Who's for Mozart?

[french frank]

It was only after the mention of the BBC World Services theme tune of Lilliburlero that I went to Wikipedia to check and stumbled on Ingrid Haebler's recording of K 331 on Youtube. After listening a few times, I suddenly felt 'this is the performer for me'. I'd gone along with the Penguin Guide's 'Dresden china' criticism (oh, no, shudder) and felt Mozart should be more 'muscular', but even that didn't provide anything I preferred to Klara Würtz (on Brilliant!). Haebler seems to me a perfect ballance between the prissiness of Dresden china and the tempo rigidities of some of the others (even Pires, normally one of my favourites). To my ears Haebler's playing exudes a gentle fluidity which suits me (though I do now notice the staccato effect which Howells mentions in the review linked below).

I was highly amused to discover that she had been chosen for Hattification. Worth £34 for the Denon set?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Haebler is up there with the best when it comes to Mozart. Her complete set of the Mozart Piano Concertos was available on CD for a while, but I didn't buy them, though I'd had them on LP. Then they appeared again, but this time bundled with her Schubert recordings. By the time I'd decided to buy that set with the extras I didn't really want that the time, the set had been sold out.

Still, I live in hope.

[cloughie]

Haebler is up there with the best when it comes to Mozart. Her complete set of the Mozart Piano Concertos was available on CD for a while, but I didn't buy them, though I'd had them on LP. Then they appeared again, but this time bundled with her Schubert recordings. By the time I'd decided to buy that set with the extras I didn't really want that the time, the set had been sold out.

Still, I live in hope.

Indeed Alps - very annoying what the record companies hold back on - I have a few of her Mozart PCs on individual CDs but why no set?

[french frank]

I hadn't realised she was still alive - 94. I have a preference for the chamber works, so I'll be happy to make do with the sonatas!

[Mandryka]

Worth £34 for the Denon set?

Only you can say. If I were you I'd download this for £3 and if you like it, you know to look for more.

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/mozart-piano-sonatas-nos-12-13-ingrid-haebler-wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/dywlkwehts7cc

[cloughie]

Only you can say. If I were you I'd download this for £3 and if you like it, you know to look for more.

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/mo.../dywlkwehts7cc

Is her complete piano concerti available on qobuz - you may convert me if so!

[french frank]

Only you can say. If I were you I'd download this for £3 and if you like it, you know to look for more.

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/mo.../dywlkwehts7cc

I liked her K331 a lot and have heard a couple of the others too, so I think the money for the CDs would be well-spent. I was really testing the water to see if there were other enthusiasts here for the sonatas, and Haebler in particular. Not that many, it seems!

[Joseph K]

I like the sonatas. You've reminded me I have Bezuidenhout's complete set on a shelf which I started listening to last year but stopped before getting half way through - I should carry on where I left off, soon.

[cloughie]

https://www.discogs.com/release/4845158-Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart-Ingrid-Haebler-Mozart-Edition-2-Die-27-Klavierkonzerte

This 1979 Mozart edition on LP has certain gems which have not been reissued on CD or if they have, like the Haebler concerti have only been available for short periods - there are some Dresden/ DeWaart Serenades which were excellent!

[french frank]

I like the sonatas. You've reminded me I have Bezuidenhout's complete set on a shelf which I started listening to last year but stopped before getting half way through - I should carry on where I left off, soon.

I've been casting around for a fortepiano/harpsichord set.

I also have 2 vols of Peter Katin's set (I still think of his comment here about a BAL programme, saying he was 'a trifle wistful' his own set wasn't mentioned. Lovely man.)

[Edgy 2]

I listen to the Sonatas often and have few sets but not Haebler.
In fact I think I only have her in the Piano Quartets and variations.

[Bryn]

I've been casting around for a fortepiano/harpsichord set.

I also have 2 vols of Peter Katin's set (I still think of his comment here about a BAL programme, saying he was 'a trifle wistful' his own set wasn't mentioned. Lovely man.)

There is a minor embarrassment of riches where early pianos and their modern copies are concerned. You would not go far wrong with either Brautigam or Lubimov, to my ears. Schoonderwoerd's Mozart, I do not find as engaging as his Beethoven concertos. Bart van Oort's very complete survey of Mozart's percussive keyboard works is by no means without merit, either. As to Peter's complete Mozart sonatas, it remains my favourite on a modern piano. He really understood, from practical experience, the qualities of the instruments they were composed for.

[french frank]

As to Peter's complete Mozart sonatas, it remains my favourite on a modern piano. He really understood, from practical experience, the qualities of the instruments they were composed for.

I don't feel as strongly about a period instrument for Mozart, but to have the alternative sound of an early instrument I really should get a set.

I've just played PK's K331 (my touchstone piece for comparisons). He really does throw everything at the Alla turca. And I think Mozart would have appreciated the speed at which he takes all the runs too. Hair-raising.

It reminds me, I have a CD of Schiff playing some works on his own instrument - Mozart's, I mean, not Schiff's. Can't remember which works are on it.

[RichardB]

I've never paid much attention to Mozart's piano sonatas, in distinction to Haydn's which I've spent much time with. So, after reading Bryn's post, I listened to Lubimov, Badura-Skoda and Schoonderwoerd playing K576. Annoyingly, Qobuz doesn't include the liner notes for either set. As I imagined would be the case, Lubimov is very smooth and assured, maybe too much so, Badura-Skoda somewhat too far in the other direction. Schoonderwoerd would be my choice from these three as far as the playing is concerned, but his recording sounds a bit as if the microphones and the piano aren't in the same room.

[cloughie]

I don't feel as strongly about a period instrument for Mozart, but to have the alternative sound of an early instrument I really should get a set.

I've just played PK's K331 (my touchstone piece for comparisons). He really does throw everything at the Alla turca. And I think Mozart would have appreciated the speed at which he takes all the runs too. Hair-raising.

It reminds me, I have a CD of Schiff playing some works on his own instrument - Mozart's, I mean, not Schiff's. Can't remember which works are on it.

This one by any chance!

https://www.discogs.com/release/10931291-Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart-András-Schiff-Klavierwerke-Piano-Works-Mozarts-Fortepiano