the other...Schnabel, Casadesus, Richter, GG, ABM, Pollini, Schiff. :tiphat:


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## Blancrocher

I'm still getting to know Gulda's 50s recording of the Beethoven's 32 on Decca, and I don't know his other set, but I love what I've heard. I've become a fast friend of his Mozart. 

I'm more intimately familiar with his Bach WTC, which I've listened to frequently over the years. I think it's a masterpiece, with countless little flashes of poetry in addition to the technical finesse one would expect.


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## zvioliny

The only things I heard of his were Mozart, and they were amazing.


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## Sondersdorf

*Question aobut ABM*



Vaneyes said:


> Gulda's WAM *and* LvB are as good as it gets. The summit. Some rivals in one and/or the other...Schnabel, Casadesus, Richter, GG, ABM, Pollini, Schiff. :tiphat:


Who is "ABM"? I cannot figure it out.


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## wkasimer

Sondersdorf said:


> Who is "ABM"? I cannot figure it out.


Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli


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## wkasimer

Blancrocher said:


> I'm still getting to know Gulda's 50s recording of the Beethoven's 32 on Decca, and I don't know his other set, but I love what I've heard.


That Decca monaural set is, I think, the least good of his three sets of the Beethoven sonatas. My favorite is the later stereo one, originally issued on Amadeo, since reissued by Brilliant and Eloquence (it's also in one of the various iterations of Brilliant's complete Beethoven). There's also a set of radio broadcasts from the 50's, issued by Orfeo.


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## Sondersdorf

*ABM*

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is not on the Wikipedia list of 20th Century Classical pianists. That seems to be a serious omission.


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## open

I really liked his input on the 3rd Anima LP released by Pilz / OHR 70001-2.


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## amfortas

wkasimer said:


> That Decca monaural set is, I think, the least good of his three sets of the Beethoven sonatas. My favorite is the later stereo one, originally issued on Amadeo, since reissued by Brilliant and Eloquence (it's also in one of the various iterations of Brilliant's complete Beethoven). There's also a set of radio broadcasts from the 50's, issued by Orfeo.


I've got that set and enjoy it, though it's been a while since I've listened. I recall him taking the first movement of the Waldstein at breakneck speed.


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## Simon23

A special pianist for Mozart. His concertos with Abbado - is reference. With Harnoncourt - very good too (not-HIP Harnoncourt is always interesting). 
He died on Mozart's birthday - an incredible coincidence
Also I very like his Beethoven - sonatas' stereo cycle and concertos with Stein.


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## vincula

wkasimer said:


> That Decca monaural set is, I think, the least good of his three sets of the Beethoven sonatas. My favorite is the later stereo one, originally issued on Amadeo, since reissued by Brilliant and Eloquence (it's also in one of the various iterations of Brilliant's complete Beethoven). There's also a set of radio broadcasts from the 50's, issued by Orfeo.


I concur. Got the complete Amadeo set on vinyl and I rate it over the Decca set. However, my favourite's the Orfeo one. And yes, Gulda was a hell of a musician!

Regards,

Vincula


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## Manxfeeder

Sondersdorf said:


> Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is not on the Wikipedia list of 20th Century Classical pianists. That seems to be a serious omission.


Sophie Druml did a video on great pianists with 2SetViolin, and she included Michelangeli with the comment that he's well known by insiders. I think if you know about ABM, you're officially in the club.


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