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Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition 2
Box Set, 0 CD
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Audio CD, Box set, October 28, 2016
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| $899.00 | — |
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Track Listings
1 | CD 1 - 10 Solo |
2 | CD 11 - 19 Duets Sonatas and Variations for Piano & Violin, Sonatas and Variations for Keyboard 4 hands and 2 Pianos, Duo for Bassoon & Cello, Violin & Viola Duos, Horn Duos |
3 | CD 20 - 22 Trios Piano Trios, String Trios, Clarinet Trio 23 |
4 | Divertimenti K136 - K138, String Quartets, Flute Quartets, Oboe Quartet, Piano Quartets |
5 | CD 31 - 34 Quintets String, Horn, Piano, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Adagio & Fugue, Clarinet Quintet, Adagio & Rondo |
6 | CD 35 - 39 Sextets, Octets etc Divertimenti, Serenades |
7 | CD 40 - 49 Supplementary performances: Period instruments, Mozart's instruments, Classic & Historic |
8 | CD 50 - 61 Symphonies |
9 | CD 62 - 68 Serenades, Divertimenti, Cassations |
10 | CD 69 - 73 Minuets, Contredanses, German Dances, Marches |
11 | CD 74 - 87 Concertos |
12 | CD 88 - 101 Supplementary performances: Concerto and Orchestral |
13 | CD 102 Apollo et Hyacinthus |
14 | CD 103 - 104 La finta semplice |
15 | CD 105 Bastien und Bastienne; Der Schauspieldirektor |
16 | CD 106 - 108 Mitridate, re di Ponto |
17 | CD 109 - 110 Ascanio in Alba |
18 | CD 111 - 112 Il sogno di Scipione |
19 | CD 113 - 115 Lucio Silla |
20 | CD 116 - 118 La finta giardiniera |
21 | CD 119 - 120 Il re pastore |
22 | CD 121 Zaide |
23 | CD 122 - 124 Idomeneo |
24 | CD 125 - 126 Die Entführung aus dem Serail |
25 | CD 127 L oca del Cairo; Lo sposo deluso |
26 | CD 128 - 130 Le nozze di Figaro |
27 | CD 131 - 133 Don Giovanni |
28 | CD 134 - 136 Così fan tutte |
29 | CD 137 - 138 Die Zauberflöte |
30 | CD 139 - 140 La clemenza di Tito |
31 | CD 141 Thamos in Ägypten; Les Petits Riens etc |
32 | CD 142 - 146 Additional Opera Arias, Insertion Arias, Concert Arias |
33 | CD 147 Arias with Period instruments |
34 | CD 148 Famous Arias |
35 | CD 149 Classic Performances: Arias |
36 | CD 150 - 152 Classic Performance: Le Nozze Di Figaro (Erich Kleiber) |
37 | CD 153 - 154 Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots etc |
38 | CD 155 - 156 La Betulia liberata |
39 | CD 157 Davidde penitente etc |
40 | CD 158 - 169 Church Music Mass Settings, Litanies, Vespers, Shorter Works, Epistle Sonatas, Requiem |
41 | CD 170 Supplementary Performances: Solemn Vespers; Requiem etc |
42 | CD 171 Songs |
43 | CD 172 Masonic |
44 | CD 173 Canons & Partsongs |
45 | CD 174 - 175 Fragments, Discoveries & Curios |
46 | CD 176 - 178 Works completed by others |
47 | CD 179 - 181 Arrangements of other composers |
48 | CD 182 - 183 Handel Arrangements: Acis und Galatea |
49 | CD 184 - 185 Handel Arrangements: Der Messias |
50 | CD 186 - 187 Handel Arrangements: Das AAlexander |
51 | CD 188 - 190 Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe |
52 | CD 191 - 193 Self |
53 | CD 194 - 200 Works of Doubtful Authenticity |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
A New Complete Edition, presenting Mozart's entire work including every last fragment, in the most authoritative edition ever created.
The Edition presents over 240 hours of music, 600 solo performers and ensembles including 60 orchestras and every significant Mozart interpreter of the past 30 years.
Five hours of new recordings have been commissioned for this Edition including premieres of previously-lost compositions and every perform-able fragment. Moreover, a further 25 CDs present key works in great alternative versions, while five more CDs present legendary and historic performances, making this Edition a document of the greatest Mozart performances as well as of his complete works.
Two handsome, lavishly illustrated hardcover books present documentation at a level of authority never before seen in any boxed set, with over 150,000 words in each language, written by one of the great Mozart scholars of our age, Professor Clifford Eisen.
Editorial is presented across two editions, one with English and French language, and the other with German and Japanese. Lending the Edition even more weight is the publication for the first time of a new Kochel guide presenting in short form the new Kochel catalogue developed over many years by the International Stiftung Mozarteum.
Four frame-able prints are included in every set, including a Mozart letter and a score.
Summary of Contents
CD 1-10 Solo - Nannerl Notenbuch (excerpts), The London Sketchbook, Variations, Piano Sonatas, Minuets, Rondos, Fantasias, Adagios, Modulating Preludes, Prelude & Fugue, Suite, Works for mechanical organ and glass harmonica, Alternative versions
CD 11-19 Duets Sonatas and Variations for Piano & Violin, Sonatas and Variations for Keyboard 4 hands and 2 Pianos, Duo for Bassoon & Cello, Violin & Viola Duos, Horn Duos
CD 20-22 Trios Piano Trios, String Trios, Clarinet Trio 23-30 Quartets
Divertimenti K136-K138, String Quartets, Flute Quartets, Oboe Quartet, Piano Quartets
CD 31-34 Quintets String, Horn, Piano, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Adagio & Fugue, Clarinet Quintet, Adagio & Rondo
CD 35-39 Sextets, Octets etc Divertimenti, Serenades
CD 40-49 Supplementary performances: Period instruments, Mozart's instruments, Classic & Historic
CD 50-61 Symphonies
CD 62-68 Serenades, Divertimenti, Cassations
CD 69-73 Minuets, Contredanses, German Dances, Marches
CD 74-87 Concertos
CD 88-101 Supplementary performances: Concerto and Orchestral
CD 102 Apollo et Hyacinthus
CD 103-104 La finta semplice
CD 105 Bastien und Bastienne; Der Schauspieldirektor
CD 106-108 Mitridate, re di Ponto
CD 109-110 Ascanio in Alba
CD 111-112 Il sogno di Scipione
CD 113-115 Lucio Silla
CD 116-118 La finta giardiniera
CD 119-120 Il re pastore
CD 121 Zaide
CD 122-124 Idomeneo
CD 125-126 Die Entführung aus dem Serail
CD 127 L oca del Cairo; Lo sposo deluso
CD 128-130 Le nozze di Figaro
CD 131-133 Don Giovanni
CD 134-136 Così fan tutte
CD 137-138 Die Zauberflöte
CD 139-140 La clemenza di Tito
CD 141 Thamos in Ägypten; Les Petits Riens etc
CD 142-146 Additional Opera Arias, Insertion Arias, Concert Arias
CD 147 Arias with Period instruments
CD 148 Famous Arias
CD 149 Classic Performances: Arias
CD 150-152 Classic Performance: Le Nozze Di Figaro (Erich Kleiber)
CD 153-154 Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots etc
CD 155-156 La Betulia liberata
CD 157 Davidde penitente etc
CD 158-169 Church Music Mass Settings, Litanies, Vespers, Shorter Works, Epistle Sonatas, Requiem
CD 170 Supplementary Performances: Solemn Vespers; Requiem etc
CD 171 Songs
CD 172 Masonic
CD 173 Canons & Partsongs
CD 174-175 Fragments, Discoveries & Curios
CD 176-178 Works completed by others
CD 179-181 Arrangements of other composers
CD 182-183 Handel Arrangements: Acis und Galatea
CD 184-185 Handel Arrangements: Der Messias
CD 186-187 Handel Arrangements: Das AAlexander-Fest/Ode auf St. Caecilia
CD 188-190 Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe
CD 191-193 Self-Arrangements
CD 194-200 Works of Doubtful Authenticity
Review
Mozart did even out-do Beethoven in some ways, in his simplicity and his incredible economy of notes --Artur Rubinstein
It was, to me, most important to sing and speak at the same time, and Mozart operas were the greatest model for this. --Alfred Brendel
It s just extraordinary to be doing this music, singing this music, working with this composer, playing with this composer, and having those moments - suddenly, you are in heaven. --Rolando Villazon
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 15.2 x 11.97 x 8.54 inches; 21.62 Pounds
- Manufacturer : Decca
- Date First Available : June 30, 2016
- Label : Decca
- ASIN : B01FW8XWSG
- Number of discs : 200
- Best Sellers Rank: #236,492 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #7,304 in Symphonies (CDs & Vinyl)
- Customer Reviews:
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Also included in this collection is the publication for the first time of a new Kochel guide, offering in short form the new Kochel catalogue developed over several decades by the International Stiftung Mozarteum. The updated Kochel guide is an attempt to standardize the numbering of Mozart's 700 completed works and fragments along with those spurious and doubtful compositions that have accreted to the Mozart name over the past 225 years. Lovers of Mozart's music have an especially close relationship with the Kochel catalogue and its all-important "K" numbers. Four frame-able prints are included in every set, including a copy of a Mozart letter and a small reproduction of a score. These are an especially nice touch that help to place Mozart's unique and slightly remote genius into a personal context, helping to humanize it so far as that is possible.
This Edition presents more than 240 hours of music arranged chronologically, claiming some 600 solo performers and ensembles including as many as 60 orchestras and nearly every important Mozart interpreter of the past 30 years. The recordings of Mozart's earliest works are usually by so-called historically informed performers. For example, the symphonies are overwhelmingly represented by performances from Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert and (less frequently) Christopher Hogwood but also include performances by Frans Bruggen and Marc Minkowski. Concertos can feature violinist Viktoria Mullova conducting the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Malcolm Bilson on fortepiano accompanied by John Eliot Gardiner and his English Baroque Soloists. But there are also alternative performances from more mainstream musicians like Anne-Sophie Mutter, Hilary Hahn, Daniel Barenboim and Iona Brown with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The list of performers is quite extensive and even includes old hands like Austrian violinist Willi Boskovsky conducting most of the Mozart dances.
There are a large number of representative performers with instrumental music weighted towards original instruments and vocal performances like opera necessarily more varied in the range of recording styles. There is an opera recording conducted by John Eliot Gardiner (his widely praised recording of Idomeneo) alongside one conducted by Georg Solti (his recording of Cosi Fan Tutte). There is a fairly well-chosen variability in vocal performers and performances including several recent opera recordings. The set even features Erich Kleiber's landmark 1955 Decca recording with the Vienna Philharmonic of Le Nozze di Figaro. The same holds true for chamber music recordings and solo performances. There are also a large number of recordings of historical interest that are included, as if to balance the scales a little. The number of fragments, new discoveries and musical curiosities is large enough to occupy a listener for days. There are songs of questionable taste that are a hoot to listen to (Mozart had a very playful mind), works finished by other composers and scholars, works arranged from other composers by Mozart, as well as arrangements of his own works and seven CDs of doubtful works that are almost good enough to make the cut but are still a great deal of fun to listen to. All-in-all this limited edition box set represents a lifetime of listening and helps to place Mozart's inexplicable genius into some sort of context.
Many of the recordings sound as if they've been re-mastered. Sound quality is excellent but variable with the earliest historical performances a bit more compressed while newer recordings are vivid and airy with a reverberant brightness and clarity. Most of the discs are generously filled with many of them featuring timings of 85 minutes or more, the longest CDs I've ever seen. This once-in-a-lifetime collection designed for the Mozart fanatic is pricey and would have benefited from the inclusion of DVD performances. Nevertheless, despite a few quibbles about selections, there are a substantial number of superb performances. The issue of duplicates is inevitable for any Mozart collector, with approximately 30% of the recordings included here also included on the previous Mozart Complete Edition released by Philips for the 1991 commemoration. Some other duplication of instrumental and vocal recordings seems inevitable as well but the collection appears varied enough to offer a substantial number of performances that are new. There is a complete list of recordings at the DGG website. The list is too long to include here. If you love Mozart's music enough to have memorized the Kochel listing of his works, you are officially a fanatic for whom this incredible collection was designed. You may enter the world of perfect beauty created by this once-in-a-millennium musical genius and never want to leave. It is an overwhelming collection.
On Music:
Based on my primitive listening experience, I find that most of the works in the box are performed in a vivid, light and transparent (probably that's called "Classical") style. The music may sound a bit too thin for bass-heads, but I think Mozart's works are meant to be played with some lightness and less reverberations. Tempos are well-controlled so you will not find a piece played too fast or too slow. On the music side, if you focus more on the composer than on the performer, and if you are interested in Mozart's works, this is the box set for you.
On The Box:
This box set is remarkable in its weight. It's made of carton covered with linen on the exterior, so it's strong. But it is not very fine crafted: there are minor dirt spots, probably leftovers of printing process, on the inside walls of the box and on the surface of cubes. Besides, edges of some CD sleeves showed some wearing. Being shipped with a carton box (no protection foam or shrink-wrapping), my box set arrives with some wear and tear at the corners and the flyer page being ruptured.
Other thought:
For me, I go for this set (but not other sets available on the market) because it's more recent (compared with those of Philips or Brilliant Classics) and informative (the two books are well-written and nicely printed). It's not the cheapest set, but its music will be enough for enjoyment in the several years to come. One point to note, though, is that its packaging may fall short of one's expectation on a collectible item.
Idomeneo: The recording here is Gardiner's and it's fantastic. What's odd is they didn't include Böhm's as an alternative recording. Not only is it a great recording, it features a tenor in the role of Idamante, which I like because otherwise the opera seems soprano heavy to me.
Abduction: Really interesting that they choose Hogwood's recording (new to me in this set), which isn't nearly as good as Solti's recording, which is in their catalogue. Hogwood's recording is decent, but they missed the mark here, in my opinion.
Figaro: No complaints here. Two great recordings are offered - Ostman and Kleiber. Too bad they couldn't include Solti as well.
Don Giovanni: Until Nezet-Seguin's recording a couple years ago, Decca nor DG had a decent recording of Don Giovanni in their catalogue. Nezet's is pretty damn good.
Cosi: Why when you have Gardiner's, Davis's, and Solti's (1st) recordings in your catalogue, would you choose Solti's 2nd Cosi? Makes no sense to me. Solti's 2nd is a good recording, but not as good as his first, Davis's or Gardiner's.
Magic Flute: Abbado's recording is nice, but is no where as riveting as Solti's (1st) recording. They included the wrong one here, IMO.
Clemenza: WHY OH WHY when you have Davis's spectacular recording (which many consider the best of the work) and Gardiner's (which others consider the best of the work) would you choose Mackerras? It's a good recording, but not nearly as good as Davis or Gardiner.
None of the recordings selected are by any means bad recordings, but when you have some of the best recordings of these works available, why would you choose secondary recordings. Makes no sense to me.
Top reviews from other countries
No dejo de sorprenderme. Si la encuentran por ahí, dense el gusto, a pesar del precio. Si no la encuentran, sirva el contenido para ir adquiriendo por separado lo que, sin duda, son las mejores interpretaciones.
Many of the pieces presented here are different than those in the original Philips Mozart collection from years back, which is excellent, and this is actually a complete collection of ALL Mozart's music... including the handful of 'dubious' pieces which are said to be by Mozart but little to no proof exists beyond perhaps similarities in style and the time period that music came from.
An EXCELLENT purchase!!!
BOX SET:
The box is made of very heavy cardboard and has grey coloured light canvas placed over it, including the lid which covers the inner box, which has part of the top cut out so you can reach the recordings easily. Four pictures of Mozart's era are placed around the four sides. On one side is also details on paper of what is in the box, held in place by the plastic covering the box. Take it off and place it with the other material included in the box. When I mentioned heavy I meant it. For the person who brought it to the door mentioned that they were glad I was at home, for having to carry it back down to the bottom floor would be too exhausting. " Can I help you carry it inside so you do not ruin your back". It is the size of Glen Gould remastered, and as high as Decca's Britten the complete works.
There are four light cardboard cubes ( small boxes) inside the box which contain the CD''s, so you can take out the cubes and place them elsewhere if you so desire. At the end of each cube is one black tape to lift out the booklet, then you can obtain the CD's you wish to hear. This situation is based upon the Von Karajan opera recordings box which has basically the same set up. The four Cubes are divided into (Chamber ) 1-49 with sleeves different shades of Grey. (Orchestral ) 50- 101 same set up.. Both Cubes are in light grey. (Theatre) 152-102 operas starts off with a blue grey sleeve and progresses to a light grey. ( Sacred. Private. Supplement.) 153-200. Black to light grey. On the front of the cubes printed in white is the title. For example, Chamber. Each cube has a booklet with the music to be played and tracks, plus musicians, orchestra, conductor, soloists and singers. This idea comes from the Decca Britten the complete works. The SLEEVE. On the front, for example, Chamber, Number, then the same picture on the front for violin sonatas, then a different picture for piano trio's and so on. The music to be played below it. On the back, number, tracks to be played and music, plus musicians. The CD is the same colour as the sleeves, with Number and cube it comes from and has quite a lot of music on each CD.
SOUND:
Mastering: The Audio Archiving Company Ltd. (Paschal Byrne & Craig Thompson); Ian Watson & Jenni Whiteside. The sound is excellent and has been remastered.
BOOKS:
Book 1 Mozart by Cliff Eisen. Chapters. Mozart on the road 1763. Salzburg. 1773-1780. Mozart in Vienna 1781-1791. This biography is based primarily on the Mozart family letters and contemporaneous documents. A picture of Mozart on the heavy cardboard Cover. Book 2. Mozart's music. Ludwig von Kochel and the Kochel catalogue. Chapter headings. Chamber, Orchestral, Theatre and Sacred and private music. Supplement. Fragments and Completions. Arrangements. Doubtful works. At the side of the page number is what section the music comes from. Each musical piece is explained in the chapters with the CD number next to it. Also a chapter Mozart's original instruments. Performing Mozart. Included in Book 2 are the picture credits for Book 1 & 2. Outer box plus CD Sleeves. At the back on page 167 is found how to find the sung texts and translations, plus useful links. Also protection paper found under all the books. This has a image of a watermark from paper probably of Dutch origin used by the Mozarts while in England 1764-65.
In a paper sealed Envelope are 5 prints which you can place in a picture frame. Also included on dark paper is the limited edition number, mine is 05269/ 15000. The K book is held in a cardboard music stand holder. The introduction is in English, German, French and Japanese. The numbering of the works in the new edition of the Kochel catalogue combines tradition and current trends. K number. CD number. Title. Date. So as I have shown this set in its presentation does justice to 225th anniversary of Mozart's death on the 5th December 2016. I would say that it is the finest box set I have come across in its presentation as I have already stated.
MUSIC:
This New complete Mozart edition is as complete as it can be, to a level never before attempted. That is all Mozart's work that is realistically performable is included, with all his significant fragments and sketches, works finished by others, plus arrangements of both his own and others work. New recordings have been made of several performable fragments, some on Mozart's own instruments at the Salzburg Mozarteum foundation, including the first recordings of his recently donated "Costa" violin.
By the time of Mozart's bicentenary in 1991, historical instruments were accepted, yet hardly any were used in the Phillips music edition. But this Mozart 225 set has not simply stuck to performances given solely on either period of traditional instruments and includes no less then 30 CDs of "supplementary performances of key works." Over 600 solo performers and ensembles are found in this set. And it should be noted that by using the recordings of DGG, Decca, ASV and twelve other labels all part of the Universal music company, more then two thirds of the selected recordings are different from the Phillips 1991 edition. So as you can see both Period and Modern approaches to this great composer is used. . A Bruggen symphony and the smoother sonorities of a Brendel, Pires or Vegh are found here.
CLASSICAL PERIOD: ( 1730-early 1800).
Called the age of reason. It was an unsettling period where composers such as Haydn and Mozart created their unique work, with the simplicity and restraint of their music, where the symphony, concerto and the sonata underwent change. Artists looked to the ancient Greeks and Rome for inspiration as it summed up their ideals. HAYDN was the founder of the string quartet, Mozart dedicated six of his own quartets to Haydn, who told his father Leopold, " before God and as an honest man I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name" (Classical music- J Stanley). What may interest you is the Haydn edition 150 CD's published by Brilliant. Read my review.
CD'S
Amazon has provided you details of the CD's, so I shall give you reviews of some of the music in each of the sections to give you an idea of what this box is about.
CHAMBER:
Sonata in e for piano and violin K304. .Lambert Orkis piano Anne- Sophie Mutter Violin. Sonata in D for piano and Violin K306. walter Klien piano & Athur Grumiaux. Sonata in B for piano and violin K378. Sonata in G for piano and violin K379. Maria Joao Pires Piano. Augustin Dumay violin. Modern versions of these pieces by great performers.
Divertimento in D K136,B K 137, K138, String Quartet in G K 80. D K155 & 156. Hagen Quartet. Played with charm and polish. An excellent balance between naturalness of utterance and sophistication of tone. String Quartet in G. K 387. This is what chamber music is all about. The Lindsays radiate a delight in their music and judge the character of each piece exactly. Lindsays Quartet. Sonata in E for piano and Violin K 380. Perlman and Barenboim form a distinguished team, with alert, vital playing and a sense of spontaneous music making. There is much attention to detail which makes this piece come over as fresh.
The period instruments. Piano Quartet in g K478. Piano quartet in E K493. Quartet Movement in E K493a. Piano Quartet in g K478/Allegro. Les Solistes des musiciens du Louvre. They use Mozart's fortepiano, violin (Costa) and viola, plus Cello-not Mozart's. This gives you an idea of how Mozart heard his music. Totally different to the modern sound. The piano sound is much lighter then most may be use to hearing. The violin you would recognise. I like it. Actually I own the complete set of Beethoven Sonatas played on a fortepiano by Malcolm Binns from the Classical & early Romantic set L' oiseau-lyre. One of my favourite sets of these sonatas, but not to everyone's taste.
ORCHESTRAL:
Symphony No 1 K 16, No 4 K 19, No 5 K22, No 6 K 43, No 7 K45. No 8 K48, No 9 K 73, No 12 K110, No 13 K112, The English concert, Trevor Pinnock. His Mozart is a smoother but not less vital playing style. Greater polish, smoother and less edgy violins in these authentic instruments renditions. These are early Mozart symphonies. No 16 K128, No 17 K 129, No 18 K130. The playing has polish and sophistication, fine intonation and spontaneity, balanced by warm, lyrical feeling in the slow movements. No 29 K 201. is one of the finest available on either modern or authentic instruments. In fact the English concert brings sweetness to the period instrument sound. They play much of the time as if it were chamber music. Symphony No 31 K297 Paris. No 32 K318. No 33 K 319. No 34 K338. English Baroque Soloists. John Eliot Gardiner. These period instruments lean towards the 19th rather then 18th century manners. This are late Mozart symphonies with a Beethoven tinge. Beethoven was the bridge between the Classical and Romantic period.
No 40 in G. Les Musiciens du Louvre. Marc Minkowski. This period instrument rendition is truly individual and very much forward looking. The String playing of the Musiciens du Louvre in the slow movement is lyrical and beautiful. The Minuet is both bold and brisk, and the more lyrical trio brings some superb horn playing. Hogwood with the Academy of ancient music in the No 19 K 132 and No 31 K297 (alternative versions). The music making with authentic instruments is more harsh then the other symphonies, for it was the beginning of this authentic instrument revolution. But I like it.
Piano Concerto's No 21 K467,No 24 K491, No 25 K503. No 27 K 595. Malcolm Bilson fortepiano. English baroque Soloists. John Eliot Gardiner. Bilson is an artist of excellent musical judgement and good taste. Authentic instrument music. No 25 K 503. Brendel piano. Scottish chamber orchestra. Cond Mackerras. Modern version. Greeted with wild acclaim. The playing is highly intelligent. No 16 K 451. No 19 K459. Andreas Schiff Piano. Camerata Academica des Mozarteums Salzburg. Sander Vegh. Schiff plays a Bosendorfer piano and its relatively gentle, cleanly focused timbre has something of the precision of a fortepiano without any loss of colour which comes with a more modern instrument. In the late 1980's this was considered one of most satisfying cycles of that time and one of the finest since the Perahia's cycle of the late 1970's.
THEATRE:
Apollo et Hyacinthus (complete) This opera was written when Mozart was eleven, with all but two of the parts taken by school children. The style of the writing and vocalization is rather simpler than in other dramatic works of the boy Mozart, but the inspiration is still remarkable, astonishingly mature. The performance here is stylish and very well sung. Auger, Mathis, Rolfe Johnson, Hanna Schwarz, Salzburg Chamber & Mozarteum cond Hager.
Mitridate, re di Ponto. Bartoli, Dessay, Sabbatini, Asawa, Piau, Les Talens Lyriques, Rosset. he conducts his period forces with a panache that disguises the weaknesses. Bartoli is outstanding as the hero. Dessay is rich of tone and agile in coloratura, Piau to be found in Baroque operas is softer- grained. An excellent set. Mozart was not quite 15 when he composed this first carnival opera for the Milanese opera house, which was shortly to become La Scala.
Idomeneo, re di Creta K 366. munich version, 1781, in its original version. Rolfe Johnson,Von Otter, Mcnair, Hillevi Martinpelto, English Baroque soloists Cond John Eliot Gardiner. Exhilarating vigour and fine singing, Gardiner's aim has been to include all the material Mozart wrote for the original 1781 production. Gardiner's Mozartian style is well sprung. The principals sing beautifully.
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail. Hinze, Lynne Dawson, Uwe Heilmann. The Academy of ancient Music Cond Hogwood. in what was the first (originally Oiseau-lyre) period recording of this opera. An excellent cast. Dawson is is a dazzling Konstanze, Uwe Heilmann as Belmonte sings beautifully
Le Nozze di Figaro. Hagegard, Auger, Bonney, Della jones, Nancy Argenta. Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra Arnold Ostman. The Figaro, the first to be recorded with period instruments by Oiseau-Lyre, gives the opera a newly minted sound. Every instrument is at least subtly different from its modern counterpart. With such a orchestra and more animated tempos, encourage an intimacy of expression that changes the way one had perceived Mozart's operas. The excellently prepared cast has been welded into a strong ensemble that achieves the naturalness and quick give and take of a performance in a the spoken theatre. This Figaro is complete.
Don Giovanni. D'Arcangelo. Luca Pisaroni makes a lyrical Leporello, Donna Anna Diana Damrau, Don Ottavio Rolando Villazon, Donna Elvira Joyce DiDonato. D' Arcangelo is a very good Don Giovanni and passionate. Mahler Chamber orchestra-Yannick Nezet-Seguin. Recorded in 2012. A fine up to date cast with stars Villazon, Damrau and DiDonato a mezzo. The orchestra is influenced by period instrument speeds.
Cosi fan Tutte. Fleming, von Otter, Olaf Bar, Frank Lopardo, chamber orchestra of Europe. Influenced by Period instruments swift speeds. Solti takes a fast and light approach. The singers are at their peak. Altogether Solti's finest Mozart recording .
Die Zauberflote. Rene Pape, Erika Miklosa, Roschmann, Stehl, Brachmann, Mahler Chamber orch Claudio Abbado.. (Live) This performance has freshness and charm, Rene Pape's magnificent Sarastro dominates the opera. Roschmann and Stehl are a perfectly matched Pamina and Tamino, for both have lovely voices. Strehl is ardent and Roschmann is infinitely touching when she mistakenly thinks Tamino is lost to her forever.
La clemenza di Tito. Trost, Kozena, Martinpelto, Rice. Scottish chamber Orchestra cond Mackerras. Here modern instruments, used with concern for period performance. The cast is good.
Le Nozze di Figaro. Poell, della Casa, Gueden, Siepi, Danco, Rossel-Majdan, corena, Dickie, Anny Felbermayer. Vienna Philharmonic cond Erich Kleiber. Recorded 1955 at the dawn of stereo and remains to this day one of the most loveable accounts on CDs. This is a classic. Beautifully played by the Vienna Philharmonic and therefore very much a Viennese performance. "No lover of this opera should be without it," states Gramophone 2009.
This should give you a glimpse about what this box is about, a mixture of the period and modern instruments and their different approaches.
This box set would make a fine Christmas present. Imagine being given this as a gift and opening up the box set and going through the books and listening to the music at the same time. A present to remember. I hope you enjoy this box set as much as I do.
REFERENCES:
Gramophone year book 2009. The Penguin guide to recorded Ckassical music 1996 and 2008. Stanley, J. Classical music. 1994. Reed International Ltd.