1756-1791
I would normally add some background information about a composer here, but with so much scholarly material behind Mozart, what could I possibly add?
Of the Big 3 from the Classical Era, I most revere Haydn and Beethoven. The former for his humor and inventiveness, the latter for his bucking of traditions.
I must admit I have kept Mozart at a distance, but mostly so as to keep his music fresh on my palate. There is beauty, certainly; there is his way with a melody and its development. His music sounds natural and unforced, as if the ease with which he composed is an intimate secret between the listener and the composer.
Since I tend to listen to the Romantic Era and 20th Century music primarily, Mozart's compositions can be a balm for this listener; yet if I listen to too much at once, I can set his music aside as too simple or similar. This is my fault, not the composer's.
Mozart composed a daunting amount of music, as did Haydn for that matter, so I take it slow with the composer. This means I will be slow to add anything to his recordings page, particularly his operas, a genre I don't get around to often.
Recordings and reviews currently on hand (Click below to visit):
I have arranged our review links by recording date as well as by works below that.
The recording reviews cover the recording as a whole, while the work series, at the bottom, are our comments on the individual CDs from a larger set, breaking our thoughts down to focus more on the individual works and performances.
By Recording Date
1988: Piano Concertos 1-4 (Ashkenazy)
1988: Requiem (de Burgos)
1990: Overtures (Vonk)
1994: Requiem & Masses (Marriner set)
1980: Coronation Mass (Marriner)
1987: Requiem (Marriner)
1999: Overtures (Davis)
2011: Piano Concertos (Zacharias set)
2013: Mass in C minor (Leppard)
2018: Magic Flute (Bohm)
2019: Don Giovanni (Fricsay)
2023: Marriage of Figaro (Bohm)
1988: Piano Concertos 1-4 (Ashkenazy)
1988: Requiem (de Burgos)
1990: Overtures (Vonk)
1994: Requiem & Masses (Marriner set)
1980: Coronation Mass (Marriner)
1987: Requiem (Marriner)
1999: Overtures (Davis)
2011: Piano Concertos (Zacharias set)
2013: Mass in C minor (Leppard)
2018: Magic Flute (Bohm)
2019: Don Giovanni (Fricsay)
2023: Marriage of Figaro (Bohm)
Works Series
Piano Concertos
PC 1-4
PC 5 & 6
PC 7, 10, K. 448
PC 8 & 9
PC 11 & 12
PC 13 - 15
PC 16 & 17
PC 18 & 19
PC 20 & 21
PC 22 & 23
PC 24 & 25
PC 26 & 27