Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Andante cantabile
3. 3. Allegretto grazioso
4. 1. Allegro
5. 2. Andante
6. 3. Rondo
7. Adagio
8. Allegro
9. Andantino
10. 1. Molto Allegro
11. 2. Adagio
12. 3. Allegro assai

Disc 2:

1. 1. Andante grazioso
2. 2. Menuetto
3. 3. Alla turca: Allegretto
4. 1. Allegro maestoso
5. 2. Andante cantabile con espressione
6. 3. Presto
7. 1. Allegro
8. 2. Adagio
9. 3. Allegretto

Disc 3:

1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Andante
3. 3. Rondo: Allegretto
4. 1. Allegro
5. 2. Andante amoroso
6. 3. Rondeau: Allegro
7. 1. Allegro con spirito
8. 2. Andante con espressione
9. 3. Rondeau: Allegro
10. 1. Allegro con spirito
11. 2. Andante un poco adagio
12. 3. Rondeau: Allegretto grazioso

Disc 4:

1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Rondo en polonaise: Andante
3. 3. Theme & variations
4. 1. Allegro
5. 2. Andante
6. 3. Presto
7. 1. Allegro moderato
8. 2. Andante cantabile
9. 3. Allegretto
10. 1. Allegro assai
11. 2. Adagio
12. 3. Presto

Disc 5:

1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Andante
3. 3. Allegro
4. 1. Adagio
5. 2. Menuetto 1 - Menuetto 2 - Menuetto 1
6. 3. Allegro
7. 1. Allegro
8. 2. Adagio
9. 3. Allegro assai
10. 1. Allegro
11. 2. Adagio
12. 3. Allegretto

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #112945 in Music
• Released on: 1997-06-24
• Number of discs: 5
• Format: Box set

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Sound, Great Playing
Besides the famous sonata facile in C major, none of Mozart's sonatas have recived the popularity of Beethoven's or Haydn's. Unlike the latter two who wrote their sonata for advanced musicans, Mozart's sonatas were intended for ametures and students. Thus, they have been dismissed and put aside to make room for the 27 grand concertos, where Mozart's real brilliance is shown. However, the sonata's are not to be dismissed. Though they lack much complexity, their beauty and typical Mozartian grace radiate.

Here, Andras Schiff plays the sonata's perfectly. The first time I heard them, I was disappointed because I felt there was not enough grandeur and emotion. However, these are not the emotional sonata's of Beethoven. These are works deeply rooted in the classical style. It would be musically incorrect to play these sonatas with sweeping dynamics and huge cords. Schiff plays all the sonatas with this beautiful quietness that lets the grace of each sonata come through. His masterful hands play each peice with delicate beauty. The B-flat sonata and the famous C-minor sonata and Fantasia are the best in the set. They are played wonderfully. Also, the Turkish March is great fun and quite beautiful. All in all, this is a great set at a great price with a great sound.

Elegant Performances of Mozart's Piano Sonatas
Andras Schiff plays these Mozart piano sonatas with much elegance and grace. Unlike Christoph Eschenbach's Romantic view of these scores, Schiff emphasizes style and technique over emotion. His tempi sound just right. Decca's sound recording is absolutely first rate for an early digital recording. Both Grammophone and Penguin CD guides regard Schiff's performances as definitive. Without question, this is a fine set of Mozart's piano music worth owning.

Honest approach; admirable musicality!
From the first time I listened this portentous keyboard 's artist, I was literally engaged with his admirable tune and austerity, that does not diminishes, nevertheless the magnificent lyricism and notorious expression.

The First Sonata finds in Schiff in plenitude of expression and blithesomeness. One of his best achievements along the set. The allegro is lovable and joyous. The Andante is one of the most inspired in Mozart 's repertoire and somehow we are in presence once more, of these accustomed leaps to the future: elegance and lyricism without affection.

The K. 282 is a perfumed performance. It possesses that precocious inspiration and maturity; it is strongly influenced by Haydn accents, but Mozart begins to show his artistic profile. The phrasing is seductive and involving. The Adagio can not be better played.

I must recognize I love this Sonata K. 332. It is so vivid, so filled of pristine nuance and gentle charm. Schiff 's exuberant pianism elevates the stature of this work. I must recognize the Adagio is slightly fast, lacking certain grade of introspective character. But he plays with such majestic and grace , letting the notes float in the air. The sublime arpeggio just before the recapitulation is terrific.

The Sonata K. 570 is one of the most mature works of Mozart. It is far to be at the same level of the Sonata K. 457 (to my mind his best achieved sonata), but it is so expressive, fragile and captivating that hardly you will be able t forget it, but is played with such conviction grade and excel phrasing that results hard to forget. I love this apparent pertness in the first section of the Adagio, that permits to play it with a fabulous perpetual beating, and so link with the second section evidently more darker and expressive, and return to the initial exposition loaded with minor anguish and wise innocence. Schiff returns and plays more restrained, having made the journey, with outstanding results. The apotheosis of the genuine irreverence and seductive charm is the Operatic final: so free and crystalline; engaging and delightful. One of the great knacks of Mr. Schiff.

In what the Sixth concerns we must establish this is a transient work; in Mozart that represents usually a leap to future; in similar way Amadeus makes the same with the Andante of the Ninth Piano Concert. The center of gravity of course, the Theme with Variations; if you pay special attention there is a very brief cite to the opening note of the later K. 331 's First Movement , and is made twice; in the second movement and antepenultimate variation for brief instants. The reading is interesting though Schiff does not reach the lovable expression of Glenn Gould or for instance the Beethovenian but valid approach of Daniel Barenboim.

The Sonata K. 330 is to many one of the happiest and freest works ever written by Mozart in any genre. He is certainly in the peak of his creative powers and Schiff 's inflections are remarkable, his crystalline phrasing and warmth expression involve the whole Sonata.The Allegro Moderato is blithe loaded with this characteristic savoir vivre of this age of Salzburg 's son. The Andante Cantabile is without doubt one of the glorious peaks in the music. The serene beauty of his melodic song is spelling and arresting and Schiff plays it with dreamy atmosphere; the Andante breaths not only a discrete charm but a hidden shadow of premonitory tragic lament, to link with an enigmatic pianissimo the initial theme more restrained and contemplative still than the first exposition. I find the K 331 a bit fast and sad, without that spring breath, specially in the First Movement. It is so graceful that constitutes as the First Movement of the Sonata 15 a true nest 's song , lovable and expressive.

The K 310 is to my mind his best achievement of the whole set. Admirable conception and well built atmosphere of eloquent expressiveness.

In sum, a memorable set that deserves to be part of your invaluable collection.