Complete Mozart Piano Sonatas

I don't think so. While I found her Hammerklavier transcendental, it is true that her hands are quite small, and many critics talk about it. It is idiotic, of course, but when a chord (a 9th or a 10th) is spread, many people just say 'ah, that problem with her hands...'. This was quite common in France, and I beleive she got rather self-conscious about that.

Once I remember, in an interview, that she talked about how much she loved Brahms. She immediately was questioned about her hands. She replied that one should listen to music, not worry with triffles. And the interviewer asked her: 'but what do you suggest? That one ought not to look at your hands??'

Also, the French critics (always volatile) are being hard on her right now. I do expect she will record the Hammerklavier and opus 110 (I never listened to such a marvelous rendering of the fugue) and many others (I would love to know how 'the tempest' would sound). Let's wait and see.

P.S. I seem to remember she did publish a Beethoven record. Am I right?

 

I think she did, for Erato, but Erato is now gone, I think.

 

I have that Pires Beethoven record.
A complete Beethoven cycle by her would interest about two buyers.

 

Pires

She has recorded the Mozart sonatas twice.
1) For Denon, recording rereleased by Brilliant Classics recently.
2) For DG.
I only know the Denon recording, but the DG recording is said to be excellent too.

She recorded for Erato a Beethoven disc many years ago, containing the Pathetique, the Moonlight, the Tempest and the Appassionata. I would say her reading is free, but passionate and rewarding. This is as far as I know still available.
A few years ago she recorded for DG another Beethoven CD, which got mixed reviews and which I haven't heard. Don't remember the exact content, some middle period sonatas I think. This was once on my wishlist, but drowned in other wishes.

 

What a shame is all I can say.

 

Which one of them?

Would you mind to elaborate a little?

 

I can prove you wrong: at least three buyers only in this forum. And why such a dismissive remark??

 

Just found this thread. I don't think I could listen to an entire CD of Uchida, I've always found her mawkish in the extreme. The Barenboim could be good, I've just listened to him playing some of the Beethoven Piano Concerto's on a very old LP, and he did those very well, so it may not be a bad shout indeed. I don't know Pires so perhaps I should make the effort to find some.

 

The 2001 recording with Moonlight sonata. It came inside a funny plastic-free eco-case. The CD falls on the floor each time I open the case.

Well, compared to Kovacevich, she is OK. Her tonal palette, or whatever, is quite wide. Kovacevich is more straightforward. IMHO Pires has the benefit of better piano (Yamaha) and better recording. But I would have expected more drama from her in the third part of the Moonlight - Kovacevich plays it more powerfully and dramatic.

I have an old Gieseking Moonlight single which is terrific.

There is much competition in these works and Pires is not a famous Beethoven artist, right or wrong.

There is a Serkin Beethoven box out there that could be a winner but it is incomplete. However, contrary to Pires, with Serkin I would except no add-ons (i.e. nyances, excessive beauty) to the music.

 

Hilariously funny post.

Barenboim makes quite a comfortable living sightreading his way through Beethoven, Mozart and Bach and you like that better than a deeply involved musician like Uchida who isn't in it for the money the way B is.

Chacun son goût.

I wouldn't want to have Uchida's Mozart as my only version, however it is a very interasting romantic version to have alongside one or two more classically tempered versions.

 

Herman, nice to see you, but much to seldom.

I suppose the problem with Uchida (haven´t heard but one of her Mozart Sonatas) is surely, that she, involved or not, is too romantic for Mozart according to somebodys taste, and I do understand them. Neither do I like my Mozart served too romantic. According to Siegbert Rampe most of Mozarts keyboard music was written for the harpsichord!?, but if he is wrong, it was at least written for the fortepiano, an instrument which, as you know, was incapable of reacting to too much temper in the playing. And besides: Mozart was no Beethoven. I don´t approve the tendency to interpret some masters piano music, as if it was written 30-50 years later, Bach being played as if his music was written by Mozart, Mozart as if it was written by Beethoven, and Beethoven as if it was written by Brahms. Therefore I prefer Pires in Mozart, her interpretations are emotionally involved, but within the limits of good style.

 

Funny or alternatively you disagree in your apparently not so humble opinion. If you prefer Uchida's mannered and in my opinion overly effeminate (in a non sexist way of course) performances that is fine. I respect your right to do so, but I would never laugh at you for doing so.

I never said Barenboim was a definitive performance, simply that of the budget ones I could find that was the one I'd go for.

Personally I think that sort of pretension is what frightens people away from classical music. 'Someone might laugh at me if I say the wrong thing' a form of intellectual snobbish pervades the genre.

If you wish to perpetuate that then fine, but to be honest I've generally found the classic music room at ZG above that.

 

Well, quite. There's also the implied ability to read the minds/motives of performers, which is presumptuous to put it mildly.

 

You know what I find pretentious? I just read back your post, and it turns out you haven't really listened to Uchida ("I don't think I could listen"), whom you are showering with stereotypes which aren't sexist of course - they just look that way. You recommend Barenboim who, as a coincidence you haven't heard in Mozart either, and as a third you mention Pires, who, surprise, you haven't heard either.

Way to go.

PE-Zulu, I can fully see yr point about Uchida's romanticism. I think her interpretation is valid; it's in the music (I think Mozart is temperamentally a more romantic composer than Beethoven, really). It's just that it should not be your only version on the shelf. I have one or two of Pires sonata cd's (the DG generation) and I love her d-minor Fantasia.could

 

Actually Hermann, I have, I've played with her and Barenboim in Mozart. Both of them directing and rehearsed said concerts. I said I haven't heard Pires but would seek some out sometime.

I'm sorry Hermann, but you're making no sense. I'm not sure what your issue is with me, but as the wise man said, when you're in a hole, stop digging.

 

I was pointing out that you were advising people about recordings you had not heard yourself.

"said concerts?" Last time I checked we were talking sonatas.

 

Surely a guide to their styles, Mozart Piano Concertos and Beethoven Concerto's aren't that different stylistically barring the addition of the orchestra, sonata form and all that.
I've heard and worked with both pianists, I feel fairly competent to suggest if someone asks which I'd go for, I've even got LP's of both performing Mozart Sonata's, you know I might even have listened to them.

 

Herman, I am not quite sure of the meaning of the word "romantic", in the way you use it here.
Of course all music must carry emotions to touch the heart, but this is not the same as to say it must be romantic in style. I guess, that you refer to the content of the music and not to the style (i..e. you mean that Mozarts music harbours more emotion under the surface than Beethovens). And if so is the case, I disagree with you, and especially in the context of the piano sonatas. And even if I agreed with you , I wouldn't see any justification for an interpretation, which is explicit romantic, using ways of expression which are alien to the style of Mozarts sonatas. And I understand, why some may find such things irritating. As told, I have only heard one of Uchidas Mozart sonatas, but I did find her style too weighty and extrovert. BTW I also use to collect multiple recordings of certain works, and of Mozarts sonatas I own the recordings of Pires (the Denon on Brilliant), Brautigam, Würtz and some of Kliens and Bilsons sets. If I should acquire other cycles, it would be Badura-Skoda and Haebler.

I don't know Barenboims Mozart sonatas, but concerning his Beethoven sonatas, which I know well (boths cycles) I find, that he strikes a fine balance between style and (emotional) content, and he is certainly not superficial. And he has got a most fabulous sense of sound and balance of piano-tone, almost in the Kempff league. If you talk sight-reading you must rather mention most of Giesekings Beethoven recordings, especially the German radio-recordings from the 1940es (Tahra), but also many of his Columbia (now EMI) recordings from the 1950es.

Regards,

 

Personally I think Beethoven is along with Schubert the missing link into Romantic music. Schubert for his use of dynamics and exact detailing, Beethoven for the Sturm und Drang, the sense of turmoil within his music. Mozart is most definitely a classical composer, he comes across as more romantic due to the beauty of his melodic writing, he was much influenced by the operatic tradition, that's why he is so much more melodic than his contemporary Haydn

 

The young Dutch fortepianist Bart von Oort has released a 14-disc set of complete Mozart keyboard music (including sonatas, variations, assorted pieces and music for 4-hand keyboard). It even contains some music that was never before recorded. Van Oort plays on various copies of Walter, and so comes in direct competition with his country man Ronald Brautigam. I don't own the Brautigam, but from what I heard (in record stores) van Oort may be a very good alternative (even the recorded acoustics in either are quite similarly resonant), when there is more music for less money. (Brilliant Classics 93025)