Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Minuet for piano in G major, K. 1 (K. 1e)
2. Minuet for piano in F major, K. 2
3. Allegro for piano in B flat major, K. 3
4. Minuet for piano in F major, K. 4
5. Minuet for piano in F major, K. 5
6. Variations (8) on 'Laat ons juichen,' for piano in G major, K. 24
7. Variations (7) on 'Willem van Nassau,' for piano in D major, K. 25
8. Variations (6) on an original theme for piano in F major, K. 54 (K. 547b)
9. Minuet for piano in D major, K. 94 (K. 73h)
10. Variations (6) on Salieri's 'Mio caro adone,' for piano in G major, K. 180 (K. 173c)
11. Variations (12) on a minuet by J. C. Fischer, for piano in C major, K. 179 (K. 189a)
12. Piano Sonata No. 1 in C major, K. 279 (K. 189d): Allegro
13. Piano Sonata No. 1 in C major, K. 279 (K. 189d): Andante
14. Piano Sonata No. 1 in C major, K. 279 (K. 189d): Allegro
15. Piano Sonata No. 2 in F major, K. 280 (K. 189e): Allegro assai
16. Piano Sonata No. 2 in F major, K. 280 (K. 189e): Adagio
17. Piano Sonata No. 2 in F major, K. 280 (K. 189e): Presto
18. Piano Sonata No. 3 in B flat major, K. 281 (K.189f): Allegro
19. Piano Sonata No. 3 in B flat major, K. 281 (K.189f): Andante amoroso
20. Piano Sonata No. 3 in B flat major, K. 281 (K.189f): Rondeau, Allegro

Disc 2:

1. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major, K. 282 (K. 189g): Adagio
2. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major, K. 282 (K. 189g): Menuetto I & II
3. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major, K. 282 (K. 189g): Allegro
4. Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major, K. 283 (K. 189h): Allegro
5. Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major, K. 283 (K. 189h): Andante
6. Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major, K. 283 (K. 189h): Presto
7. Allegro for piano in G minor, K. 312 (K. 590d)
8. Piano Sonata No. 6 in D major, K. 284 (K. 205b): Allegro
9. Piano Sonata No. 6 in D major, K. 284 (K. 205b): Rondeau en Polonaise, Andante
10. Piano Sonata No. 6 in D major, K. 284 (K. 205b): Thema und 12 Variationen
11. Piano Sonata No. 7 in C major, K. 309 (K. 284b): Allegro con spirito
12. Piano Sonata No. 7 in C major, K. 309 (K. 284b): Andante un poco Adagio
13. Piano Sonata No. 7 in C major, K. 309 (K. 284b): Rondeau, Allegretto grazioso

Disc 3:

1. Piano Sonata No. 9 in D major, K. 311 (K. 284c): Allegro con spirito
2. Piano Sonata No. 9 in D major, K. 311 (K. 284c): Andante con espressione
3. Piano Sonata No. 9 in D major, K. 311 (K. 284c): Rondeau, Allegro
4. Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310 (K. 300d): Allegro maestoso
5. Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310 (K. 300d): Andante cantabile con espressione
6. Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310 (K. 300d): Presto
7. Variations (12) on 'Je suis Lindor,' for piano in E flat major, K. 354 (K. 299a)
8. Capriccio for piano in C major, K. 395 (K. 300g)
9. Variations (12) on 'Ah, vous dirai-je maman,' for piano in C major, K. 265 (K. 300e)
10. Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K. 330 (K. 300h): Allegro moderato
11. Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K. 330 (K. 300h): Andante cantabile
12. Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major, K. 330 (K. 300h): Allegretto

Disc 4:

1. Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major ('Alla Turca') K. 331 (K. 300i): Theme, Andante grazioso
2. Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major ('Alla Turca') K. 331 (K. 300i): Menuetto & Trio
3. Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major ('Alla Turca') K. 331 (K. 300i): Alla Turca, Allegretto
4. Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, K. 332 (K. 300k): Allegro
5. Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, K. 332 (K. 300k): Adagio
6. Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, K. 332 (K. 300k): Allegro assai
7. Variations (12) on 'La belle françoise,' for piano in E flat major, K. 353 (K. 300f)
8. Variations (9) on 'Lison dormait,' for piano in C major, K. 264 (K. 315d)
9. Piano Sonata No. 13 in B flat major, K. 333 (K. 315c): Allegro
10. Piano Sonata No. 13 in B flat major, K. 333 (K. 315c): Andante cantabile
11. Piano Sonata No. 13 in B flat major, K. 333 (K. 315c): Allegretto grazioso

Disc 5:

1. Minuets (8) for piano, K(2) 315a (K. 315g)
2. Variations (8) on 'Dieu d'amour,' for piano in F major, K. 352 (K. 374c)
3. Allegro for piano in B flat major (fragment), K. 400 (K. 372a)
4. Prelude and fugue for piano in C major, K. 394 (K. 383a)
5. Fugue for piano in G minor (fragment) K. 401 (K. 375e)
6. Movement for violin & piano (or piano solo) in C minor (fragment), K. 396 (K. 385f)
7. Fantasia for piano in D minor (fragment), K. 397 (K. 385g)
8. Suite for piano in C major (fragment), K. 399 (K. 385i)
9. Variations (6) on 'Salve tu, Domine,' for piano in F major, K. 398 (K. 416e)

Disc 6:

1. Kleiner Trauermarsch (Little Funeral March) for piano in C minor, (K. 453a)
2. Variations (8) on 'Come un agnello,' for piano in A major, K. 460 (K. 454a)
3. Variations (10) on 'Unser dummer Pöbel meint,' for piano in G major, K. 455
4. Fantasia for piano in C minor, K. 475
5. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K. 457: Allegro
6. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K. 457: Adagio
7. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K. 457: Molto allegro
8. Rondo for piano No. 1 in D major, K. 485
9. Movements for piano in B flat major (spuroius), K(3) 498a (K. Anh. C 25.04/05): Allegro
10. Movements for piano in B flat major (spuroius), K(3) 498a (K. Anh. C 25.04/05): Allegretto
11. Variations (12) on an anonymous allegretto for piano in B flat major, K. 500

Disc 7:

1. German dances (6) for orchestra, K. 509
2. Rondo for piano No. 3 in A minor, K. 511
3. Piano Sonata in F major, K. 533/494: Allegro
4. Piano Sonata in F major, K. 533/494: Andante
5. Piano Sonata in F major, K. 533/494: Rondo in F major, KV 494
6. Adagio for piano in B minor, K. 540
7. Piano Sonata No. 15 in C major ('Sonata semplice') K. 545: Allegro
8. Piano Sonata No. 15 in C major ('Sonata semplice') K. 545: Andante
9. Piano Sonata No. 15 in C major ('Sonata semplice') K. 545: Rondo, Allegretto
10. Allegro and Allegretto for piano in F major, K. Anh. 135 (K. 547a): Allegro
11. Allegro and Allegretto for piano in F major, K. Anh. 135 (K. 547a): Rondo, Allegretto

Disc 8:

1. Piano Sonata No. 16 in B flat major, K. 570: Allegro
2. Piano Sonata No. 16 in B flat major, K. 570: Adagio
3. Piano Sonata No. 16 in B flat major, K. 570: Allegretto
4. Variations (9) on a minuet by Duport for piano in D major, K. 573
5. Gigue for piano in G major ('Eine kleine Gigue'), K. 574
6. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D major ('Trumpet', 'Hunt'), K. 576: Allegro
7. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D major ('Trumpet', 'Hunt'), K. 576: Adagio
8. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D major ('Trumpet', 'Hunt'), K. 576: Allegretto
9. Andantino for piano in E flat major, K. 236 (K. 588b)
10. Minuet for piano in D major, K. 355 (K. 576b)
11. Adagio for glass harmonica in C major, K. 356 (K. 617a)
12. Variations (8) on 'Ein Weib ist das herrlichste Ding,' for piano in F major, K. 613
13. Andante for mechanical organ in F major, K. 616

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #233669 in Music
• Released on: 1991-07-01
• Number of discs: 8
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .88 pounds

Customer Reviews

Mozart at his best
These interpretations of Mozart have been part of my library since I was 14, back in the 70's. Originally issued by Angel in the mid 50's, they were rereleased on Seraphim, which was then the budget label for Angel.

Listening to these recordings, one cannot help but notice the attention Gieseking gives to the steady timing. He does not take the liberties that other pianists have been known to take with some music of this era.

Is it any wonder that some musical purists consider these interpretations seminal? These CD's are a worthy addition to any classical library (although I can't help but reminisce about the fact that I paid $27.39 for the 11 record set when I bought it almost 30 years ago).

Get Past The Sound - It's A Treasure
Yes, they are old recordings, but that's part of the appeal. I've spent twenty years listening to the digitally recorded Mitsuko Uchida and Daniel Barenboim sets, so this took some getting used to for the fact that it's more distantly mic'd and with thinner frequency response, but after a few listenings as background music, they become light, lovely raindrops. A plus is that it includes works that are often neglected in sonata collections, like the little pieces Mozart wrote when he was five and six years old. This may not be your first choice unless you like to start with old recordings and move to newer ones, but if you are collecting more than one set, don't miss Gieseking.

Full Price for a Boxset of Mono Records That Comes in 8

There is an Amazon.com review (on Annie Fischer's Complete Beethoven Sonatas) which says Geiseking's Mozart are all "faceless and anonymous". As I don't really know when I will finish listening to them all, I am really in no position to say one way or the other.

After having heard more than half of them, my first impression is, his playing is very disciplined, yet with a lot of grace and style. But contrary to what one may expect, Geiseking could also be surprisingly slow in tempo at times. Yes, he could be poetic too, but he hardly swings. His 511, for instance, could perhaps be a little more poetic. His left hand, perhaps rightly so for Mozart, never thunders. But when the drama of the music requires so, it could be very explosive. Otherwise, his left hand is always at least one step down if not two, be it harmonic or polyphonic...

I don't refer to Geiseking's Mozart that often as I like his Songs Without Words better, and I like his Debussy even more. His Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 is one of the best that one could expect. Finally on the recording. For recording of the 50's with such a label concerning an artist of his stature, I'm afraid the sound quality is somewhat below expectation. All in all, I expect the price of these historic recordings to come down a bit for the benefit of all Mozart lovers.