# Mozart Piano Concertos



## DavidA

It is generally acknowledged that Mozart write the most sublime set of piano concertos, many of which he played himself in public. We know that Beethoven played K466 at a benefit concert for Mozart's widow. If only recording had been around.........

When I first started collecting records good recordings of Mozart concertos were hard to come by unless you paid premium price (£2 in those days - a small fortune for me as I earned 75p a week on a Saturday job!) Since then the catalogue is full of highly distinguished performances of these great works. We are so blessed!

Can I ask, what are your favourites? Either complete sets or individual recordings of distinction. Let us know. There is so much to explore!


----------



## Guest

My favorite sets are with Alfred Brendel and the Academy of st.Martin in the fields and Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia Orchestra,and let us not forget Clara Haskil.
I do not like the sound of the hammerklavier.
23 and 27 are two of my favorites


----------



## JSBach85

Thank you for asking because I have the same question! Is there any recording on period instruments that worth getting?


----------



## Pugg

Murray Perahia / Daniel Barenboim ( first recording) / Geze Anda / Rudolf Serkin / Lili Kraus/ Christian Zacharias first recording) / Alfred Brendel/. The first three in no particular order.


----------



## Animal the Drummer

A number of good recommendations above. I'm not the biggest fan of the sets by Anda, Barenboim or Ashkenazy (at times I find Ashkenazy's and Barenboim's too personal and Anda's, by contrast, too stiff and _im_personal) but the others are all worth hearing.


----------



## wkasimer

I have two favorite sets. For HIP, Viviana Sofronitsky:

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Fortepiano-Concertos-Viviana-Sofronitsky/dp/B004M5BZR6

For modern piano, Matthias Kirschnereit:

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano-Concertos-Wolfgang-Amadeus/dp/B000VZAVUI

Lately, I've been enjoying Andras Schiff's set, mostly for the orchestral contribution. I also like some individual CD's by Annie Fischer, Stephen Kovacevich, and Andreas Staier.


----------



## bigshot

Perahia and Anda have the sound I like in Mozart Piano Concertos.


----------



## Marc

wkasimer said:


> I have two favorite sets. For HIP, Viviana Sofronitsky:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Fortepiano-Concertos-Viviana-Sofronitsky/dp/B004M5BZR6


I find this set OK, but really nothing more, compared to f.i. Levin/Hogwood (unfinished integral), Bilson/Gardiner and the Van Immerseel set. To me, Sofronitsky & Karolak's recordings sound rather stiff and loud, too straightforward and, in general, one-dimensional. Mozart's music deserves more IMO.

My favourite HIP-set is probably Van Immerseel.

Modern piano: I wouldn't know, but if I had to pick a (more or less) complete set, then I would go for Zacharias/various conductors & orchestras (once issued by EMI). I don't know his 2nd Mozart attempt for MDG, though. Maybe they're even better.


----------



## DarkAngel

wkasimer said:


> I have two favorite sets. For HIP, Viviana Sofronitsky:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Fortepiano-Concertos-Viviana-Sofronitsky/dp/B004M5BZR6
> 
> For modern piano, Matthias Kirschnereit:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano-Concertos-Wolfgang-Amadeus/dp/B000VZAVUI
> 
> Lately, I've been enjoying Andras Schiff's set, mostly for the orchestral contribution. I also like some individual CD's by Annie Fischer, Stephen Kovacevich, and Andreas Staier.


I also like Sofronitksy best for forte piano, I was hoping new Brautigam would sweep the field but not so which surprised me.
Careful balanced recording technique required so forte piano is not dwarfed by orchestra as in Bilson/Gardiner series, Bilson sounds like he is in a room behind the orchestra playing.......

For piano many very good ones probably Anda is my most often played, best cheap set no one has ever heard of is the excellent Annerose Schmidt played with confident bravura


----------



## Bulldog

I have all the HIP sets and like each one very much; same with the modern piano alternatives. When it comes to Mozart piano concertos, I'm not a fussy customer. But if forced to choose, I'd go with Immerseel and Schiff.


----------



## jegreenwood

DarkAngel said:


> . . .
> 
> Careful balanced recording technique required so forte piano is not dwarfed by orchestra as in Bilson/Gardiner series, Bilson sounds like he is in a room behind the orchestra playing.......
> 
> . . .


As it happens, I described my experience with the Bilson/Gardiner cycle in another thread a day or two ago.

"Not in my experience. The clearest example for me is the Bilson/Gardiner cycle of Mozart concertos. I bought that set when it first came out as my first into foray into fortepiano. And I didn't like it. The keyboard would get lost in the orchestra. Over decades, once or twice a year, I would listen to a disc from the set hoping my reaction would improve, but it did not. On more than one occasion I thought to get rid of it, but for some reason I didn't.

"Then I purchased a Teac UD-301 DAC/headphone amp. Hardly state of the art, but maybe some trickle down technology from their Esoteric line. And one day I happened to gave Bilson another chance. All of a sudden the fortepiano could hold its own with the orchestra. It wasn't louder, but it was better defined, both in terms of image and timbre.

"I don't know what spec measures that improvement, but for the first time, I am able to enjoy that set."

(Not that it wouldn't further benefit from being recorded at a higher volume.)


----------



## bigshot

Bilson sounds like he's playing a xylophone


----------



## Bulldog

bigshot said:


> Bilson sounds like he's playing a xylophone


Sounds like a fortepiano to me from the first note.


----------



## realdealblues

I literally have hundreds of recordings of Mozart's Piano Concertos.

Murray Perahia/English Chamber Orchestra is still my favorite as far as a complete cycle, which includes 1-4, 7 & 10 that are usually left out of most sets. 

For incomplete cycles Rudolf Buchbinder/Vienna Symphony & Andras Schiff/Sandor Vegh/Camerata Academica are my next favorites.

Alfred Brendel/Sir Neville Marriner/Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields is excellent. Geza Anda/Camerata Academica Des Salzburger Mozarteums is also very good as well.

I have Vladimir Ashkenazy/Philharmonia Orchestra & Daniel Barenboim/English Chamber Orchestra are both have a little too much surface polish for me but they aren't bad by any means.

Barenboim's later outing with the Berlin Philharmonic are enjoyable.

Brendel/Mackerras did some fantastic recordings. Curzon/Britten also did some fantastic recordings. I love Rubinstein's recordings as well.

There's just so many it's hard to even think of them all.

I personally don't go in for HIP. Mozart was a very forward thinking musician. When the Fortepiano came out he didn't continue writing for the Harpsichord, he moved on, and I don't believe for one minute if a modern piano were available to him that he wouldn't have dropped the fortepiano in a second. Yes, it may be interesting to hear how it might have sounded in Mozart's time, but it's nothing more than a novelty because there is no doubt in my mind he would much prefer a modern orchestra with modern instruments. Composers like Mozart and Beethoven were far too inventive and forward thinking to just stay stagnant...


----------



## Chatellerault

Piano: Alfred Brendel/Sir Neville Marriner/Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields


Fortepiano: Ronald Brautigam, Mozart/M.A. Willens/Die Kolner Akademie (a couple of concertos lacking, still to be released as far as I know)


Haskil, De Larrocha, Michelangeli, Pollini, each one recorded a handful of concertos but I wouldn't want to be without their Mozart recordings.

I have friend who prefers women playing Mozart. Although I disagree, it's an interesting point of view.


----------



## Bulldog

Chatellerault said:


> I have friend who prefers women playing Mozart.


I prefer to have a woman by my side when I listen to Mozart.


----------



## Pugg

Chatellerault said:


> Piano: Alfred Brendel/Sir Neville Marriner/Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
> 
> Fortepiano: Ronald Brautigam, Mozart/M.A. Willens/Die Kolner Akademie (a couple of concertos lacking, still to be released as far as I know)
> 
> Haskil, De Larrocha, Michelangeli, Pollini, each one recorded a handful of concertos but I wouldn't want to be without their Mozart recordings.
> 
> I have friend who prefers women playing Mozart. Although I disagree, it's an interesting point of view.


Mitsuko Uchida did a good jog on Philips, she's even started recording again.


----------



## DavidA

Bulldog said:


> I prefer to have a woman by my side when I listen to Mozart.


If it's a woman by my side it has to be Annie Fischer in Mozart. Wish she wouldn't smoke though! :lol:


----------



## DavidA

There are some fabulous recordings of the Mozart concertos by Brendel and Perahia among others.
For me however, the man who played them best was Rudolf Serkin. His recordings for Columbia are incredible


----------



## Page

Pollini/Boehm/Philharmonic Vienna for the concertos 23 and 19.
Pires/Abbado for the 26.
Ushida for the 27.

Of course Perahia, Brendel and Serkin for the integral.


----------



## Marc

DavidA said:


> If it's a woman by my side it has to be Annie Fischer in Mozart. Wish she wouldn't smoke though! :lol:


Will Clara Haskil do?
Not sure if she smoked, but her Mozart is very good, too.


----------



## Chatellerault

Page said:


> Pollini/Boehm/Philharmonic Vienna for the concertos 23 and 19.


Of course Böhm was a great Mozart conductor but for the piano concerti I prefer Pollini's own conducting from the 2000s. I'm slightly disturbed by the close-miked recording of Böhm's WPO in the 1970s, I listen to the woodwind as if I was playing beside them, while on Pollini's 2000s recording we get to listen as if from the first rows in the audience.


----------



## Marc

realdealblues said:


> I[...]
> I personally don't go in for HIP. Mozart was a very forward thinking musician. When the Fortepiano came out he didn't continue writing for the Harpsichord, he moved on, and I don't believe for one minute if a modern piano were available to him that he wouldn't have dropped the fortepiano in a second. Yes, it may be interesting to hear how it might have sounded in Mozart's time, but it's nothing more than a novelty because there is no doubt in my mind he would much prefer a modern orchestra with modern instruments. Composers like Mozart and Beethoven were far too inventive and forward thinking to just stay stagnant...


In fact, you yourself are also using 'historically informed' arguments to make your point. 

Anyway, whether they were fully satsfied with them or not, Mozart and Beethoven had to compose their works for the instrument(s) of their own time. And they had the sound of those instruments, with their (im)possiblities and all, in their heads. Also they had to keep in mind other performing matters, like smaller concert halls, acoustics, performer's skills, or whatever. 
My guess is, that when they already had known the Steinway piano, they would have composed quite different keyboard works, because of the different possibilities and sound of the instrument. 
My 2nd guess is, that you yourself prefer the modern instrument(s), and I think there's nothing wrong with that. But you use rather invalid arguments to prove that your taste also must the historically right one. And this is, IMO, not necessary. Apart from the fact that we can never prove that Mozart or Beethoven would have preferred a Steinway or other modern instruments, simply because they didn't know them, I would also emphasize that your own taste is your own best judge. Even if Mozart and Beethoven would have had different tastes and opinions than you. Who cares about a dead composer's taste? If you like Waldo de los Rios in Symphony no 40, will the lost corpse of Amadeus come to your house and punish you for that?

Btw, personally, I'm very fond of HIP. And I love the sound of period instruments. Maybe they're less 'perfect' and less slick, but, in my case, they speak more directly to my 'receiving soul' (whatever that is ). Apparantly, I have a 'natural' click with the 'historical' approach.

I wouldn't be surprised that many HIP-lovers, even those who use 'historical proof' to make their point, share my taste. They just like the old sounds more, and they prefer the way the music is interpreted by the various HIP-musicians. 
Historical blahblah to prove that your taste is the right one, is... uhm... blahblah to me. There is no 'right' taste. I mean, what's the point of listening to instruments and performances that you actually dislike, but you have to listen to them and have to prefer them, because that's the 'historically right thing' to do?

So, I don't believe you prefer the modern piano because you think that the historical person of Mozart would have preferred it. You just like the sound more.
And I also don't believe that someone prefers the fortepiano, because that's the historically right thing to do. They just like the sound more.


----------



## realdealblues

Marc said:


> Anyway, whether they were fully satsfied with them or not, Mozart and Beethoven had to compose their works for the instrument(s) of their own time. And they had the sound of those instruments, with their (im)possiblities and all, in their heads. Also they had to keep in mind other performing matters, like smaller concert halls, acoustics, performer's skills, or whatever.


This is not entirely true. Beethoven wrote in letters how he conceived of his works on grander scales, needing larger orchestras, better instruments, etc. He wasn't writing strictly for the day and what he had at his disposal. I see this as a sign of looking for better things down the road, you obviously don't.



Marc said:


> My guess is, that when they already had known the Steinway piano, they would have composed quite different keyboard works, because of the different possibilities and sound of the instrument.


I disagree. I don't think if we had gone from Harpsichord to Steinway that Beethoven or Mozart would have never written the same melodies and made the same note choices for their works. They may have added to them but I don't believe their composing styles would have completely changed.



Marc said:


> My 2nd guess is, that you yourself prefer the modern instrument(s), and I think there's nothing wrong with that.


Your guess would not be entirely correct, although I do prefer the modern piano design to that of the fortepiano. If I didn't like period instruments I wouldn't listen to people like Itzhak Perlman or Jascha Heifetz or anyone else who has ever used a Stradivarius. I also wouldn't have a large collection of Harpsichord music, etc.



Marc said:


> But you use rather invalid arguments to prove that your taste also must the historically right one. And this is, IMO, not necessary.


I take offense to your statement. I have not said I have the only correct position and that my taste is somehow historically correct. I stated that "I personally don't listen to so called HIP recordings of Mozart's Piano Concertos because I feel that music and technology have progressed past the point of having to use small orchestras with period instruments, etc. and I also believe that past composers would have embraced modern instruments, larger orchestras, etc. and continued progressing forward". It has nothing to do about me being correct, it has everything to do with my personal preference but somehow you've taken it upon yourself to correct me and declare me the anti-period instrument fascist who tells everyone else they can't have a preference and that I am the only correct person based on my historical beliefs.



Marc said:


> Btw, personally, I'm very fond of HIP. And I love the sound of period instruments.


I can tell as you felt I obviously was in the wrong in having my preference and/or opinion.



Marc said:


> And I also don't believe that someone prefers the fortepiano, because that's the historically right thing to do.


And you would be in error as I personally know over 20 people who will only listen to HIP Mozart on Fortepiano, and it's not because they like the sound better. Many have told me they prefer the sound of a modern piano but because it's what Mozart wrote on, it's the only way it should be played.


----------



## Marc

realdealblues said:


> [...]


I do not feel you are in the wrong in having your preference and/or opinion. And I never think of or make use of phrases like 'anti-period instrument fascist'. I didn't even know such phrases existed. So, if you feel attacked in such an aggressive way, I do apologize. 
But what I did mean to say, in my clumsy use of the English language, was that I'm making a distinction between personal taste and an opinion based on historical knowledge. And I had the idea that you kinda mixed them up.

So yes, people can be convinced that Mozart should be played on a fortepiano, but that they personally prefer a modern piano. There's nothing 'wrong' with that, and definitely nothing 'fascistic'.
But I don't believe people who claim that they personally prefer the sound of the fortepiano, because it's historically correct. Like you, I also heard and read statements from many music listeners saying that they prefer the sound of old instruments because those are the instruments that the composer(s) had to use. Well, even though there are thousands of people who claim that, I still don't believe them. 
I also don't believe people who say that they prefer the sound of the modern piano, because Beethoven wrote that he needed larger scaled instruments than fortepiano's.

Taste and opinion are different matters, in my... uhhh... opinion. 

Yes, I can say that it's historically correct to perform Mozart on a fortepiano, but when it happens that I personally don't like the sound of such an instrument, I still prefer a modern piano, and therefore I still prefer a performance on a modern piano.

Heifetz et al played Stadivarii, yes, but with a longer modern bow and not with gut strings. In my opinion (not taste!), that's not a period instrument performance anymore. With a short bow they would have been forced to play their Bach and Mozart entirely different. And with gut strings you're entering quite a different sound world.

Beethoven or any other composer might have said/written that he needed larger scaled instruments, but still, he had to adapt to the instruments that existed in his lifetime. What's the use of writing music for instruments that don't exist? Keyboard scales of old fortepiano's are smaller than those of a Steinway, the sound is 'smaller', et cetera.

Oh, for what it's worth: I like Mozart and Beethoven both on fortepiano and piano.
My favourite keyboard instruments (taste ) are the organ and the harpsichord, and I dearly love 17th and 18th century music. 
But, as I said before, I would never ever consider people with a different taste or opinion in music as 'fascists'. If a discussion about music is 'developing' with the use of words like that, I'm out.


----------



## Triplets

If we could divert from the dust up above, one cycle that I haven't seen mentioned is Robert Casedesus/George Szell. These were my first Mozart PC recordings and they still hold up quite well


----------



## hpowders

Bulldog said:


> I prefer to have a woman by my side when I listen to Mozart.


Good luck with that.


----------



## hpowders

I prefer Mozart Piano Concertos with HIP band and fortepiano.

Of the several complete sets of the Mozart Piano Concertos as above, I prefer the Jos van Immerseel set, with the soloist conducting Anima Eterna, for the best combination of charm and insight. Fine sound too!


----------



## Mal

I also like Perahia and Anda's complete sets. They seem to complement each other very well, when one's hot the other's not, unless they're both hot. I also like Brendel/ASMF on the great concertos series on two Phillips two-fers, haven't listened to him in others.


----------



## Fan66

Best Sets:

Alfred Brendel
Mitsuko Uchida


----------



## DarkAngel

DavidA said:


> There are some fabulous recordings of the Mozart concertos by Brendel and Perahia among others.
> For me however, the *man who played them best was Rudolf Serkin.* His recordings for Columbia are incredible












Amazon USA 1/5/18 or Presto UK now.........
Sony to the rescue, remastered sound and budget price level


----------



## jegreenwood

DarkAngel said:


> Amazon USA 1/5/18 or Presto UK now.........
> Sony to the rescue, remastered sound and budget price level


Mine arrived from MDT a few weeks ago. Wonderful playing.

Someone mentioned Casadesus. I started with him and Szell/Ormandy and Peter Serkin/Schneider.


----------



## AfterHours

The best overall set is probably Rudolf Buchbinder/Wiener Symphoniker (Profil/Hanssler): https://diablusinmusica.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/097.jpg

However, I much prefer breaking this down to individual recordings, as I've put an extensive amount of listening and comparing into discovering the best renditions for each (in my opinion, of course). Hope you find these useful and enjoy them as much as I have!

My "best recorded performance" selection for each of my favorite concertos of Mozart, listed in order of preference (by concerto, from the top down)...

*Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major*
Andras Schiff - Sandor Vegh - Salzburg Mozarteum Camerata Academica (1990) 
Spotify: https://img.cdandlp.com/2017/05/imgL/116968817.jpg
Youtube: 




*Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor*
Alfred Brendel - Sir Charles Mackerras - Scottish Chamber Orchestra (1998) 
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/817RHEMrROL._SY355_.jpg
Youtube: 
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto 24 in C Minor - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786)*
Alfred Brendel - Sir Charles Mackerras - Scottish Chamber Orchestra (1998) 
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/817RHEMrROL._SY355_.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1785)* 
Rudolf Buchbinder - Wiener Symphoniker (2003?) 
Spotify: https://diablusinmusica.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/097.jpg 
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786)* 
Ivan Moravec - Josef Vlach - Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (1974) 
Spotify: https://i.scdn.co/image/efa6944e104643cf999c4bcd474a24cb5f53fee4
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (circa 1788-1791)* 
Richard Goode - Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (1996) 
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61NIkqGK3wL._SX355_.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786)*
Ivan Moravec - Josef Vlach - Czech Chamber Orchestra (1974) 
Spotify: https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0001/113/MI0001113368.jpg?partner=allrovi.com

*Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784)*
Andreas Staier - Concerto Koln (1995) 
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/518LKAFm08L._SY355_.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784)*
Andreas Staier - Concerto Koln (1995) 
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/518LKAFm08L._SY355_.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 26 in D major "Coronation" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1788)*
Rudolf Buchbinder - Wiener Symphoniker (2003?) 
Spotify: https://diablusinmusica.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/097.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major "Jeunehomme" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1777)*
Andreas Staier - Concerto Koln (1995) 
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/518LKAFm08L._SY355_.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 15 in B-flat major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784) *
Andras Schiff - Sandor Vegh - Salzburg Mozarteum Camerata Academica (1990) 
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61NMTv7XaEL._SS500.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 14 in E-flat major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784)*
Ivan Moravec - Josef Vlach - Czech Chamber Orchestra (1974) 
Spotify: http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0001/022/MI0001022964.jpg?partner=allrovi.com
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov) 




*Piano Concerto No. 18 in B-flat Major (1784)*
Andreas Staier - Concerto Koln (1995)
Spotify: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/518LKAFm08L._SY355_.jpg
Youtube:
(1st Mov) 



(2nd Mov) 



(3rd Mov)


----------



## ClassicalMaestro

Friedrich Gulda Mozart Concertos No. 20 & 21 is among my favorites.


----------



## DavidA

DarkAngel said:


> Amazon USA 1/5/18 or Presto UK now.........
> Sony to the rescue, remastered sound and budget price level


Got this for Christmas. Terrific. One of the best Mozart players ever. Pity he didn't record more. There is his set on DG but sadly he was way past his best then.


----------



## Pugg

DarkAngel said:


> Amazon USA 1/5/18 or Presto UK now.........
> Sony to the rescue, remastered sound and budget price level


The same as in my Serkin box, on balance, even cheaper per CD.


----------



## jegreenwood

DavidA said:


> Got this for Christmas. Terrific. One of the best Mozart players ever. Pity he didn't record more. There is his set on DG but sadly he was way past his best then.


One of the DG discs was in the first group (of 5) CDs I ever bought. It's the only one of the group I no longer have. I'm glad to have Rudy back in my Mozart collection.


----------



## Josquin13

Among older pianists, in recent years I've found myself returning most to Clara Haskil, Rudolf Serkin (on Columbia/Sony), Miecyslaw Horszowski, and Edwin Fischer--all very special in Mozart (though none recorded a complete set of the concertos). Also, in the past, I've enjoyed Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Sviatoslav Richter (on DG), Ingrid Haebler, Geza Anda, and Emil Gilels in Mozart as well. (I've yet to get to Lila Kraus.)

By the way, the Clara Haskil Mozart box set on Universal Eloquence offers the finest remasters I've heard to date of her Mozart PCs (& includes her solo piano sonatas, & violin sonatas with Arthur Grumiaux as well). Given the improved sound quality, this set is a real treasure, IMO (though I haven't heard the new Praga "Genuine labs" release, or the latest Japanese Haskil/Mozart issues either, one of which is hybrid SACD):

https://www.amazon.de/Clara-Haskil-...514303968&sr=8-1&keywords=clara+haskil+mozart

Otherwise, I most like pianists that can add ornament tastefully and improvise seamlessly in an 18th century style, especially those that are able to make the music sound like it is being created on the spot. Alfred Brendel and Alicia de Larrocha were two of the very best in this respect. I've also liked Murray Perahia, but in a side by side comparison, I don't find his phrasing in Mozart to be quite as interesting as de Larrocha's. Ivan Moravec & Zoltan Kocsis were very good in Mozart too.

Again, I've found the AMSI 'Eloquence' remasters of Brendel's complete set with Marriner to be superior to other CD remasters I've heard, with the exception of a single recent hybrid SACD issue in the Pentatone "remastered classics" series (which may have even better sound):

https://www.amazon.de/Klavierkonzer...qid=1514304602&sr=1-1&keywords=Brendel+mozart

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...4655&sr=1-1&keywords=brendel+mozart+Pentatone

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...0&keywords=De+Larrocha+mozart+piano+concertos

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...5&keywords=De+Larrocha+mozart+piano+concertos

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...4&keywords=De+Larrocha+mozart+piano+concertos

ETC.

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...14305061&sr=8-8&keywords=zoltan+kocsis+mozart

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Pn-Co...1-fkmr0&keywords=zoltan+kocsis+mozart+philips

As for period recordings, the Bilson/Gardiner complete set is terrific (especially their K. 466 & 467), & shows Gardiner at his very best, but to my ears the sound on the first DG Archiv issues--both on the initial individual CD issues & subsequent Archiv box set--is better than the later discount box set, which for some reason doesn't sound as good to me (I had bought the bargain set first and was disappointed, having remembered the original DG Archiv LPs as sounding much better). I've also liked Jos van Immerseel's complete set with Anima Eterna, and two recent recordings from Bilson's student, Kristian Bezuidenhout, with the excellent Freiburg Barockorchester. As for Viviana Sofronitsky, she has a strong temperament and plays Mozart well, but unfortunately, I liked her spirited playing more than the conducting, which was less interesting to me. Finally, the one CD that I've heard from Ronald Brautigam's 'in progress' set so far was disappointing, and I haven't explored his cycle further (though recent reviews indicate the series has gotten better).

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Conce...4305209&sr=1-3&keywords=Malcolm+Bilson+mozart

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Conce...d=1514305377&sr=1-1&keywords=Immerseel+mozart

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...514305454&sr=1-8&keywords=bezuidenhout+mozart

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Conce...514305454&sr=1-2&keywords=bezuidenhout+mozart

Among current pianists, four have stood out to me as excellent Mozartians (with suitably quick hands & light, nimble fingers)--Dubravka Tomsic, Maria-Joao Pires (though I tend to prefer Pires' early Erato & Denon Mozart to her later DG recordings), Deszo Ranki (who I prefer in the concertos to his sonatas), and David Fray. (Though I would expect the Italians, who I've not heard yet in Mozart, are excellent too--Andrea Bacchetti, Francesco Piemontesi, Pietro de Maria, etc.)

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Conce...8&qid=1514305911&sr=1-7&keywords=Pires+mozart

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...16&sr=1-1&keywords=dubravka+tomsic+mozart+467

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano...=1514306069&sr=1-1&keywords=david+fray+mozart

I've also enjoyed Andras Schiff's Salzburg set of the complete concertos with Sandor Vegh (especially in the earlier concertos), but I don't prefer Schiff in Mozart to either early Pires or Tomsic.

My two cents.


----------



## Star

There are a huge number of recordings compared to what there used to be. I remember an old favourite was Solomon playing the 24. Astounding performance of taste and restraint. Also try Kempff's recordings.


----------



## Haydn man

My favourite is Perahia the only issue I have is some of the recordings are poor quality. 
My second choice would be Uchida, the recordings are like a breath of fresh air after the Perahia


----------



## Pugg

I did spin a disc from the Anda set, still gripping / stunning playing.


----------



## staxomega

Josquin13 said:


> Among older pianists, in recent years I've found myself returning most to Clara Haskil, Rudolf Serkin (on Columbia/Sony), Miecyslaw Horszowski, and Edwin Fischer--all very special in Mozart (though none recorded a complete set of the concertos). Also, in the past, I've enjoyed Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Sviatoslav Richter (on DG), Ingrid Haebler, Geza Anda, and Emil Gilels in Mozart as well. (I've yet to get to Lila Kraus.)


I would skip Lili Kraus, I absolutely adore her early recordings of the Mozart piano sonatas, but the orchestra she was playing with for the concertos was very poor. These are up on Youtube and I suggest sampling them first.


----------

