BaL 08.06.24 - Mozart: Piano concerto 23 in A major, K488

[cloughie]

Well in London it was on at about 5.30? Watched it after school.

if the weekend started at 10.35 pm it would be a lousy one…

Friday evening 10.35 after Youth Club - timing spot on!

[Retune]

Agree, but the fly in the ointment is the huge variation in recording quality / sound in this cycle. Ranges from excellent right down to 'rough'. I do find this a distraction, if listening to two or three of the concertos in one session. Maybe that's just me being 'picky' - I don't know.

It's not something that has ever bothered me with this series, but as someone who first enjoyed Perahia's Mozart on cassette (and listens to mp3s of Schnabel's Beethoven on my phone) I might not be the best person to ask!

I don't have the Perahia CD box to hand, but according to discogs, these were recorded in several different concert venues and studios from 1975-84, and the 'ADD / DDD' tag implies some were originally digital and others analogue. K488 is one of the last recordings, from St John's Smith Square in 1984; the K503 that rauschwerk doesn't like the recording of is from the same venue in 1981 (both are DDD). My box is I think the earlier release; the current version seems to have been remastered since then.

[Alison]

I fell asleep half way through this edition but it was getting quite late last night. Lucy sounded a bit tired herself.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Friday evening 10.35 after Youth Club - timing spot on!

This is what wiki says re RSG

“The show went out early on Friday evenings with the line "The weekend starts here!", and was introduced by the Surfaris' "Wipe Out", later by Manfred Mann's "5-4-3-2-1", then Manfred Mann's "Hubble Bubble (Toil and Trouble)", and finally The Rolling Stones' "Goin' Home".“,

[visualnickmos]

"..... the current version seems to have been remastered since then.

If that is the case, I may consider acquiring the 'remastered' cycle.

[Barbirollians]

I fell asleep half way through this edition but it was getting quite late last night. Lucy sounded a bit tired herself.

Lucy P is not the most compelling reviewer IMO.

On the other hand listening to it again for the first time in ages I was struck again by how wonderfully Perahia plays Mozart.

[Goon525]

Lucy P is not the most compelling reviewer IMO.

On the other hand listening to it again for the first time in ages I was struck again by how wonderfully Perahia plays Mozart.

No she’s not, and yes he does. There was a real lack of logical thinking about a presentation which seemed to like Andsnes and adore Uchida, then drop them both from consideration without a further word.

[Barbirollians]

The de larrocha/Davis got a kicking in Gramophone at the time - described as pedestrian and dull - I must admit those extracts did nothing for me . Christopher Headington compared it very unfavourably with Kempff/Leitner and indeed Jeno Jando on Naxos.

[richardfinegold]

I am listening to the Perahia K.467 that was the discmate for the featured work and loving the rhythmic freedom that M.P. takes in the slow movement.

[Barbirollians]

I am baffled by the complete failure to even consider Brendel,Curzon,Pollini , Annie Fischer, Solomon and Kempff ( even if Rubinstein's omission is less of a surprise) .

[vinteuil]

I am baffled by the complete failure to even consider Brendel,Curzon,Pollini , Annie Fischer, Solomon and Kempff ... .

... Brautigam, Levin, Schoonderwoerd, V Sofronitzky, Schiff, Demus, Zacharias, Ashkenazy, Anda, Goode...

[Lordgeous]

Thats the inherent problem with BAL. Too many versions, too little time!

[oliver sudden]

... Brautigam, Levin, Schoonderwoerd, V Sofronitzky, Schiff, Demus, Zacharias, Ashkenazy, Anda, Goode...

Oh is there a Schoonderwoerd? I couldn’t find it. I enjoyed his Beethovens very much but his Mozarts somewhat less… I like his idea of choosing pianos on the early side in principle but I didn’t find it blended convincingly with his ensemble, who didn’t seem to have chosen sounds to match.

[vinteuil]

Oh is there a Schoonderwoerd? I couldn’t find it. .

... sorry, I think you're right!

My impression was he'd done them all (and I think I have all he did) - but seemingly no K488. Apologies...

.

[MickyD]

Which company did he record the Mozart concerti with, Vints?