EMI "References" WILLI BOSKOVSKY & LILI KRAUS
This EMI Classics set of the complete Mozart violin sonatas is by far the best compilation that I know. The names Willi Boskovsky and Lili Kraus may be unfamiliar to many today, but in earlier years both of these performers were especially and equally famous and admired for their Mozart interpretations. Each of them spent a lifetime studying, living, and breathing Mozart - this was never a matter of a violinist and a pianist getting together and deciding "Hey, while we're at it, we could also record some Mozart."
By kaream
I nstead, as long-time admirers of each other's classic playing, they sought each other out for the specific purpose of recording these sonatas, and also a set of Mozart's piano trios together with Nikolaus Hübner on cello. The recordings were made in Paris and Vienna from 1954 through 1957, and all have superb sound with the best available technology for that period.
This boxed set consists of six CDs, in two jewel cases with three CDs each, together with a booklet giving detailed information. The sonatas are arranged chronologically rather than being mixed up. All of disc 1, and part of disc 2 contain the juvenile works: K.6, K.27, and K.55-59 are on disc 1. Disc 2 continues with K.60, then proceeds into Mozart's early maturity, with K.296 and K. 301-304. Disc 3 contains K.305 and K.306, then K.376 and K.377.
Moving to the second jewel case, disc 4 continues with K.378-380 and K.402. Disc 5 has K.403 and K.404, then K.454. Finally, disc 6 has the great K.481, K.526, and K.547 sonatas. (If ordering from a Marketplace seller be sure you're getting the complete 6-CD set.)
Other than this wonderfully idiomatic and wholly Mozartian set, Amazon offers several other complete versions. Probably the most familiar names to many will be Itzak Perlman and Daniel Barenboim. I have nothing against these performances, but overall I definitely prefer the interpretations and performance style of Boskovsky and Kraus. I would say the same generally applies to Hahn/Zhu, Mutter/Orkis, Szeryng/Haebler, and Stern/Bronfman, though each of these, fine musicians all, and others, will surely have their own champions.
Both Joseph Szigeti and Mieczyslaw Horszowski were marvelous musicians from an era when a player's projection of his or her own personal interpretations and individual styles of playing were considered to be much more important than they are today, and while some listeners will be wholly entranced by these, despite their more primitive recording technology, some other modern listeners may find their interpretations to be rather idiosyncratic. Finally, for enthusiasts of either "authentic" instruments and styles of playing, or of the very latest in audio technology - or both - the offerings of Podger and Cooper will give you those squeaks, squeals, honks and random pings in all their SACD glory.
--LINK--
(ape + cue , cover)
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing this wonderful music.
Post a Comment