BaL 29.06.19 - Mozart: Piano Quartets 1 & 2

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

09.30
Building a Library: Laura Tunbridge listens to and compares recordings of Mozart’s piano quartets.
Mozart received a commission for three piano quartets in 1785 from the publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister. This rather neglected instrumental combination inspired him to compose the first quartet, which was – according to Hoffmeister - so intricate and difficult for the amateur market, that he released Mozart from his obligation to write the other two. Such was Mozart’s enthusiasm for this ensemble that he wrote a second quartet regardless, and together with the first, they form the earliest masterpieces of the genre.

Available versions:-


Claudio Arrau, Clifford Curzon, Budapest Quartet

Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, Yo-Yo Ma

Paul Badura-Skoda, Quatuor Festetics *

Daniel Barenboim, Michael Barenboim, Yiulia Deyneka, Kian Soltani

Malcolm Bilson, Elizabeth Wilcock , Jan Schlapp, Timothy Mason

Richard Burnett, Salomon String Quartet (members)

Jane Coop, Andrew Dawes, Sophie Renshaw, Desmond Hoebig *

Fauré Quartet

Bruno Giuranna, Beaux Arts Trio

Ernst Gröschel, Bamberg Quartet/Endress Trio

Daniel Isoir, La Petite Symphonie *

Gyula Kiss, Tatrai Trio

Kuijken Piano Quartet (SACD)

Paul Lewis, Leopold String Trio

Schirmer Markus, Gaede Trio (DVD audio)

Mozart Piano Quartet (SACD)

Mozartean Players *

Nash Ensemble

Jean-Claude Pennetier, Ysaÿe Quartet *

Menahem Pressler, Bruno Giuranna, Bernard Greenhouse=, Isidore Cohen *

Pro Arte Piano Quartet

Quartetto Avos *

Royal Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble, Jonathan Carney *

András Schiff, Yuuko Shiokawa, Erich Höbarth, Miklós Perényi

Sir Georg Solti, Melos Quartet

Sonnerie (SACD)

George Szell, Mischa Schneider, Boris Kroyt , Joseph Roisman *

Joyce Yang, Alexander String Quartet *


* = download only

[Bryn]

Was unaware of the Burnett/Salomon, so have just ordered a "Used: Very Good" copy.

Currently, I have the Beaux Arts with Bruno Giuranna, plus Bart van Oort, Tjamke Roelofs, Bernadette Verhagen & Jaap ter Linden, both in 'complete' Mozart boxes. A perceptive review of the latter can be foud here.

[cloughie]

There are also two Andre Previn, one on Australian Eloquence with the Musikverein Quartet members and the other on RCA originally but now may only be available in the big Sony Previn box, with Yong Uck Kim, Heiikiro Ohyama and Gary Hoffman. Both are very good.

[Bryn]

It seems the Bart van Oort et al recording is still to be found on disc 57 of the current version of the Brilliant Classics Complete Mozart box.

[MickyD]

I was looking for an HIP version of these works some time ago and plumped for the Bilson/Archiv one. It's very pleasing, but there was also one by Andreas Staier and Les Adieux on DHM which doesn't appear on Alpie's list. Does anyone know it?

[LeMartinPecheur]

Hmm, the eventual winner is unlikely to be on my shelves at present I'm surprised that the old mono Curzon/ Amadeus is no longer listed - I'm sure I have it somewhere.

Other NLA versions on my shelves are Rubinstein/ Guarneri, Horszowski/ Budapest, and a pleasant HIPP version from Bart van Oort u.a. that was on Brilliant Classics. If you rush you might be able to snatch a Marketplace copy for a mere £94.08 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Piano-Quart...s=music&sr=1-9 though NB that does include postage!

PS I'd missed Bryn's mention of the van Oort in the Brilliant Classics Complete Mozart Edition. Those with shelfspace problems may care to note that the Marketplace single disc is slightly cheaper than the big box

[Bryn]

Hmm, the eventual winner is unlikely to be on my shelves at present I'm surprised that the old mono Curzon/ Amadeus is no longer listed - I'm sure I have it somewhere.

Other NLA versions on my shelves are Rubinstein/ Guarneri, Horszowski/ Budapest, and a pleasant HIPP version from Bart van Oort u.a. that was on Brilliant Classics. If you rush you might be able to snatch a Marketplace copy for a mere £94.08 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Piano-Quart...s=music&sr=1-9 though NB that does include postage!

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the Bart van Oort et al is to be found in the current version of the Brilliant Classics Mozart Complete Works, £98.99 for 170 CDs from amazon.co.uk, ASIN: B00L2SQVVQ. I found I adjusted quite quickly to the somewhat changeable mix.

[Mal]

I have the Nash Ensemble with Ian Brown. It's the Penguin top choice. Interesting that Rob Cowan's choice is Ingrid Haebler et. al. on Philips... I'm just listening to her playing the violin sonatas with Szeryng and she performs really beautifully there.

[Mal]

Currently, I have ... Bart van Oort, Tjamke Roelofs, Bernadette Verhagen & Jaap ter Linden, ... A perceptive review ... can be found here.

Not a glowing review! Do you recommend avoiding it? Do you prefer the Beaux Arts?

[visualnickmos]

I have this version (excellent IMVHO)

Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, Yo-Yo Ma

and the Beaux Art.

[Bryn]

Not a glowing review! Do you recommend avoiding it? Do you prefer the Beaux Arts?

As performances, I find them rather fetching. However, Blair Sanderson is quite right to point to the weaknesses in the recording. It's almost as if the engineers were wandering around in the performance space with a microphone rig. The balance between and the intensity of the instruments drift around, somewhat. I enjoy the performances enough to not worry too much about the somewhat unstable sound field. It's a very different kettle of fish from the Beaux Arts. Bart van Oort and co. take a distinctly HIPP approach, whereas the Beaux Arts are much closer to the main 20th Century performing tradition.

[jayne lee wilson]

The Sonnerie CD (ASV Gaudeamus), glowingly appraised by Stanley Sadie in Gramophone 5/2001, includes the generous bonus of the k452 arranged for Piano Quartet (surely among Mozart's most sublime creations, even without the lovely Horn solos).
Period Instruments with Gary Cooper on fortepiano (details not given, but a lovely-sounding, rippling singing instrument), and it is really gorgeously played and recorded. So sensitive and responsive to each other.

Can't find any others here just now, but I'm zoned out on painkillers, just woken up and don't feel like looking too hard.
I probably never bought another though....this really is one of those albums that can keep you happy a long time. I can't imagine it disappointing anyone, rather the extreme reverse. Alive to every bar! (And surely bound for the shortlist...)

Wonderful thing, playing now, sounds as lovely as ever (even better on ibuprofen...), Do-Not-Miss.
Cat outside miaowing at me. Better join her & get some fresh air, leaving the sublime k452 larghetto playing....cats & Mozart go together so well...

[LMcD]

What about the Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet (Friedemann Rieger, Nora Chastain, Paul Coletti and Francis Gouton) on Naxos?
I know it's available, because I've just bought it!

[Edgy 2]

I have a couple of those listed plus Ingrid Haebler and members of the Berlin Phil,presumably nla,but it’s very good.

[visualnickmos]

What about the Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet (Friedemann Rieger, Nora Chastain, Paul Coletti and Francis Gouton) on Naxos?

I have heard this CD. A very refreshing and sunny quality that I find very attractive.