Maurizio Pollini - Mozart Klavierkonzerte Nos23 19 (6 tracks) +Album Reviews

One of the greatest Mozart Concerto records you will ever he

M. A. Scott | Kansas, USA | 10/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I owned this recording when it was on the cheaper DG Musikfest label back in 1990. It says this incarnation was released in 1990 (with a picture of Pollini and Bohm on the cover) at the same time as the cheaper one that I owned. Maybe this one that's more expensive, was for Europe and the musikfest was domestic, for the U.S. Other than that scenario, I don't know why they would have two incarnations of the same record, at the same exact time, but anyway, this is one of my most cherished classical cds of all-time. In one of the old Penguin Guides to classical music, they rated the Perahia version with the English Chamber Orchestra above this one and also gave it the coveted rosette, but really, I can't see why anyone would prefer that one over this great Pollini version with Karl Bohm. The Perahia is recorded DDD, but the sound is not very detailed and is rather dull sounding. I much prefer this one that is recorded in very fine analog ( I will take a fine analog recording, over a fine digital recording, any day of the week) sound. The sound is very warm and detailed in this superb version from the mid seventies. My favorite Piano concerto of all-time is the Mozart 23rd, and Pollini does an unbeatable job playing this beautiful concerto, with great support from Bohm and the superb Vienna Philharmonic. He does a superb job at playing one of Mozart's other great concertos the 19th. Pollini makes me like that one more than I usually do because of his interpretation and exquisite playing on this version. The first movement of the 19th, is one of his best opening movements, of all the Piano Concertos, but Pollini makes the 2nd and 3rd movements, a very enjoyable experience also. Pollini is definitely in the very top rank of current pianists, and I'm sure this classic recording will make you want to search out the other recordings of Maurizio Pollini if you haven't heard some of them already. Bohm is no slouch conducting Mozart Symphonies and Concertos either. If you don't like this record, there's no hope for you!!!"

Very nice performance

E. Duisterhof | Netherlands, Groningen | 09/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you want the concerto's 19 en 23, listen to these versions
If got other versions of the concerto's. I like this disk te most. The wiener play superb as always, is an ADD disk..
If it wasn't printed on the disk i wouldnt notice it. very clear and rich of detail. (marantz cd67 an sennheiser hd600 headphones)
Pollini plays nice and airy with the perfect speed (3epart of No.23)"

Pollini does classicism

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 09/12/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am surprised that Pollini set himself the task of playing two of Mozart's greatest pinao concertos as correctly and with such restrained poise as he does here. On its own terms, it's an impeccable feat. Recorded 30 years ago, the CD gives us the Vienna Phil. at its sweetest and Karl bohm at his most decorous. Is this al that Mozart can be? Not at all, nor is it all that Pollini can be. He has sacrificed his razor-sharp inteligence and willingness to take risks. There's not a moment of bravura playing, and after a while you realize that like dozens of other pianists made timid by the prospect of playing Mozart, Pollini has fallen into the cliche's of classicism rather than trying to explore its modern limits. A pleasant outing."

Ultra Gorgeous Performances.

A. F. S. Mui | HK | 10/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THe first batch of Pollini's Mozart recording.

The two favorite concerti by W.A. Mozart under the baton of legendary Mozartian Karl Boehm, with the relatively young Maurizio Pollini.

These are exemplary performances. I personally rank these two ahead of Murray Perahia's with the English Chamber Orchestra. Pollini has more lyricism and a much fuller and warmer tone than Perahia.

The No. 23 is hidden in nostalgia, and the slow movement (second) is tear-wrenching under the hands of Pollini.

Leaves me to wonder why it took Pollini a full 30 years before he ventured again into Mozart in his recordings.

I for one would love to hear him play the No. 27 and No. 20 concerti."

DG's first recording of Pollini's Mozart.

Abel | Hong Kong | 02/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Certainly, Pollini has been DG's exclusive pianist for decades.

If you measure an artist's success with his discographic output, you'd think that Pollini must be on odds with Mozart.

That really is quite far away from the truth, since there is quite an amount of 'bootleg' live recordings of Pollini's Mozart in the earlier stages of his performance career, and DG had just recorded a couple of Mozart's piano concerti with Pollini in the 1970's until he returned for 4 more in the early 21st century.

Pollini is actually quite a versatile pianist judging from the range of his repertoire. There has been plenty of senseless rantings against his modern music discography, especially that Pollini associated himself with leftist composer and musician Luigi Nono during the latter's life time.

There are some pianists who develops a personal style so strong that whichever composer he/she plays, he/she remains the same.

Rarely so with Pollini. His Mozart is a great testament that he never sacrifices a composer's style for his own. These two performances were also video-taped and released on DVD. You can clearly see that the conductor, Karl Boehm, who was a great Mozartian in his lifetime, virtually 'handed over' the music to Pollini at the Keyboard, and that 'history' has it that it was Pollini who specifically singled out Mr Boehm for his two Mozart concerti's recording.

So much so for the background, and really this pair worked like honey and milk in these performances: serene, mellifluous and exceedingly beautiful.

There is a clear other-worldliness in Pollini's Mozart in these recordings that one seldom finds in other pianists, however famous, save perhaps the great Clara Haskil.

Pollini and Boehm virtually 'emptied' themselves for Mozart's music to gain full control.

If you wish to find out the truth about Mozart's music, look for this one for a starting clue."

Search - Maurizio Pollini :: Mozart: Klavierkonzerte Nos.23 & 19 [Australia]

CD Details

CD Reviews

	Maurizio Pollini Mozart: Klavierkonzerte Nos.23 & 19 [Australia] Genre: Classical Track Listings (6) - Disc #1 Klavierkonzert Nr. 23 A-Dur I. Allegro (Kv 488) Ii. Adagio (Kv 488) Iii. Allegro Assai (Kv488) Klavierkonzert Nr.19 F-Dur I. Allegro Vivace (Kv 459) Ii. Allegretto (Kv 459) Iii. Allegro Assai (Kv 459)
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