BaL 1.01.22 - Mozart: Piano Concerto no 20 in D minor K466

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30am
Building a Library
Tom Service joins Andrew with his guide to the ultimate recording of Mozart's darkly hued Piano Concerto No 20 in D minor, K466.

Perhaps the first of Mozart's extraordinary sequence of 'late' piano concertos, the D minor, K466, has attracted pianists as varied as Edwin Fischer and Mitsuko Uchida, many directing the orchestra from the keyboard. Tom guides us through a selection of the finest of these, with a recommendation for the essential recording to buy, download or stream.

Available versions:-

Géza Anda, Camerata Academica des Mozarteums Salzburg
Piotr Anderszewski, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Leif Ove Andsnes, Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Leif Ove Andsnes, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra *
Martha Argerich, Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado
Martha Argerich, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Jacek Kaspszyk
Martha Argerich, Sinfonieorchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks, Reinhard Peters
Martha Argerich, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Alexander Rabinovitch
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Philharmonia Orchestra
Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Symphony Orchestra, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt *
Emanuel Ax, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Eduardo Mata
Daniel Barenboim, English Chamber Orchestra
Jan Bartos, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Jirí Belohlávek
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Manchester Camerata, Gábor Takács-Nagy
Malcolm Bilson, English Baroque Soloists, Sir John Eliot Gardiner
Idil Biret, Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Steven Bishop Kovacevich, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
Felicja Blumental, Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Leopold Hager *
Ronald Brautigam, Die Kölner Akademie, Michael Alexander Willens (SACD)
Alfred Brendel, Symphonieorchester der Volksoper Wien, Wilfred Bottcher
Alfred Brendel, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras *
Alfred Brendel, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
Monique de la Bruchollerie, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Bernhard Paumgartner
Rudolf Buchbinder, Staatskapelle Dresden *
Rudolf Buchbinder, Staatskapelle Dresden (DVD/Blu-ray)
Rudolf Buchbinder, Wiener Philharmoniker (DVD)
Rudolf Buchbinder, Vienna Symphony Orchestra *
Maria Isabella de Carli, International Festival Youth Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski
Roberto Cappello, Compagnia d’Opera Italiana Orchestra, Antonello Gotta
Gaby Casadesus, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, George Szell *
Robert Casadesus, Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell
Seong-Jin Cho, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Dino Ciani, Orchestra Sinfonica RAI Di Torino, Piero Bellugi
Dino Ciani, I Pomeriggi Musicali, Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Aldo Ciccolini, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Finghin Collins, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra *
Clifford Curzon, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten
Jeremy Denk, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Andreas Domjanic, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, Johannes Klumpp (SACD)
Jean Doyen, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, Charles Munch
Youri Egorov, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch *
Youri Egorov, Philharmonia Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch
France Ellegaard, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nils-Eric Fougstedt
Karl Engel, Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg, Leopold Hager *
Philippe Entremont, Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, Jean Entremont *
Rudolf Firkusny, Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, Günter Wand *
Annie Fischer, Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Annie Fischer, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Ervin Lukacs *
Edwin Fischer, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Edwin Fischer, Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Eugen Jochum *
Edwin Fischer, Philharmonia Orchestra, Josef Krips
Edwin Fischer, Strasbourg Municipal Orchestra *
Walter Gieseking, Philharmonia Orchestra, Hans Rosbaud
Richard Goode, Kammerorchester der Wiener Symphoniker, René Klopfenstein *
Richard Goode, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra *
John Gibbons, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Brüggen
Hélène Grimaud, Camerata Salzburg
Friedrich Gulda, Münchner Philharmoniker
Friedrich Gulda, Münchner Philharmoniker (DVD)
Friedrich Gulda, Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado
Derek Han, Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman *
Monique Haas, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch
Ingrid Haebler, Wiener Symphoniker, Karl Melles
Clara Haskil, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay *
Clara Haskil, Orchestra National de France, Paul Hindemith *
Clara Haskil, Philharmonia Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan
Clara Haskil, Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Clara Haskil, Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux, Igor Markevitch*
Clara Haskil, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch *
Clara Haskil, Wiener Symphoniker, Bernhard Paumgartner
Clara Haskil, Winterthur Symphony Orchestra, Henry Swoboda
Éric Heidsieck, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra
Dame Myra Hess, Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Bruno Walter *
Jos Van Immerseel, Anima Eterna
Ingrid Jacoby, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner *
Jenö Jandó, Concentus Hungaricus, Andras Ligeti
Keith Jarrett, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Dennis Russell Davies *
Julius Katchen, New Symphony Orchestra of London, Peter Maag
Wilhelm Kempff, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
Matthias Kirschnereit, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Frank Beermann *
Evgeny Kissin, Kremerata Baltica *
Christopher Kite, Hannover Band, Roy Goodman
Tatiana Kolesova, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Milton *
Lili Kraus, Wiener Konzerthaus, Willi Boskovsky
Lili Kraus, Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra, Enrique Jordá
Lili Kraus, Vienna Festival Orchestra, Stephen Simon
Sergei Kvitko, Madrid Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Tigran Shiganyan *
Peter Lang, Capella Istropolitana, Christoph Eberle
Alicia de Larrocha, English Chamber Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis *
Yvonne Lefebure, Perpignan Festival Orchestra, Pablo Casals *
Yvonne Lefebure, Berliner Philharmoniker, Wilhelm Furtwängler
Jan Lisiecki, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Christian Zacharias
Robert Levin, Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood *
Eugene List, Wiener KammerOrchester, Zlatko Topolski
Nikolai Lugansky, Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra, Lev Markiz
Steven Lupin, Mozartean Players *
Marcelle Meyer,
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Antoine de Bavier *
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, NDR-Sinfonieorchester, Cord Garben
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI, Carlo Maria Giulini
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Dimitri Mitropoulos *
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, Karl Munchinger *
Roberte Mamou, Berliner Symphoniker, Gerard Oskamp *
Mariaclara Monetti, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ivor Bolton *
Ivan Moravec, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Jirí Belohlávek (DVD)
Ivan Moravec, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
Branka Musulin, Radio-Sinfonieorchester, Hans Müller-Kray *
Guiomar Novaes, Wiener Symphoniker, Hans Swarowsky
John O’Conor, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras *
Murray Perahia, English Chamber Orchestra *
Maria Joao Pires, Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado
Maria João Pires, Berliner Philharmoniker, Pierre Boulez (DVD/Blu-ray)
Maria-Joao Pires, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Armin Jordan
Mikhail Pletnev, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie *
André Previn, London Symphony Orchestra
Vassily Primakov, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Simon Gaudenz
Sviatoslav Richter, USSR Symphony Orchestra, Kurt Sanderling
Sviatoslav Richter, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanislaw Wislocki
Michael Rische, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Howard Griffiths *
Arthur Rubinstein, RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, Alfred Wallenstein *
Rudolf Serkin, NYPSO, Guido Cantelli
Rudolf Serkin. Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy *
Rudolf Serkin, Marlboro Festival Orchestra, Alexander Schneider *
Rudolf Serkin, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, George Szell *
András Schiff, Cappella Andrea Barca (DVD)
András Schiff, Camerata Academica des Mozarteums, Salzburg, Sandor Végh
Annerose Schmidt, Dresdner Philharmoniker, Kurt Masur *
Artur Schnabel, Philharmonia Orchestra, Walter Susskind
Arthur Schoonderwoerd, Cristofori
Lars Sellergren
Howard Shelley, London Mozart Players
Sir Georg Solti, English Chamber Orchestra *
Sir Georg Solti, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Martin Stadtfeld, NDR Sinfonieorchester, Bruno Weil *
Svetlana Stanceva, Mozart Festival Orchestra, Alberto Lizzio *
Hai-Kyung Suh, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner *
Melvyn Tan, London Classical Players, Sir Roger Norrington *
Martino Tirimo, Prague Chamber Orchestra
Valerie Tryon, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,Jac van Steen
José Iturbi, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Mitsuko Uchida, Cleveland Orchestra
Mitsuko Uchida, English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
Lars Vogt, Mozarteum Orchester, Ivor Bolton *
Bruno Walter, NBC Symphony Orchestra
Bruno Walter, Wiener Philharmoniker
Elisabeth Westenholz, Collegium Musicum, Copenhagen, Michael Schønwandt
Maria Yudina
Christian Zacharias, Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, David Zinman
Christian Zacharias, Orchestre De Chambre De Lausanne
Christian Zacharias, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (SACD)
Haiou Zhang, Heidelberger Sinfoniker, Thomas Fey

(* = download only)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It should, of course, be Saturday, December 18 2021. Perhaps the heading can be amended?

Oh dear. I've done it again.

Perhaps a suitable moment to mention that we'll have to wait another three weeks before we have another Record Review/BaL after this one. The next two Saturdays are Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

[Darloboy]

Oh dear. I've done it again.

Perhaps a suitable moment to mention that we'll have to wait another three weeks before we have another Record Review/BaL after this one. The next two Saturdays are Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Tom Service is doing Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 on New Year's Day so we only have to wait 2 weeks.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Tom Service is doing Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 on New Year's Day so we only have to wait 2 weeks.

Thank you for that useful information.

Though does make me feel slightly uneasy.

[jayne lee wilson]

Thank you for that useful information.

Though does make me feel slightly uneasy.

But remember that Service's recent BaL surveys of Bruckner 3 and 6, and the Mozart 38, were classics of the genre.....
The psychologically-complex Mozart also offers very wideranging approaches and instrumentaria......

I've often been obsessed with it, so......one to look forward to eagerly here...

[Barbirollians]

Tom Service is doing Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 on New Year's Day so we only have to wait 2 weeks.

I don’t envy him that one - how can one choose between - Annie Fischer,Haskil,Argerich,Perahia,Gulda,Brendel ,Bishop Kovacevich etc . I hope he doesn’t choose Bilson cannot stand the sound of his fortepiano - Brautigam much better IMO.

[CallMePaul]

Tom Service is doing Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 on New Year's Day so we only have to wait 2 weeks.

Does this mean that R3 will not be broadcasting the Vienna Phil New Year concert live? If it goes ahead and it is not broadcast live, then shame on R3 management!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Does this mean that R3 will not be broadcasting the Vienna Phil New Year concert live? If it goes ahead and it is not broadcast live, then shame on R3 management!

Record Review will be cut short to be followed by the live broadcast of the Vienna concert.

[Darloboy]

Previously covered by BaL in 1961, 1971 and 1986 and then ignored for 40 years!

[cloughie]

I don’t envy him that one - how can one choose between - Annie Fischer,Haskil,Argerich,Perahia,Gulda,Brendel ,Bishop Kovacevich etc . I hope he doesn’t choose Bilson cannot stand the sound of his fortepiano - Brautigam much better IMO.

Or even Curzon or Pollini!

[Barbirollians]

Definitely Curzon - not so sure about Pollini in Mozart. I did however, leave out Edwin Fischer, Richard Goode, Jan Liesiecki , Howard Shelley all of whose recordings are marvellous and most appalling of omissions Pires and Abbado.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Update: list of recordings now added to the OP.

It took a while...

[cloughie]

Definitely Curzon - not so sure about Pollini in Mozart. I did however, leave out Edwin Fischer, Richard Goode, Jan Liesiecki , Howard Shelley all of whose recordings are marvellous and most appalling of omissions Pires and Abbado.

My memory serves me badly - the Poliini disc I was thinking of has Bohm conducting but it is 19/23 not 20 but it is very good! Two I would add to my shortlist are Ashkenazy and Schiff!

[Wolfram]

Is Richard Goode's recording with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra no longer available? if it isn't that is a great shame, because it's terrific.

[Bryn]

It seems the Viviana Sofronitsky complete set is still available new on Amazon.