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| Mozart: The Complete Piano Concertos | 
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| Creators: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Murray Perahia, English Chamber Orchestra, Radu Lupu
Label: Sony
Category: Music
List Price: $79.98
Buy New: $57.30
You Save: $22.68 (28%)
Buy New/Used from $57.30
Avg. Customer Rating:  (9 reviews)
Sales Rank: 20424
Format: Box Set
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 12
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 5.3 x 5.1 x 1.7
MPN: 87230
UPC: 828768723029
EAN: 0828768723029
ASIN: B000GLKLCK
Release Date: August 22, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-9 of 9 | | « PREV | | |
You Will Be Blown Away... August 10, 2007
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
I've listened to Mozart's piano concertos in one form or another for several years and I've never heard them played as magnificently as Perahia does here. The English Chamber Orchestra sounds lush and full, but it's Perahia's lucid, mellifluous tone that will make you happy you shelled out the money for this set. And by the way, the early and middle Concertos are wonderful and have many many moments of pure vintage Mozart beauty; don't get stuck only listening to the well known ones (21, 23, 25 etc...)
In addition to the joy you'll get in listening to these concertos (surely some of Mozart's finest creations), these also function as a fine introduction to the style and sound of Mozart's greatest music: his operas. In many of these concertos, Mozart uses the interplay between the piano and the orchestra in similar fashion to how he would later use voice and orchestra in his operas. Before listening to these concertos I had very little interest in opera. I've since become quite fan and I love Mozart's three Da Ponte operas (Le Nozze Di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi Fan Tutte) as well as Die Zauberflote.
remastered classic performances May 7, 2007
31 out of 32 found this review helpful
The performances on this 12 disc set have been praised since they were orginally issued in the late 1970s and through the 1980s. I have other complete sets and individual discs of these works, and I find myself returning to Perahia as my favorites. He has astounding tone and sense of rhythm, and the English Chamber Orchestra is in lock step with him throughout I am sure in part due to the fact that Perahia conducted them from the keyboard.
What makes this 2006 reissue even more special? First, Sony remastered all of the recordings using their Direct Stream Digital process and SBM direct. What this means is that the sound sparkles with a realism that was lacking before. In addition, the set is packaged in sturdy envelopes and a cardboard case that takes a little over an inch of shelf space. It saves you money, and takes up much less space that traditional jewel case require.
A legendary set, with recent technical improvements, at a great price.
Highest of recommendations!
The best complete set out there. November 22, 2006
54 out of 56 found this review helpful
Sure, there are better performances of individual concertos - after all, Perahia is competing against a century of recorded legacy by legends such as Maria Yudina, Rudolf Serkin, Clifford Curzon, Robert Casadesus, and the immaculate Clara Haskil.
But what makes this set truly outstanding is the harmony between Perahia and the English Chamber Orchestra. In this aspect only, this is one of the most beautiful concerto playing I have ever heard.
And of course, you have Perahia's pianism. Some may criticize him for lack of emotional content - but even his detractors can't deny that his cultivated tone is unrivaled. And come on, Perahia's playing does not lack emotional content or interpretive genius. I can't believe anyone would even try to level that argument against Perahia. Just listen to his performances on, for example, Schumann's Symphonic Etudes. His performance captures the sense of melancholy like no other.
I do agree, however, that on this Mozart concerto set one may find a lack of variance. This is the only problem I have with Perahia.. his tone is always so beautiful that it's analogous to Ella Fitzgerald - sometimes she had a hard time making us feel dirty or sad. Needless to say, there are poignant moments - but perhaps Alfred Brendel beats Perahia in sacrificing tone for interpretive brilliance.
Overall, however, this set is the best representation of Mozart's Piano concertos. Brendel's is, apart from being expensive, more inconsistent. I find Brendel more of a Beethoven pianist. Perahia, however, manages to leave behind 12 cd's that undoubtedly will remain one of the most divine, beautiful accounts of Mozart concertos for days to come.
An Indispensible classic, plain and simple August 31, 2006
28 out of 41 found this review helpful
This new remastered edition gives this the best sound quality ever for these classic recordings . A must have at a resonable price.
Enjoy!
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