Mozart PC No 27

[LMcD]

That's a good question, Bryn.
Somewhere, I know I have an LP of P.S. playing Schubert on a period piano (maybe a Graf) but I need to find it to see if it was made earlier than those Mozart/ ECO recordings.

Pro Arte PAD-171 (released in 1984)?

[Dave2002]

I'm not sure how many people you're blaming but - hey - its a risk that all Forumistas have to face regularly. If I'm among those responsible, can I just say 'it's a pleasure to have been of assistance'

No problem! It might have been Tony - who has alerted me to a set which I was barely aware of, but does sound very worthwhile.

[richardfinegold]

indeed; the marketing was absolutely truthful.
I am still awestruck by the fact that Mozart wrote these 6 concertos all in the same year.
I played horn on all those recordings in 1973 ( but I have no memory of #10 being recorded in those sessions).

Peter Serkin was, as I recall, totally superb and inspiring to 'accompany', speaking as an orchestral player.

'Sasha' Schneider was, unfortunately, less inspiring in a practical sense, but somehow got results despite his frankly rudimentary conducting technique. What was amusing was that the 'legendary' record producer, Max Wilcox, needed to ask Mr Schneider several times not to 'sniff' so loudly on his upbeats (just like George Szell!).

The ECO in those days operated a 'co-ordinated principal' system, but on these particular sessions, their woodwind principals comprised the superb line-up of Richard Adeney, flute, Neil Black, oboe, and Martin Gatt, bassoon.

After these inspirational sessions I very much regretted that we didn't continue the project; it would have been wonderful to hear what Peter Serkin would have done with e.g. KK 466, 467, 482, 488, 491, 503 etc.

When you say “sniff”, is that Musician Jargon for something else, or do you literally man the respitory action?

[Nick Armstrong]

When you say “sniff”, is that Musician Jargon for something else, or do you literally man the respitory action?

Pretty sure it means literally a very audible nasal inhalation just before (or, less audibly, on) the downbeat...!

[cloughie]

Pretty sure it means literally a very audible nasal inhalation just before (or, less audibly, on) the downbeat...!

Snot what he was thinking!

[LMcD]

Snot what he was thinking!

I'm wondering whether the whole thing is atishoo of lies.

[visualnickmos]

You guys are not comedians. Stop trying.

[LMcD]

You guys are not comedians. Stop trying.

Will we take any notice? Who nose ...

[Sir Velo]

Should you be interested in hearing K595 played on the sort of instruments the composer would have been familiar with, try Brautigam/Willens:

Some of the tempi, particularly in the slow movement, suggest that the recording sessions were strictly time constrained - certainly no hint of a mawkish, valedictory reading of this sublime music! However, Brautigam is a formidable pianist with technique to burn so well worth hearing. For a more "traditional" view I would plump for Bilson/Gardiner.

[verismissimo]

Some of the tempi, particularly in the slow movement, suggest that the recording sessions were strictly time constrained - certainly no hint of a mawkish, valedictory reading of this sublime music! However, Brautigam is a formidable pianist with technique to burn so well worth hearing. For a more "traditional" view I would plump for Bilson/Gardiner.

The fortepiano recordings I have are Viviana Sofronitsky with Musica Antiqua Collegium Varsoviense / Karolak from 2005-06 and Jos van Immerseel with his Anima Eterna from 1991.

Both are really fine. Personal preference for the Sonronitsky with its more forward piano ...

[rauschwerk]

A problem with this piece is that some interpreters apparently want to convey that it is somehow valedictory and requires slow tempi, especially in the central movement. Yet Mozart probably drafted it in 1788 and could hardly have known that it would be his last piano concerto even when he performed it.

The slow movement is marked Larghetto and is in cut time (2 in a bar) - in other words the composer wants a fairly slow minim beat. He doesn't get that from Schnabel, whose tempo is so slow that it would be beyond the sustaining power of Mozart's pianos. Curzon/Britten and Gilels/Bohm are on the slow side: Haskil/Fricsay, Perahia and Goode are reasonably flowing. But Brautigam (fortepiano) has the courage to do it in what I think of as the proper tempo.

The first movement also suffers at the hands of Curzon and Gilels (yes, I know they were both great artists) - it's on the slow side for a Mozart Allegro.

I think I shall buy the Brautigam and hang on to Haskil, Goode and Perahia!

[Bryn]

A problem with this piece is that some interpreters apparently want to convey that it is somehow valedictory and requires slow tempi, especially in the central movement. Yet Mozart probably drafted it in 1788 and could hardly have known that it would be his last piano concerto even when he performed it.

The slow movement is marked Larghetto and is in cut time (2 in a bar) - in other words the composer wants a fairly slow minim beat. He doesn't get that from Schnabel, whose tempo is so slow that it would be beyond the sustaining power of Mozart's pianos. Curzon/Britten and Gilels/Bohm are on the slow side: Haskil/Fricsay, Perahia and Goode are reasonably flowing. But Brautigam (fortepiano) has the courage to do it in what I think of as the proper tempo.

The first movement also suffers at the hands of Curzon and Gilels (yes, I know they were both great artists) - it's on the slow side for a Mozart Allegro.

I think I shall buy the Brautigam and hang on to Haskil, Goode and Perahia!

Good call. I have to admit that I am not familiar with the score or its composer's tempo marking. I just think that Brautigam's recording sounds right to my ears. I suppose BIS will box the Brautigam recordings of the solo concertos, but will they include his earlier recordings K 242 and K 365? With the individual SACDs of the solo concertos, at least you get to follow the building of a fortepiano.

[Barbirollians]

Dazzled not by the sound but the performances K365 and K595 - Curzon/Barenboim/ECO -1979 Prom on BBC Legends - found in a charity shop . There was a pile of Legends CDs but found I had all the other 7 or 8.

[visualnickmos]

Dazzled not by the sound but the performances K365 and K595 - Curzon/Barenboim/ECO -1979 Prom on BBC Legends - found in a charity shop . There was a pile of Legends CDs but found I had all the other 7 or 8.

Good find. A pity about the sound. I have a sparse and random sprinkling of BBC Legend CDs, and none of them are particularly good in the sound department, which surprise me, as some are not really what one would consider 'old' recordings...