Arthur Mozart

This is the kind of package which represents the best of the Philips Classics Duo series. Slightly older recordings, but in beautiful, clear, warm analogue sound; artists of the old school and the first rank; a compilation of potentially neglected music made available absurdly cheaply in attractive packaging with high production values and intelligent notes; what's not to like?

Get ready for the shock of the new , or, in this case, the old. This disc of Beethoven concertos by keyboardist Arthur Schoonderwoerd has a highly unusual sound, even by the standards of the historical-performance movement. Performances of the Beethoven concertos in period style are rarer than those of the sonatas, which are themselves rarer than those of music by Mozart and Haydn. This is partly because the whole issue is more problematical with Beethoven, who was clearly striving toward larger dimensions.

MOZART 111 combines the best of the Austrian master's music with the best of Deutsche Grammophon's Mozart recordings, bringing together a total of 111 works, while retaining, as far as possible, the original album releases with their cover art. There's enough of everything here to stock a shop, as they say, in performances that have stood the test of time and performances that make you sit up and listen to Mozart afresh the perfect way to discover, rediscover and savor the incomparable genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Arthur Schoonderwoerd, one of today's most sought-after interpreters on the fortepiano, presents the fourth part of his complete recording of Mozart's piano concertos on the Accent label with this release of the two early Piano Concertos, KV238 and KV246. As on their previous issues, Schoonderwoerd and his ensemble Cristofori here liberate Mozart's works from traditional 19th-century sound concepts: each string part in the orchestra is played by just one performer; the result is a very slender, transparent sound that supports the solo instrument without ever covering it up.

The present recording of the Piano Concertos KV 466 & 467 is the starting point for the complete collection of Mozart piano concertos to be issued by the label Accent. Arthur Schoonderwoerd, in great demand as a hammerklavier performer, and his ensemble Cristofori play on authentic instruments of the period or modern reproductions. The string parts in the orchestral accompaniment are played by only one musician per part, producing a slender, transparent tone which supports the hammerklavier without ever dominating its fine tone.

At the ripe old age of 19 Mozart wrote five violin concertos, and they represent his coming of age as a composer of orchestral music. From here on, it's basically one masterpiece after another. Though not difficult works, technically speaking, they partake in full measure of Mozart's uniquely sensual brand of melody. That means that successful performances must know how to spin out a singing musical line, while at the same time making the most of the rare opportunities for soloistic display.

… Arax Mansourian's recordings of medieval Armenian chants are an important part of the treasure vault of Armenian music. In the 1990's, during a liturgical festival, she toured 14 cities in France with an all male Armenian choir. French Armenian artist Garzou said …….“Arax Mansourian was divine in Yekmalian's liturgy. As if she wasn't a singer but virgin Mary herself, so impressive and powerful was her singing…”

Thank you Kathleen Battle for making another masterful recording.Mozart's requiem is an excellent work,and this particular version is well recorded too.I just wish mozart wrote more music for the soprano to sing in his requiem.I must say that Verdi's requiem is the greatest ever composed,but thus far of all the requiems i've listened to,mozart's requiem must come in second.Mozart,you go boy!!Kathleen,you go girl!!!! Ps,requiems should be listened to especially on rainy evenings & nights with some introspective thoughts.Perhaps,mozart is now composing an anti-requiem for the afterlife..