Aureole etc.




Golden Age singers

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Faure songs
Charlotte de Rothschild (soprano);

  Founder: Len Mullenger
Classical Editor: Rob Barnett
   
 

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756 - 1791)
Piano Concertos
Mozart Edition vol. 4 [approx. 11 hours 25 min.]

CD1
Concertos for Harpsichord, 2 Violins & Basso Continuo, KV 107 Nos 1-2-3
After Johann Christian Bach Op. 5 Nos. 2-3-4
CONCERTO No 1 in D major KV 107 No. 1
1. Allegro 5'24
2. Andante 4'02
3. Tempo di Menuetto (Cadenzas by W.A. Mozart) 3'59
CONCERTO in G major KV 107 No. 2
4. Allegro 4'18
5. Allegretto (tema con 4 variazioni)
(Cadenzas by Pieter-Jan Belder) 5'27
CONCERTO in E flat major KV 107 No. 3
6. Allegro 5'35
7. Allegretto
(Cadenzas by Pieter-Jan Belder) 3'05
JOHANN CHRISTIAN BACH:
'Sonates pour le Clavecin ou Piano Forte' Opus 5
SONATA in D major Op. 5 No. 2
8. Allegro di molto 4'34
9. Andante di molto 3'16
10. Minuetto 3'50
SONATA in G major Op. 5 No. 3
11. Allegro 5'10
12. Allegretto 5'27
SONATA in E flat major Op. 5 No. 4
13. Allegro 4'53
14. Rondeau, allegretto 3'21
Total time: 62'23
Recording: June 2001, Maria Minor Utrecht
Doopsgezinde Kerk Deventer
Producer & engineer: Arts Music Recording Rotterdam
Pieter-Jan Belder, harpsichord
Musica Amphion:
Remy Baudet, baroque violin
Marten Boeken, baroque violin
Margaret Urquhart, double bass
Instruments:
Mozart: Harpsichord built by Cornelis Bom (1999) after Ruckers
J.C. Bach: Clavichord, built by Cornelis Bom (1992) after Hass
CD2
Piano Concertos No. 24 in C minor K491, No. 3 in D major K40, No. 13 in C major K415
PIANO CONCERTO No. 24 in C minor K491
1. Allegro 13'28
2. Larghetto 7'36
3. Allegretto 8'20
PIANO CONCERTO No. 3 in D major K40
4. Allegro maestoso 4'58
5. Andante 4'37
6. Presto 3'33
PIANO CONCERTO No. 13 in C major K415
7. Allegro 10'26
8. Andante 7'52
9. Allegro 7'48
Total time: 69'29
Recording: St. Augustine Church, London 1992
Producer/engineer: Antony Hodgson/Bob Auger
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD3
Piano Concertos No. 15 in B flat major K450, No. 11 in F major K413, No. 23 in A major K488
PIANO CONCERTO No. 15 in B flat major K450
1. Allegro 11'00
2. Adagio 5'17
3. Allegro assai 7'42
PIANO CONCERTO No. 11 in F major K413
4. Allegro 9'10
5. Larghetto 7'34
6. Tempo di menuetto 5'10
PIANO CONCERTO No. 23 in A major K488
7. Allegro 10'44
8. Andante 6'13
9. Allegro 7'58
Total time: 71'32
Recording: St. Augustine Church, London 1992
Recording producer/engineer: Antony Hodgson/Bob Auger
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD4
Piano Concertos No. 21 in C major K467, No. 1 in F major K37, No. 25 in C major K503
PIANO CONCERTO No. 21 in C major K467
'Elvira Madigan'
1. Allegro 14'33
2. Andante 6'26
3. Allegro vivace assai 7'22
PIANO CONCERTO No. 1 in F major K37
4. Allegro 5'15
5. Andante 5'30
6. Allegro 5'44
PIANO CONCERTO No. 25 in C major K503
7. Allegro maestoso 17'21
8. Andante 7'20
9. Allegretto 9'58
Total time: 79'31
Recording: St. Augustine Church, London 1992
Recording producer/engineer: Antony Hodgson/Bob Auger
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD5
Piano Concertos, No. 9 in E flat major K271 'Jeunehomme', No. 2 in B flat major K39, No. 12 in A major
K414
PIANO CONCERTO No. 9 in E flat major K271'Jeunehomme'
1. Allegro 10'19
2. Andantino 10'10
3. Rondeau, presto 9'15
PIANO CONCERTO No. 2 in B flat major K39
4. Allegro spiritoso 5'25
5. Andante staccato 3'48
6. Molto allegro 3'35
PIANO CONCERTO No. 12 in A major K414
7. Allegro 9'49
8. Andante 7'23
9. Rondeau, allegretto 6'51
Total time: 66'57
Recording: St. Augustine Church, London 1992
Recording producer/engineer: Antony Hodgson/Bob Auger
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD6
Piano Concertos No. 17 in G major K453, No. 5 in D major K175, No. 6 in B flat major K238
PIANO CONCERTO No. 17 in G major K453
1. Allegro 12'22
2. Andante 9'50
3. Allegretto, presto 8'00
PIANO CONCERTO No. 5 in D major K175
4. Allegro 8'07
5. Andante ma un poco adagio 7'22
6. Allegro 5'07
PIANO CONCERTO No. 6 in B flat major K238
7. Allegro aperto 7'22
8. Andante un poco adagio 5'32
9. Rondeau, allegro 7'26
Total time: 71'55
Recording: Henry Wood Hall, London 1992
Recording producer/engineer: Judith Sherman/Mike Hatch
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD7
Piano Concertos No. 16 in D major K451, No. 8 in C major K246, No. 19 in F major K459
PIANO CONCERTO No. 16 in D major K451
1. Allegro assai 10'50
2. Andante 5'45
3. Rondo, allegro di molto 7'06
PIANO CONCERTO No. 8 in C major K246
4. Allegro aperto 7'25
5. Andante 7'11
6. Tempo di menuetto 7'03
PIANO CONCERTO No. 19 in F major K459
7. Allegro 11'40
8. Allegretto 7'19
9. Allegro assai 7'47
total time: 72'58
Recording: Henry Wood Hall, London 1993
Recording producer/engineer: Judith Sherman/Mike Hatch
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman

CD8
Piano Concertos No. 20 in D minor K466, No. 22 in E flat major K482
PIANO CONCERTO No. 20 in D minor K466
1. Allegro 13'50
2. Romanze 8'22
3. Allegro assai 7'42
PIANO CONCERTO No. 22 in E flat major K482
4. Allegro 13'54
5. Andante 8'48
6. Allegro 12'16
total time: 65'22
Recording: Henry Wood Hall, London 1993
Recording producer/engineer: Judith Sherman/Mike Hatch
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD9
Piano Concertos No. 18 in B flat major K456, No. 26 in D major K537 'Coronation Concerto'
PIANO CONCERTO No. 18 in B flat major K456
1. Allegro vivace 12'27
2. Andante un poco sostenuto 9'34
3. Allegro vivace 7'58
PIANO CONCERTO No. 26 in D major K537 'Coronation Concerto'
4. Allegro 14'23
5. Larghetto 6'03
6. Allegretto 10'52
total time: 61'54
Recording: Henry Wood Hall, London 1995
Recording producer/engineer: Judith Sherman/Mike Hatch
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD10
Piano Concertos No. 14 in E flat major K449, No. 4 in G major K41, No. 27 in B flat major K595
PIANO CONCERTO No. 14 in E flat major K449
1. Allegro vivace 8'47
2. Andantino 6'19
3. Allegro ma non troppo 6'08
PIANO CONCERTO No. 4 in G major K41
4. Allegro 4'58
5. Andante 3'49
6. Molto allegro 3'40
PIANO CONCERTO No. 27 in B flat major K595
7. Allegro 14'06
8. Larghetto 6'51
9. Rondo, alelgro 9'14
total time: 64'44
Recording: Henry Wood Hall, London 1993
Recording producer/engineer: Judith Sherman/Mike Hatch
Derek Han, piano
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Freeman
CD11
Concertos for 2 & 3 pianos, Concert Rondos
CONCERTO for 2 pianos & orchestra in E flat major KV 365
1. Allegro 9'43
2. Andante 8'11
3. Rondo, allegro 6'48
CONCERTO for 3 pianos & orchestra in F major KV 242
4. Allegro 7'47
5. Adagio 8'45
6. Rondo, tempo di minuetto 5'36
7. RONDO, for piano & orchestra in D major KV 382 8'39
8. RONDO, for piano & orchestra in A major KV 386 7'54
Total time: 63'52
Licensed from Hungaroton (1-6)
Licensed from Edel Classics GmbH, Germany (7-8)
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 99720 [approx. 11 hours 25 min.]

Joan Records

This fourth volume in the Brilliant Classics complete Mozart edition includes the 27 piano concertos and several other works for piano and orchestra: concertos for two or three pianos and rondos for piano and orchestra. It also includes some works by C. P. E. Bach, Mozart’s great friend and a major influence on his work.

Of Mozart’s 27 piano concertos, some of them stand out as masterpieces - especially the later ones. But others, the earliest ones, are little more than showpieces for the young virtuoso pianist on tour of Europe. Some of them are merely arrangements of music by other composers. Yet, in spite of their simplicity, especially in the orchestral scoring, ever the earliest concertos bear witness to Mozart’s genius.

The ninth concerto in E flat major, the "Jeunehomme" concerto, often considered Mozart’s "musical coming of age", was written for a French virtuoso keyboard player named Mademoiselle Jeunehomme. Written during her visit in Salzburg, when Mozart was 25, this concerto has some brilliant passages for piano in the second movement. This rapid Andantino shows a pianist searching to stand out by playing blistering runs all across the keyboard. But Mozart does not write mere virtuoso music here. The melodies are also brilliant, and, while the piano clearly outshines the orchestra, the accompanying instruments are not left behind.

In the late concertos, such as No. 25 in C major, where Mozart wrote the orchestral accompaniment in a very symphonic style, the orchestra is forceful and strong. The piano almost takes back seat in the long opening movement, Allegro maestoso, but comes into its own in the final Allegretto, with some playful melodies very well played by Derek Han.

The more playful early concertos come across very well. While the orchestral accompaniment is not as elaborate, the piano parts focus on virtuosity rather than melody. Han shows he is a fine pianist is both of these registers.

The sound is slightly flat - in the orchestra passages it tends to lack transparency. But the piano is generally recorded well, and is only occasionally overwhelmed by the orchestra; this occurs in some of the densest passages.

There is an added "bonus" - the first disc in the set contains three early concertos, arrangements of works by Johann Christian Bach, for harpsichord, 2 violins and basso continuo. While merely arrangements, these works give a glimpse of how Mozart’s music sounds on the harpsichord. This disc also contains three keyboard sonatas by Johann Christian Bach played on the clavichord, which are delightful works.

One general criticism of this set is the grouping of the concertos on the different CDs. The first eight discs, which contain the concertos, have no logical grouping, other than, perhaps, the need to fit them on the discs economically. This means that on one disc you find concertos no. 21, 1 and 25. It would perhaps be more interesting to hear the concertos in the order they were written, or, at least, grouped somewhat by period. This is not an absolute problem when listening to recordings of just a few of the concertos, but, with a complete set, it would make a bit more sense.

Once again, Brilliant Classics comes up with a very good set of Mozart’s works. While not perfect, these performances and recordings are fine. The budget price is an additional incentive for those interested in discovering all of Mozart’s works for piano and orchestra.

Kirk McElhearn


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