Not MORE Mozart?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I gather his reputation for greatness rests on a smaller proportion of his works than could for example be said of Beethoven or Bach JS.

Indeed, this is true, but he wrote so much when he was nobbut a lad, so the comparison is skewed somewhat (and rather pointless..

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Indeed, this is true, but he wrote so much when he was nobbut a lad, so the comparison is skewed somewhat (and rather pointless..

- and what percentage of Beethoven's "works upon which his reputation for greatness rests" was written after he was thirty-five?

And did Mozart write anything that can demonstrate that his reputation is undeserved - or is it that the greater proportion of his "great" works are just simply not known to those who create such "reputations"?

[Zucchini]

Mozart is one of the greatest of all composers, and if that were true it would be splendid. I am not sure it is true though.

Compared to such ghastly musical pygmies as Mahler, Strauss R, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, it is certainly true isn't it?

[french frank]

Mozart is good - just not unimaginative wall-to-wall Mozart like we had a few years ago.

And is any composer's music, wall-to-wall, for days on end, the best way to appreciate the work? There's plenty to fill an evening of Mozart (and then repeat the programme the following evening!) but let's really hope the 'Every Note He Wrote' Fest has departed for good. Total Immersion can be very rewarding - but it has its limits …

For me, Bach is cerebral, Mozart can touch the soul. But chacun à son goût (sorry, gout).

Just been reading some YouTube comments about how easy K282 is ('I personally think that it's not a grade 5 standard'). K282 hardly the pinnacle, but reminded me of Schnabel's quip about Mozart: "Too easy for children, too difficult for artists/professionals/adults" - take your pick).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Compared to such ghastly musical pygmies as Mahler, Strauss R, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, it is certainly true isn't it?

I detect the whiff of an internet troll.

[cloughie]

I detect the whiff of an internet troll.

No just a p....ck!

Reasons to be cheerful Parts 1-626.

[french frank]

Reasons to be cheerful Parts 1-626.

I'm currently up to Part 309

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm currently up to Part 309

Now there's an idea - listening to the complete works in Kochel's order.

[french frank]

Now there's an idea - listening to the complete works in Kochel's order.

24/7 for as long as it takes!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

24/7 for as long as it takes!

- you've caught 'Thonbosis!

[cloughie]

Now there's an idea - listening to the complete works in Kochel's order.

Do you have any missing K numbers?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Barenreiter published the complete New Mozart Edition in a series of chubby paperback miniature scores sometime around 1991. I really wanted to buy this, as it was reasonably priced, but beyond my budget at the time. Then Banks Music sold it for an even lower price, but I found out about this just a little too late. Now it costs an arm and a leg to buy this edition.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Do you have any missing K numbers?

K.17, K.18 and K.444 for starters. . .

[Suffolkcoastal]

In October into November, I did indeed listen to Mozart's complete output in chronological order (or as much as I could find, which was most of it). Many of the earlier operas I'd never heard before. I found Mitridate re di Ponto, quite impressive with a real dramatic sense, on the other hand Ascanio in Alba, which followed a year later, I found utterly tedious. Researching into the background to the operas, it seems that many of the earlier operas were modelled on works by Mozart's contemporaries and predecessors. Without knowing these works it is difficult to judge Mozart's originality. Idomeneo, I still find to be a rather inferior to its Gluck model. The earlier symphonies, as one might expect have clear models in Johann Christian Bach and Abel. Of the earlier works the ones that impressed me most were actually the Concert Arias, particularly for soprano, in which one can really hear an individual voice emerging. The later operas and concertos are for me where Mozart is at his greatest (though Cosi Fan Tutte does rather bore me).

As regarding him as the greatest child genius composer, I think that honour should be bestowed on Mendelssohn.

[teamsaint]

In October into November, I did indeed listen to Mozart's complete output in chronological order (or as much as I could find, which was most of it). Many of the earlier operas I'd never heard before. I found Mitridate re di Ponto, quite impressive with a real dramatic sense, on the other hand Ascanio in Alba, which followed a year later, I found utterly tedious. Researching into the background to the operas, it seems that many of the earlier operas were modelled on works by Mozart's contemporaries and predecessors. Without knowing these works it is difficult to judge Mozart's originality. Idomeneo, I still find to be a rather inferior to its Gluck model. The earlier symphonies, as one might expect have clear models in Johann Christian Bach and Abel. Of the earlier works the ones that impressed me most were actually the Concert Arias, particularly for soprano, in which one can really hear an individual voice emerging. The later operas and concertos are for me where Mozart is at his greatest (though Cosi Fan Tutte does rather bore me).

As regarding him as the greatest child genius composer, I think that honour should be bestowed on Mendelssohn.

I agree about the concert arias, Suffy, I have been listening to these quite a bit recently, and greatly enjoying them.