The Complete Mozart Piano Concertos, Vol. 4

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major ("Jeunehomme") K. 271 Cadenzas by W.A. Mozart
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

2. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, K. 39 Cadenzas by Lili Kraus
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

3. Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414 (K. 385p)
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Tracks:

Allegro
Adagio
Allegro Assai
(Allegro)
Larghetto
(Allegretto)

Tracks:

Allegro Maestoso
Andante
Allegretto
Allegro Assai
Andante
Allegro Di Molto
Rondo

Tracks:

Allegro
Allegretto
Allegro Assai
Allegro Aperto
Andante Un Poco Adagio
Rondeau: Allegro
Allegro Aperto
Andante
Rondeau: Temp Di Menuetto

Tracks:

Allegro
Larghetto
Allegretto
Allegro
Andante Ma Poco Adagio
Allegro
Rondo

Tracks:

Allegro
Andante
Allegro
Allegro
Adagio
Rondeau: Tempo Di Menuetto
Allegro
Andante
Rondeau: Allegro

Tracks:

Allegro
Andante
Allegro
Allegro Spiritoso
Andante
Molto Allegro
Allegro Maestoso
Andante
Presto
Allegro
Andante
Molto Allegro

Customer Reviews:

All hail Naxos!.......2007-01-18

THIS is the complete set of Mozart piano concertos to own and treasure for a lifetime. It's fascinating to hear Mozart's considerable development through the concerto form, and becomes much more with this collection of performances by Concentus Hungaricus and the bewitchingly thoughtful playing of pianist Jeno Jando. Add to that the stellar acoustic ambience afforded throughout by gifted Naxos' engineers, and you have a compelling set indeed. I turn to these Mozart piano concerto recordings again and again. I admire Maria Joao Pires' Mozart, and Gilel's great recording of the 27th, but these recordings surpass others in constancy, beauty, and especially tempi. The vital balance between orchestra and soloist is superior here. That delicate balance is always alive, revealing and assured - completely rewarding in every way. Any single disc of these concertos will give lasting pleasure, but listening to a string of these musical wonders is a revelation. Don't hesitate for an instant to purchase the complete set at this price. Jando uses Mozart's cadenzas for the most part, and that considered choice is the right one. Without question a musician's set of Mozart concertos. The orchestra dives straight to the heart of Mozart's amazing works, and Jando masters one revealing moment after another. What could be finer? This is perfect music making. A hundred stars and a definite recommendation. Life-sustaining music, and performances that express that where Mozart is, there is the divine art.

Great Mozart Performances.......2002-06-18

I'd heard about 10 of the Mozart concertos before I bought the complete set (i.e. the 2 Naxos volumes making up the complete set). Only when I bought the complete set, did I realize what I'd been missing in not hearing the other concertos! Having the complete set lets one fully appreciate Mozart's growth and ever increasing confidence in his handling of this medium.

Alfred Einsteid notes that of Mozart's symphonies, perhaps 4 belong to the greatest realms of musice (although that seems kind of harsh!), of the quartets, perhaps 10 of 30, but he concludes that of the piano concertos, only 5 are not of the highest standards. That alone should be recommendation enough to buy the complete Mozart concertos.

I had not realized how late many of these compositions were - from number 11 onwards, they were all written in his "later" Vienna years. Prior to this, he had already composed almost all of his wind concertos, and the violin concertos.

Regarding the performances on this set - they are wonderful. I've heard numerous performances of some of these concertos, and the Jando performances can stand up to any others I have heard. The only slightly disappointing performance is the double concerto (No. 10), which does not seem to sparkle as much as some other performances I have heard. These performances are very "straight" - none of the attempts to make the music more "emotional" by tempo variations or sudden dynamic changes. Jando lets the music talk for itself - and how wonderfully it does just that. Also, original cadenzas - where extant - are played throughout, and the Mozart cadenzas are much more satisfying than others I have heard.

One day in the car I happened to turn on the radio in the middle of Number 15. I knew the Jando performance, and listened almost in disbelief - how could this concerto be the same I had back at home? The performance was dead - almost as though the melody had been taken from the music. It turned out the performer was Rudolph Serkin. I put on the Jando performance as soon as I got home. What a difference! Suddenly the music was alive and vibrant, and one could almost sense the joy that the performers were getting from the music.

Another wonderful aspect of these performances is the balance between the piano and the orchestra. In many places in these concertos the melody line weaves from the piano to the orchestra, and these performances never drown out the melody line as it moves between the two.

When you have the complete set, only then can you really appreciate the miracle that took place when Mozart wrote number 20, since you can better compare this concerto with the ones that came before; one can truly appreciate how, with concerto number 9, Mozart's music reached even greater heights than in the compositions that came before. And one can hear some of those gems that are not as well known as the others - such as number 17 and 18.

My only complaint with this set is that occasionally one can hear Jando humming, and I find that quite distracting when listening to a few of the performances. Aside from this complaint, this CD set gets a definite 5 star rating. And that is not to mention that it is a bargain price to boot!

Bargain price for fine performances........2001-07-29

Every time I purchase a bargain classical CD, I am always a little afraid that either the performance or sound quality will be substandard. These performance are clear, beautifully performed and recorded. The acoustics are warm, and the tempos are just right. Thanks, Naxos, for making some of my favorite music and quality performances and recordings affordable. If you enjoy Mozart and want to become familiar with these works, this set is worth the asking price. An experienced connoisseur might find a flaw or two with something, but I majored in music and have been a collector for years and can still recommend this set with no reservations.