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92 of 94 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mozart Masterpieces in a Mini Package., 28 April 2002
Mozart's piano concertos occupy a very special place amongst his works. Circumstances enabled him to become regarded in Vienna as composer and performer when he presented twelve of the later concertos to an appreciative audience in Vienna in the 1780s. His letters reveal how personal and important these works were to him. The piano concertos also show how he could imbue a musical form with a depth and a breadth that no one before, and few since, has encompassed. EMI invited Daniel Barenboim to record the complete series, with the English Chamber Orchestra, as conductor and soloist. The recordings were made at London's Abbey Road Studios between 1967 and 1974. In CD form, in a little box that will occupy only the width of an average size book on you shelf, the performances were re-released, sounding warm, natural and detailed, in 1998. All the solo piano concertos are here, together with two rondos for piano and orchestra. Other pianists might produce a better effect here or there, or provide different inflections and nuances that are appropriate, but Barenboim's interpretations seem to me to be totally satisfying. He uses what Mozart cadenzas have survived and elsewhere provides either his own or those written by creative keyboard players of an earlier generation such as Edwin Fischer and Wanda Landowska. Recordings have not yet been able to capture the spatial dynamics that seems so magical at an actual performance of a Mozart piano concerto. You can't yet hear and see when only the wind section of the orchestra is playing, or that the trumpet is announcing from the back of the stage that the D Minor Concerto is about to finish. Meanwhile, recordings such as this will help keep great music alive in your head and your home.
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bargain-priced, beautiful performances, 16 Nov 2004
This set is beautifully performed and is also priced competitively. I am very satisfied with my purchase, though I'm sorry it doesn't include the concertos for 2 and 3 pianos. Barenboim's own cadenzas are enjoyable. I don't notice any lack of maturity in the playing, but this may be my inexperience! Some prefer Ashkenazy, but it is quite a bit more expensive [though it does include those works just mentioned]. I am confident most readers will be very happy with this set. Highly recommended
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Faithfully played Mozart set, 20 Dec 2006
If you want an honest, straigtforward yet beautifully played account of these lovely works then you won't go far wrong with this set. And such good value for money too!
Barenboim's legendary cycle recorded in the 1960's and 70's, both soloist and conducting the English Chamber orchestra. Which was, and still is, a superb Mozart orchestra. And Barenboim being one of the best exponents of Mozart and Beethoven I've heard.
Barenboim never rushes these works. Giving breadth, structure and feeling to all of them. Infact he slows right down in some of the slow movements. (I love the very slow tempo of second movement of PC No.21 for example).
Recordings are clear and honest. With good balance between Orchestra and Soloist. Shame the works are not laid out in compositional order on the discs though. And also no sleeve notes on Barenboim- which is surprising as he was, and still is such a prominent musical artist.
All-in all, a great package and worth getting...
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