More of Brendel's recent survey--wonderful playing and recorded sound.

Don't let the picture on the cover fool you, these performances are from Brendel's pre-Phillips days, when he recorded for the Vanquard label. Some collectors prefer the younger Brendel in Mozart, which is why I include them.

One of Brendel's better recordings from his superb earlier survey for Phillips. It is also included in the Phillips Duo series (2 for the price of 1), along with other sonatas, which is both less expensive and more desirable; however, I don't seem to be able to find it here. Which is too bad because it makes an excellent entry point for those wishing to buy only one release.

His second recording of Sonata K. 310, made from Lipatti's last concert--he was dying of Leukemia, and wanted badly to give his fans one more concert. So, his doctors doped him up on morphine so that he could play, and even though he hadn't touched a piano in weeks--this is the incredible concert that he played that night. A testament to genius.

This is volume one of a full set of Mozart sonatas, played by Elizabeth Rich. Her playing of these sonatas has just the right sense of scale--that is, she doesn't pound the keys too hard, which I think Mozart would have approved of, and her interpretations are unique and insightful.

Volume three of Rich's complete survey.

Volume five of Rich's complete survey. This is one of the better issues in her cycle. She astutely includes Beethoven's "Pathetique" Op. 13, which was undoubtedly composed as an homage to Mozart (there is a variation on Mozart's K. 457 within the piece). Judging from the sadness that Beethoven expresses here, it appears that the two composers did know each other better than we perhaps realize.

A live concert that Sviatoslav Richter gave at the Barbican Center in London, and it is digitally recorded. Richter wasn't especially known for his Mozart, yet ironically Mozart was one of his favorite composers (along with Bach and Chopin).

This is the same Brautigam set as above, but it now also includes--in addition to the complete sonatas--all of Mozart's wonderful "variations" for the pianoforte. Great playing, and all very well recorded, but unfortunately it is also more expensive.

Bilson is another pianforte player whose Mozart recordings I have enjoyed, especially his wonderful set of Mozart Piano Concertos with John Eliot Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists (and particularly K.466/ K.467). Excellent playing.

This is the latest "discount" release of the Pires set below. Well recorded and fine playing. Pires has amazingly nimble and quick hands, which are perfect for playing Mozart (and Bach). This is an excellent way to acquire a complete set of the sonatas at a very reduced price ($28).

A very recommendable set of performances from pianist Christoph Eschenbach, which is available at an attractive price ($23). The performances are analogue, yet the sound is surprisingly good, and remarkably life-like.

Here is a much less expensive way to sample some of Haebler's Mozart playing. The performances here are drawn from her earlier Phillips set--on the excellent Eloquence label (an Australian import). Haebler was a student of Rudoph Serkin, and definitely has something to say in this music.

Here is another "out of print" issue from de Larrocha's Decca or London years. These are analogue recordings that were released during the early days of the CD (mid-1980s), so the piano timbre sounds a little thin in the upper registers, but the playing is great. Also, this CD does duplicate two of the sonatas from the "Great Pianists" release above.

For those who wish to avoid the discount set, I have also included de Larrocha's RCA recordings in their original releases. This is volume 1, and includes Piano Sonatas K. 283, 331, 332, 333. The sound quality in this series tends to be first rate--especially volume 5--very natural and life-like.

Volume 3--Piano Sonatas K. 309, 310, 311, and 330. Like Horszowski, de Larrocha's approach to Mozart is very classical. Don't expect touches of romanticism or any excessive lingering--you won't get it here. However, what you do get is a lovely piano tone, and playing of exceptional beauty.

Volume 5--this is the final volume, and includes Piano Sonatas K. 533, 570, 576, and Rondo, K. 511. I was listening to this CD in the car the other day, and was struck by what a wonderful improvisatory sense de Larrocha has in this music--something that is so rare today, and so vitally important to Mozart playing. I must admit I've underrated her RCA Mozart series in the past.

Edit: Volume 1 of Horszowski's survey of Mozart Sonatas on the Arbiter label has become available, and so I am finally able to add it to my list. Unfortunately, at $87 it is a bit pricey, but the series has apparently gone out of print. Suffice it to say that the great Theodor Leschetizky, with whom Horszowski studied, once said-- "Mozart is in Horzsowski's soul."