Recordings of the Complete Mozart Piano Concertos

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I understand Decca did try to persuade Curzon to record the complete series, but he had strong views countering this. But we can be grateful for what we have.

[Barbirollians]

Gracious - I think that Solomon record one of the glories of the catalogue .

Perahia for me as a complete set - collecting his records in the 80s is how I got to know the works and although there may be individual recordings I prefer - Schiff in K271 for example or Kempff in K491 - and anything Haskil recorded in this repertoire is worth snapping up and Brendel and Mackerras's late recordings...

[salymap]

I bought the early Barenboim, not knowing it didn'tcontain the double concerto[s] but have kept all my CDs LPs and tapes going back over 50 years. Brendel, Foldes,Richter-Haaser, Badura-Skoda,Echida etc. I still haven't played all the Barenboim.

[Ferretfancy]

I have Perahia, which is still high up my list, and the first Barenboim set, which sometimes over romanticises in the slow movements, but still brings many pleasures.
However, I absolutely agree that it's best to own individual versions as well. Kempff's lovely K 488 as just one example. I wouldn't want to be without the early recordings in Brendel's bargain box, or Haebler, I still enjoy her LPs as well. Then there's Ashkenazy, Zacharias, Goode, so many others. You can't really hear enough different versions, this is inexhaustible music.

[salymap]

I should have added that M 18 just listed my LPs of these favourite works of mine.I have many tapes and a number of CDs too, the latter including some Curzon treasures.

[Lion-of-Vienna]

I bought a few second hand Haebler LPs from Gibbs in Manchester many years ago and, transferred to CD, they still give me a lot of enjoyment. I have the Perahia set but first choice for me is Bilson. I love the sound of the period instrument winds in the orchestra and this compensates for the weaker sound of the solo fortepiano.

[StephenO]

I don't have a complete set of the concertos either but, of the individual discs in my collection, my favourites are Perahia in K450, 451 and 537, making me think that his is probably the set I'd go for. Brendel is also very fine as is Uchida but, as I say, I don't have complete sets of any of them so can only judge on the recordings I've heard.

[Karafan]

Aah, Gibbs in Manchester...fond memories.....don't start me off down memory lane again, lion!

[Lion-of-Vienna]

Aah, Gibbs in Manchester...fond memories.....don't start me off down memory lane again, lion!

Gone but not forgotten. It was worth the price of a train ticket just to visit that Aladdin's cave in Charlotte Street (and before that opposite the library). They still trade online I believe.

[verismissimo]

Haebler was the one I learned many of these wonderful concertos with and I still find her recordings very good, even after dozens of listenings. Anda is also first-rate. Under-rated is Ashkenazy IMO.

Still can't decide whether to invest in Immerseel or JEG's cycle when I get a HIP set. Or the unfinished Levin.

[Dave2002]

Just listening to the very first concerto in Haebler's recording with the Capella Academia via Spotify. Surprised - it seems to be on an older piano (fortepiano?). I didn't realise she played on instruments like that. Nevertheless very pleasant, and we need these back in the mainstream catalogues.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Whether one chooses a HIP set or not is governed by personal taste. I find listening to music as it was originally performed very interesting, but generally prefer the extra "depth" of modern instruments. Therefore, I would opt for the latter, whilst supplementing the set with one or two period instrument recordings of individual works.

[gurnemanz]

Over a couple of years I tried to assemble a set of Mozart piano concertos with a variety of performances and artists and avoiding duplication as far as possible. For what it's worth, here it is:

Howard Shelley Nos.21 K467, & 24 K491
Murray Perahia Nos.19 K459 & 23, K488, 11,12,14 (K 413,414,449)
Neville Marriner & Alfred Brendel K482, K450, K595, K271, K503
Matyas Antal & Jeno Jandó Nos 16 K503 & 25 K451
Roger Norrington & Melvyn Tan K488, K466
Murray Perahia and Radu Lupu Concertos for 2 & 3 pianos, K365, K242
George Szell & Robert Casadesus K467, K537

I have since acquired further recording with Kovacevich, Curzon and Haskil.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This is, of course, the best way, if a little pricier.

[Dave2002]

This is, of course, the best way, if a little pricier.

EA

Yes it's good, but for sampling before purchasing online services such as Spotify, Napster and Classical.com are much cheaper. Also eMusic is not bad if you know what you want to buy, as sometimes the tracks are much cheaper than buying CDs. I still buy CDs, SACDs, DVDs and DVD-As because usually the quality is much better, but for some recordings, to be honest, good downloads are barely distinguishable.

Unless you are sure that you are going to play a CD over and over, and maybe listen on high quality equipment, it is clearly cheaper to use a streaming service, and you don't have to shell out for cabinets to keep the CDs in. This morning I've been listening to Haebler from Spotify via my iMac - good enough for purpose so far.