Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jeffrey Tate, English Chamber Orchestra :: Mozart: The Piano Concertos [Box Set]

Tompee Z. (tompee) from CASTAIC, CA
Reviewed on 2/18/2009...

awesome import only box set

Before you buy this set, be warned

Tom Poore | South Euclid, OH | 01/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The five stars are for the performances and recordings. For my taste, Uchida and Tate are the ones to have for the Mozart concertos. But there are two things you should know before you buy this set:



1) The first four of Mozart's numbered concertos are not included. Actually, these aren't really by Mozart--they're his arrangements of music by other composers. Frankly, I don't miss them.



2) Both the 16th and the 19th concertos are begun on one disk and continued on another. Obviously this is a cost-cutting measure. But I find it annoying to have to shuttle between two disks to hear one concerto. I dealt with this by burning concertos 16 and 19 to a single disk and including it with my boxed set. If you don't want to do this, or you don't have the equipment to burn a CD, then you need to decide if shuttling between two CDs for these two concertos is worth the money you'll save in buying this budget set. Spreading a single Mozart concerto over two disks is simply unacceptable--an example of a decision made by people with no aesthetic judgment. Either redo the order of the concertos in the 8 disk set, or add one more disk.



The music and performances, of course, are sublime. The perfection of Mozart's music is matched by Uchida's flawless and tasteful playing."

Mozart according to Mitsuko

Frank Bunyard | Elk Grove, CA USA | 11/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mitsuko Uchida is a brilliant technician who pours her heart and soul into this reading of the Mozart concertos. This is "Mozart-plus-Mitsuko." Her charismatic performance is what makes this set of concertos unique and in my mind superior to all others. There is a close contender, the interpretation by Rudolf Buchbinder. Uchida is more profound, but Buchbinder's energetic precision qualifies him as the first runner-up.



But there is really no comparing the two. Buchbinder has an entirely different approach and is an entirely different person. One might classify Uchida's style as "romantic" and Buchbinder's as "classical." Uchida's evocative style comes from her inner warmth and passion. Her incredible virtuosity illuminates the depth of character of both Mozart and Mitsuko.



Mitsuko Uchida achieves those rare moments in great art when the revelation of divinity from the composer's inspired genius is passed through the performer's hands to inspire the audience. It works a kind of miraculous therapy.



The English Chamber Orchestra is brilliant under the baton of Jeffrey Tate. The orchestra sounds more focused and articulate than in the Murray Perahia concertos (under his own direction).



P.S. Theologian Karl Barth said that when the Angels play for God, they play Bach. But when they are relaxing by themselves, they play Mozart. I recommend both the Uchida and the Buchbinder. I think the Angels would prefer Mitsuko.

"