mozart double and triple piano concertos

There are excellent versions of these two concertos plus n° 20 on Decca with Solti, Barenboim, Schiff and the London Philharmonic, recorded to celebrate Solti's 75th birthday.

It's a matter of perception, 33lp. Fortepiano sounds more Mozart as it was in in his time, while Brendel (or any other great pianist) sounds more Brendel than Mozart. Good Fortepianos sound very exciting, as they give nuances and colours that the unified sound of a modern (perfectly tuned) piano cannot produce to make these differences. Mozart on modern piano, with immediate returns and pedals which sustain the notes perfectly, sounds a bit like transcription compared to the original fortepiano, where the player has to deal with the actual limitations Mozart was faced with.

However, for the classic pianists versions of the two piano concerto only, there is the Gilels (with his daughter), VPO and Bohm on DG (reissued in the Originals), Curzon and Barenboim on BBC Legends. Both versions have Piano Concerto No. 27 as a fill-up. From a middle period, if it still exists on CBS or Sony, the Perahia-Lupu version was always a winner (which it has also the three piano concerto).

Parla

As you like it, 33lp. As I said, it's a matter of perception.

Sometime ago, I detested the sound of fortepiano and I could barely tolerate the harpsichord. As for the clavichord, square piano, tangent piano, etc., forget it...However, by the years, as I mingled, worked and befriended with people of the Classical music business, I was told, first of all by the pianists, that Haydn and Mozart, let alone the Bachs, sound like transcriptions in modern pianos. They sound also "easier" and "friendlier", since all the initial and inherent "difficulties" of the original instrument are gone, while the pianist has to "adjust" his technic to the actual score (use of different pedals than the ones of harpsichord or fortepiano, etc). Demidenko was one of the very adamant on that.

Just for your information and for all it might be worth: I never believed Beethoven, Schubert or Mendelssohn could also sound "better" or equally interesting on Fortepiano. Recently, I managed to find the magnificent Piano Sonata D.959 in A major of Schubert on Fortepiano with S. Hoogland, in the obscure label Arte dell Arco. Having already had some astonishing performances on modern piano, I never thought the Fortepiano version could give the "impact" of this magnificent sonata, particularly of this amazing slow movement with extreme dynamics, terrifying fast scales, etc. The result of the listening experience was beyond belief.

Anyhow, just get it as info only, if you are well accomodated on the other side. However, if you ever have the proper chance, give a shot. Who knows?..

Have a positive New Year,

Parla

Because I love the extreme details of Schubert sonorous Piano Sonatas (and most of his Chamber Music), I stood in awe, when I listened to the latest release of Pentatone with Haelmchen (in a spectacular SACD sound). It's an amazing performance, that, fortunately, was noticed properly by all the major magazines in Europe.

Going back, I think Brendel (in his more recent Philips recording) works pretty well; Leonskaja, on the former Teldec label, was mighty enough; Lewis never convinced me, but it has the Schubert sound and style. I can't listen to "historical" recordings, since my system reveals more problems in the sound rather than the "virtues" of the otherwise great pianists.

By the way, the very musical and great pianist Paul Badura-Skoda is extremely convincing, using three very good indeed Fortepianos, in all the Piano Sonatas of Schubert (on Arcana).

Season's Greetings too!

Parla