# Mozart Fortepiano Concertos



## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

Which is the best set on period instruments? I've been thinking of getting a complete set. I've already got all the Hogwood/Levin versions and was thinking of aquiring the Gardiner/Bilson package or the Immerseel but I've since come across the set performed by Viviana Sofritsky. I know Ronald Brautigam's recorded some of them too.

Any opinions?


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## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

Follow the Brautigam series, even if they move slowly. Sofritsky is a middle of the road performance. Adequate, to a great extent.
Gardiner/Bilson is boring, at least to me and compared to Brautigam.
Individual performances are fine too, like the one of Badura-Skoda on Arcana, for instance, and recent recordings on Accent and Agogique, among others. Staier has some very fine recordings too (on Teldec).

Principe


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I like the Bilson, but some concertos I've only heard through that set.


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## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

Thanks for the input guys. If anyone else has any thoughts please feel free to sling them my way.


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## Llyranor (Dec 20, 2010)

I have the Sofronitsky set. While I can't compare to the others, I quite love this set. The sound is great, as is the performance. I love how the sound of the fortepiano blends nicely with the orchestra. It's really gotten me to appreciate Mozart more.





(3:55-4:18, wow!)


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

hocket said:


> Which is the best set on period instruments? I've been thinking of getting a complete set. I've already got all the Hogwood/Levin versions and was thinking of aquiring the Gardiner/Bilson package or the Immerseel but I've since come across the set performed by Viviana Sofritsky. I know Ronald Brautigam's recorded some of them too.
> 
> Any opinions?


Guess what? I have all those sets you mentioned, except the Brautigam set, which is in progress.  My favourite is the incomplete set by Hogwood/Levin, which the Classicism in spirit and practice appear to sing most eloquently. Following that, I like the Gardiner/Bilson, and Viviana Sofronitsky set more or less similarly. I was surprised by the Viviana Sofronitsky set, which I found generally capable. Though if you prefer a more stable set, then go for the Gardiner/Bilson. As for Immerseel's, I found it not as adventurous as any of the other three, and Mozart piano concertos, especially his mature concertos, were ground-breaking pieces at the forefront of symphonic-concerto writing at the time, and given the operatic idiom in many instances, just needed a bit more zest to it all. But really, they are all very good. I have no regrets.


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## FpStein (Dec 2, 2012)

By far and away the most knowledgeable, stylish, musical and spontaneous recording is the Immerseel set. There are orchestral passages which did not come out quite transparent enough or convincingly enough, occasional tuning issues, but on the whole, though this recording is over 20 years old, it would be hard to beat. Brautigam seems to be in a great rush (to get to the bank), Sofronitzky simply does not understand the fortepiano per se.


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## Moscow-Mahler (Jul 8, 2010)

Well, after reading a fruitfull discussion between a criticist and a conductor, who advised Mr. H. "to enjoy himself with his hand" (the conductor was more bold and used a well-know slang term) in a private not a public place,  I feel I have to buy Braugitgam's recording of 24th and 25th paino concertos. In fact I found examples on BIS site to be quite interesting.


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

In that case...I think you've got to hand-it to Brautigam!....
Over on the Current Listening thread...they're using Four Hands?!


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## MOZARTSCHOLAR (Nov 11, 2013)

hocket said:


> Which is the best set on period instruments? I've been thinking of getting a complete set. I've already got all the Hogwood/Levin versions and was thinking of aquiring the Gardiner/Bilson package or the Immerseel but I've since come across the set performed by Viviana Sofritsky. I know Ronald Brautigam's recorded some of them too.
> 
> Any opinions?


My FAVORITE #1 WORLD-CLASS WOLFGANG MOZART PIANO CONCERTO CDS played on 18th Century Historical Period Instruments with Fortepiano that I listen to everyday because of their Spellbinding Tour De Force Performances and Superior 10 Star Audiophile Stereo Sound Quality that allows the audience to clearly hear with the greatest possible clarity all the orchestra's individual musical instruments are

*RECOMMENDATION #1: MOZART'S PIANO CONCERTOS NO.5, NO.9, NO.11, NO.12, RONDO K.386, NO.13, NO.14, NO.15, NO.16, NO.17, NO.18, NO.19, NO.20, NO.22, NO.23 & NO.26 CDS 1999 by critically acclaimed FortePianist ROBERT LEVIN with CHRISTOPHER HOGWOOD conducting his world-class period instruments chamber orchestra the ACADEMY OF ANCIENT

*RECOMMENDATION #2: MOZART'S COMPLETE 23 PIANO CONCERTOS 9-CD BOX SET 2001 DIGITALLY REMASTERED by critically acclaimed Fortepianist MALCOLM BILSON with JOHN ELIOT GARDINER conducting his world-class period instruments chamber orchestra the ENGLISH BAROQUE SOLOISTS ORCHESTRA - listen to MP3 Samples at http://www.classicalarchives.com/album/028946311127.html

*RECOMMENDATION #3: MOZART'S PIANO CONCERTOS NO.7 K.242 FOR 3 PIANOS & NO.10 K.365 FOR 2 PIANOS CD 2007 by critically acclaimed FortePianists RONALD BRAUTIGAM & ALEXEI LUBIMOV with MANFRED HUSS conducting his world-class period instruments chamber orchestra the HAYDN SINFONIETTA VIENNA - listen to MP3 Samples at http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/BIS/BISSACD1618

*RECOMMENDATION #4: MOZART'S PIANO CONCERTOS NOS.18 K.456 PARADIS & NO.19 K.459 CD 2013 by critically acclaimed FortePianist ART SCHOONDERWOERD conducting his world-class period instruments chamber orchestra the CRISTOFORI ENSEMBLE - listen to MP3 Samples at http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Accent/ACC24278

*RECOMMENDATION #5: MOZART'S PIANO CONCERTOS NO.20 K.466 & NO.21 K.467 CD 2012 by famed FortePianist ART SCHOONDERWOERD conducting his world-class period instruments chamber orchestra the CRISTOFORI ENSEMBLE - listen to MP3 Samples at http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Accent/ACC24265

*RECOMMENDATION #6: MOZART'S PIANO CONCERTOS NO.23 K.482 & NO.25 K.503 by critically acclaimed FortePianist/Pianist RUDOLF BUCHBINDER with NIKOLOUS HARNONCOURT conducting his world-class period instruments chamber orchestra the VIENNA CONCENTUS MUSICUS - listen to MP3 Samples at http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88765409042#listen

*RECOMMENDATION #7: MOZART'S PIANO CONCERTOS NO.17 K.453 & NO.22 K.482 by critically acclaimed FortePianist KRISTIAN BEZUIDENHOUT with PETRA MULLEJANS conducting his world-class period instruments chamber orchestra the FREIBURGER BAROQUE ORCHESTRA - listen to MP3 Samples at http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Harmonia+Mundi/HMC902147#listen

If you really wish to hear Wolfgang Mozart's 23 Piano Concertos [No.5 to No.27] for orchestra played like Amadeus played them and intended his audiences to hear, remember Wolfgang Mozart played the FortePiano [not the Modern Grand Piano] for all his 23 Piano Concerto masterpieces composed between 1773 and 1791 with Chamber Orchestra's using 18th Century Historical Period Instruments! -Dr. Patrick Hill PH.D Mozart Author/Scholar/Audiophile San Francisco CA-


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## GodNickSatan (Feb 28, 2013)

I have the Gardiner/Bilson set and I think it's fantastic.


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## Lakia (Jul 12, 2014)

Some recommendations,
1. Jos van Immerseel and his Anima Eterna Nr. 5 - 27 besides 7 & 10, conducting from the fortepiano. Channel

2. Viviana Sofronitsky; Tadeusz Karolak: Musica Antiqua Collegium Varsoviense. Very COMPLETE Nr. 1-27 plus K. 107, K. 382, K. 386 besides 7 & 10. Etcetera

3. Kristian Bezuidenhout; Petra Müllejans: Freiburger Barockorchester. Nr. 17 & 22, K. 382. Harmonia Mundi

4. Ronald Brautigam; Michael Alexander Willens: Die Kölner Akademie. It seems that he'll record all Mozart Klavierkonzerte as he did on Mozart's, Haydn's and Beethoven's solo keyboard work. BIS. (Nr. 9, 12, 17-20, 22-27 are released)

5. Arthur Schoonderwoerd; Cristofori Ensemble (Schoonderwoerd doesn't conduct from the keyboard, he just cultivate the ensemble and let it work itself just as Mozart period's method) Nr. 18-21 and 5 (one more harpsichord version is also recorded) Accent

6. Andreas Staier; Gottfried von der Goltz: Freiburger Barockorchester. Nr. 27 (with K. 622 in the same album) Harmonia Mundi

7. Andreas Staier; Concerto Köln. Nr. 9, 17-19. Teldec

8. Christine Schornsheim; Burkhard Glaetzner: Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum. Nr. 17-19 & 25. Berlin Classics


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

hocket said:


> Which is the best set on period instruments? I've been thinking of getting a complete set. I've already got all the Hogwood/Levin versions and was thinking of aquiring the Gardiner/Bilson package or the Immerseel but I've since come across the set performed by Viviana Sofritsky. I know Ronald Brautigam's recorded some of them too.
> 
> Any opinions?


 Post deleted. Original query is almost 2 years old with no sign of the OP.


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## MOZARTAUTHOR (Jan 9, 2016)

hocket said:


> Which is the best set on period instruments? I've been thinking of getting a complete set. I've already got all the Hogwood/Levin versions and was thinking of aquiring the Gardiner/Bilson package or the Immerseel but I've since come across the set performed by Viviana Sofritsky. I know Ronald Brautigam's recorded some of them too.
> 
> Any opinions?


 In a class by itself and Ranked #1 by Classical Music Audiophiles for Superior 10 Star DDD 24-bit Audio Stereo Sound Quality to clearly hear with prefect sound separation clarity all the chamber orchestra's individual 18th Century period instruments is MOZART'S COMPLETE FORTEPIANO CONCERTOS 11 CD BOX SET 2011 brilliantly performed by world famous Russian FortePianist Viviana Sofronitsky with Tadeusz Karolak conducting Warsaw's prestigious world class period instrument orchestra the Musica Antiqua Collegium De Varsovienese - LISTEN FREE MP3 SAMPLES @ http://www.allmusic.com/album/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart-complete-fortepiano-concertos-mw0002141441 and BUY @ 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5BZR6?ref_=cm_lmf_tit_1


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