Since there is no "definitive" set.... and they are old audio, if available (maybe on Naxos), but ANNIE FISCHER needs to be mentioned in a Mozart Piano Concerto thread, really.

 

I see that you feel about Fischer the way I feel about Curzon! And Fischer, for that matter.

 

Malcolm Bilson on the forte piano with John Elliot Gardner.

 

Exactly. This is the definitive set. I really like Friederich Gulda too, he creates a forte-piano like sound on a conventional modern grand concert piano, but he has only recorded a few of the concerts.

 

There is absolutely nothing "definitive" about my list given below except that it happens to comprise the set that I have singled out as my personal favourites, among hundreds of recordings that I've picked up over the years. I can't now remember why I selected any of them, except that they're all based on a good comparative listen. I daresay that if I were to go through the whole lot yet again I might come up with a different list.

Of those pianists mentioned by others, I would say that I don't much care for Glenn Gould's Mozart. I don't like the guy's playing except for Bach, and even then I prefer others'. Argerich is not much good for Mozart. Horowitz ditto. One of my overall favourite pianists is Maria João Pires, and I'd buy more of her Mozart piano concerto CDs if I were in the market for yet more of Mozart, but I'm not. Perahia is another favourite, as to is Mitsuko Uchida and Ingrid Haebler. I also like both Ashkenazy and Barenboim, and either of their sets (of the later concertos) would be a good starting point.

1 K 037 - No 1, Ashkenazy
2 K 039 - No 2, Barenboim
3 K 040 - No 3, Anda
4 K 041 - No 4, Perahia
5 K 175 - No 5, Uchida
6 K 238 - No 6, Greilsammer
7 K 242 - Concerto for 3 pianos in F major, Lodron, Ashkenazy, Barenboim, Fou Ts'ong 8
8 K 246 - No 8, Lützow, Kocsis
9 K 271 - No 9, "Jeunehomme", Kraus
10 K 365 - Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra, Elena & Emil Gilels
11 K 413 - No 11, Haebler
12 K 414 - No 12, Pires
13 K 415 - No 13, Jando
14 K 449 - No 14, "1st Ployer", Moravec
15 K 450 - No 15, Kempff
16 K 451 - No 16, Schiff
17 K 453 - No 17, "2nd Ployer", Pires,
18 K 456 - No 18, "Paradies", Goode
19 K 459 - No 19, Pollini
20 K 466 - No 20, Ashkenazy
21 K 467 - No 21, Ashkenazy
22 K 482 - No 22, Richter
23 K 488 - No 23, Pollini
24 K 491 - No 24, Ashkenazy
25 K 503 - No 25, Serkin
26 K 537 - No 26, "Coronation", Uchida
27 K 595 - No 27, Uchida

 

For 20 and 21 Gulda

 

Or shelley, of course

 

This one is also a great set. Reviews on Amazon are greatly favorable.

 

I don't think there can be anything like a "definitive" recording of Mozart's concertos. There are fine performances by far too many. Still... a great many would argue in favor of the great Murray Perahia set and it certainly is among the best.

:tiphat:

 

Love Geza Anda's recordings.

 

I suppose it's fairly irrelevant, being off the beaten path, but... the old recording of Kv. 271 with Igor Kipnis on harpsichord is fascinating. So is the history around the work. The dedicatee and first performer was much more famous as a harpsichordist than as a pianist. Sister Nannette played the work (the next season?) in concert - on a harpsichord.

 

Maria João Pres

First let me say that there is NOTHING definitive in art, there is NOTHING definitive in musical interpretation. Or in other words the definitive is still to come!

Saying that and not repeating all the others before me of course you have great sets by Uchida, by Perahia, by Geza Anda, Malcolm Bilson and some others within the set by van Immerseel on fortepiano.

But I would recommend you one of the finest Mozart piano players: Maria João Pires.

Try the two CDs she recorded with Abbado:

(n.17 & 21)

(n.14 & 26)

 

There is, of course, no 'definite' set. I have both Perahia and Brendel who are both very good in different ways.
Gilels special in no 27 and K365
Gould good in No 24 as is Solomon.
Kempff a great Mozartian.
Fischer fantastic in 21 & 22
Argerich in 25
Serkin's earlier performances were great with Szell and Ormandy. Avoid the later ones with Abbado where his technique had gone.

 

If there is one set I wouldn't want to be without its Géza Anda.:tiphat:

 

I've always enjoyed the performances by Richard Goode and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. For me, they hit the perfect balance between too round and too sharp (so to speak). Not a complete set, but most of the best ones: 9, 17-20, 23-25, and 27.

 

Yes! If any stand out above the others it is those! They never attracted the attention they deserved - they are not showy at all - but are all very deeply satisfying. Recordings to treasure over decades of listening. What a shame there are no more - 21 and 22 at least should have been recorded.

 

It's quite simple really. For all his Piano Concertos and Sonatas it has to be Jenő Jandó

 

You're going to get tons of different answers to this question.

I have literally hundreds of recordings of Mozart's Piano Concertos, and none of them are "definitive" for me. It all depends on how you like your Mozart. Lyrical or Romantic or Introspective or Baroque or Powerful. I like to switch around so I'm not completely set in my ways when it comes to the Piano Concertos (Mozart's Piano Sonatas is a different matter).

If you want a complete set so you can hear everything for a very nice price, my recommendation is to get the set from Murray Perahia.

The Brendel set with Neville Marriner is also very nice. I'm not really a fan of the Ashkenazy set. Barenboim is ok in spots. Anda I'm not real big on. Uchida is ok most of the time. Schiff is good. Jando is ok. But others will disagree because they aren't looking for the same qualities in the work that I am. The only thing you can do is try a few and see what you like.

 

Search TC on Lili Kraus for my opinion.

 

She did them for Columbia with the Vienna Festival Orchestra cond. Stephen Simon in 1973 and performed them on American TV about that time. They were not issued in the UK to my knowledge but they should be now ,I have never heard better and I listen to her often.

 

Anda and Perahia for me...

 

I have gained much pleasure from the EMI set of Scnabel's Mozart recordings, also Kempff's recording of K.467 and K.482 with the Bavarian RSO/Klee on DG- this was Kempff's last recording made when he was 87, and it's wonderful. Solomon's few recordings of Mozart are most enjoyable. Likewise Clifford Curzon.

 

There is no such thing. When a man writes over 20 piano concertos, no single pianist can perform all of them to one's satisfaction.

The one Mozart piano concerto performance that has stood the test of time is Artur Rubinstein's of the 23rd in A Major. Never heard a better one.

 

Over all Anda, DG
Modern, Uchida/Tate, Philips

 

Many great ones have been mentioned; but I must add that I myself have a soft spot for Szell/Casadesus. All their recordings are available in a cheap box set, for those interested.

 

Yes, I have some of these. Great Mozartean of his type.

 

The Czech pianist Ivan Moravec passed away recently. I have been listening to his 1995 recording of the splendid No. 25 (K503) with ASMF and Neville Marriner. A truly great recording of the work that is majestic and profound in equal measure - precisely the characteristics of this particular concerto.

 

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The Czech pianist Ivan Moravec passed away recently. I have been listening to his 1995 recording of the splendid No. 25 (K503) with ASMF and Neville Marriner. A truly great recording of the work that is majestic and profound in equal measure - precisely the characteristics of this particular concerto.

I listened to some of PC24 last night but was but off by pretty uninspiring playing from Marriner. I tried Harnoncourt/Lang Lang after in the same concerto and Harnoncourt's direction really reveals the mediocrity of Marriners. Of course Lang doesn't have the tone of Moravec, but the performance is full of ideas, especially in the first movement.

 

This set is widely regarded as a benchmark and ArtMusic has a set himself,

 

Mozart piano concertos are my favorites by my favorite composer! I've listened a lot to Perahia & Pires, but they have been mentioned. I also like Ronald Brautigam playing on fortepiano.

 

Mozart piano concertos are my favorites by my favorite composer! I've listened a lot to Perahia & Pires, but they have been mentioned. I also like Ronald Brautigam playing on fortepiano.

Ronald Brautigam's delightful performances on BIS are most welcome additions to my collection as well. :tiphat:

 

Anda, Perahia, Uchida, how many can we choose?

 

And who is using period instruments (if HIP is important)?

I like what Levin remarks about the quickness and speed of Mozart's fortepiano here:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano-Concertos-Nos-14/dp/B07D9W33T4

This is my favorite recording of any of the concerti. All three are killer, but 23 in A major is my favorite.