Mozart: Violin Concertos 1, 2, & 5

On this CD:

1. Musikalisches Opfer (Musical Offering), BWV 1079 Canon Perpetuus Super Thema Regium
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach

2. Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major, K. 211
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with Monica Huggett
Conducted by Monica Huggett

3. Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major ("Turkish") K. 219
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with Monica Huggett
Conducted by Monica Huggett

Tracks:

No. 1 In B Flat, K. 207: Allegro Moderato
No. 1 In B Flat, K. 207: Adagio
No. 1 In B Flat, K. 207: Presto
No. 3 In G, K. 216: Allegro
No. 3 In G, K. 216: Adagio
No. 3 In G, K. 216: Rondeau (Allegro)
No. 4 In D, K. 218: Allegro
No. 4 In D, K. 218: Andante Cantabile
No. 4 In D, K. 218: Rondeau
Adagio In E For Violin And Orchestra, K. 261
Rondo In C For Violin And Orchestra, K. 373

Tracks:

Concerto No. 2 In D, K. 211: Allegro
Concerto No. 2 In D, K. 211: Andante
Concerto No. 2 In D, K. 211: Rondeau (Allegro)
Concerto No. 5 In A, K. 219: Allegro Aperto
Concerto No. 5 In A, K. 219: Adagio
Concerto No. 5 In A, K. 219: Rondeau (Tempo Di Menuetto)
Sinfonia Concertante In E Flat, K. 364 For Violin, Viola And Orchestra: Allegro Maestoso
Sinfonia Concertante In E Flat, K. 364 For Violin, Viola And Orchestra: Andante
Sinfonia Concertante In E Flat, K. 364 For Violin, Viola And Orchestra: Presto

Amazon.com essential recording

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. Taste and musicianship are more important qualities than virtuosity, and that makes these pieces ideal vehicles for Arthur Grumiaux's aristocratic temperament and technical polish. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Perfect ? almost.......2007-06-08

I am happy to agree that Grumiaux was the best interpreter of Mozart's violin works, assured, fluent, magic flowed from his bow. And I agree that this Philips Duo is a great bargain, packed with great music. I do, however have one little reservation, while the sound quality of the violin is good, I find the sound of the orchestra rather muddy, especially during the louder periods; perhaps this is acceptable when the age of the recording is taken into account. But can you tell the scoring with any confidence? flutes ? oboes ? horns ? ( The sound quality of K 261 and K 373, with the New Philhamonia, is a little better)
Even with this reservation, I still give it 5 stars.

PS I have recently purchased a new re-release of Grumiaux playing the Beethoven violin concerto, the sound is much better than in these CDs, perhaps a more recent digital remastering of the violin concertos would result in more acceptable sound quality.

Excellent. Must-have set........2006-07-21

This is an excellent set put out by Philips in it's renowned Duo cd class. Almost all of Mozart's violin works are here. Arthur Grumiaux, one of my favorites, does a superb job of interpreting Mozart's works. This last weekend I played the same works by Heifitz and the comparison makes for interesting listening. I can't say one is better than the other, specially since I have no formal training in music, but each artist definitely leaves an impression.

Excellent set and a superb value but most importantly makes a valuable addition to anyone's collection.

Gustavo Ferreira Violin Music.......2006-01-19

This is a very good compilation of Mozart Violin Concertos and with a very good Orchestra. I did not put 5 stars because I had some of Mozart concertos played by H.Heifetz and other by Xue-Wei that I consider are more brilliant violinsts. Grumiaux is very good but not excelent.

Honesty and musical integrity!.......2005-05-16

The artistic personality of Artur Grumiaux was undoubtedly very sober. In comparision with the warmth of a David Oistrakh or the powerful musculature of Heifetz, his golden and flawless intonation was if I may, unique. His sonority and style did not belong to bravura style. He was an accurate and impressive violinist. His Mozart is crystalline and innocent. Once more, his presence in various performances in Prades Festival transformed and even improved his spelling touch. As you know all the artists who participated in this unequal Festival acquired a giant dimension. It is not by mere hazard that names of the height of Joseph Szigeti, Eugene Istomin, Rudolf Serkin, Sandor Vegh, Isaac Stern, William Kapell, Clara Haskill - above their innate skills - experienced Casals' spell. And because of this experience there was an immediate rapport with Clara Haskill and recorded one of the most incredible sets of Mozart `s Sonatas for violin that I' have heard ever.
And, despite his brief existence 1921-1986 his name will be resounding in the world of the violin during years and years. His honesty and integrity , technique and musicianship, self possession and aristocratic feature confer a special honor place. Go and get all what you can about Mozart, Faure Sonatas, his Haendel sonatas for violin, his Debussy Sonata, Guilleme Lekeu, Paganini 4th, and his version of Franck's sonata for violin is one of the most lyrical ever recorded.
An unforgettable artist!

Grumiaux at his finest.......2005-04-11

Yet another Philips Mozart DUO that is at the top of the class. Having the legendary Arthur Grumiaux on so many of these Mozart violin collections makes them easy choices. His elegant, refined style and lucious tone (from an amazing 1744 Guanari) were born for Mozart. Just about every major reviewer (Penguin, Gramophone, etc) lists this particular CD in the top two best picks for Mozart's violin concertos, often citing Grumaiux's style as the ideal model for Mozart. The recording sound is exceptional too as is typical for most Philips discs. A superb choice for the violin concertos! Anne-Sofie Mutter and Pamela Frank (amongst many) have also recorded some fine performances of these works along with a rather unique version from Baroque specialist, Fabio Biondi (Virgin).

An alternative choice would be the intruiguing 5-CD collector's set of Grumiaux's Historic Philips Recordings from 1953-1962 which has these five concertos plus many and some rarer works from Paganini, Mendelssohn, Faure, Ravel, Debussy, Granados, Sarasate and others. 4/5 discs are in mono but the sound is fine really. If you admire this Belgian legend, then this historic set would probably be very special as it shows Grumiaux at his finest in a beautiful and diverse repertoire.

Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1-3; Rondo, K. 373

Average customer rating:

one of the best one

Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1-3; Rondo, K. 373

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005NPJK
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

Violin Concerto No.1 In B Flat, K.207: I. Allegro Moderato
Violin Concerto No.1 In B Flat, K.207: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto No.1 In B Flat, K.207: III. Presto
Violin Concerto No.2 In D, K.211: I. Allegro Moderato
Violin Concerto No.2 In D, K.211: II. Andante
Violin Concerto No.2 In D, K.211: III. Rondeau (Allegro)
Violin Concerto No.3 In G, K.216: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto No.3 In G, K.216: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto No.3 In G, K.216: III. Rondeau (Allegro-Andante-Allegretto)
Rondo In C, K.373

Customer Reviews:

one of the best one .......2006-12-20

This is one of the best recordings of all Mozart violin concertos

Mozart, W.A.: Violin Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 5

Average customer rating:

(~~)==++ JULIA FISCHER: simply TREMENDOUS - a very RFRESHING new RECORDING by this very young Violinist!

Mozart, W.A.: Violin Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 5
Julia Fischer , W.A. Mozart , Netherlands Chamber Orchestra , and Yakov Kreizberg
Manufacturer: Pentatone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000I2IPPC
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Tracks:

Allegro Moderato
Adagio
Presto
Allegro Moderato
Andante
Rondeau (Allegro)
Allegro Aperto
Adagio
Rondeau (Tempo Di Menuetto)

Customer Reviews:

(~~)==++ JULIA FISCHER: simply TREMENDOUS - a very RFRESHING new RECORDING by this very young Violinist!.......2007-02-15

SEVEN STARS******* for the woman who releases a new CD almost every two months!

Right during "Mozart Year" 2006 a recording of Mozart works for violin - of all of his violin concertos on two CDs - was released by this very young and already fully established 1. Class Violinist. The release of these concertos of this tremendous quality shows or reveals JULIA FISCHER completely naturally and self-confident, and she proves to be a virtuoso, whose place is in the "thin air" of the violinistical "first league", who stands not only right by the side of but ahead of other well-established and outstanding violinists, and beyond that she belongs to the BEST OF THE VERY BEST VIOLINISTS THROUGHOUT THE WOLRD!

Julia Fischer plays her violin highly accurately and her intonation is completely clean (just as we have become accustomed to!) and she always produces a rather slightly and elegantly formed vibrato than to make it to pulsate extremely excessively; she is so certain about what she does when she is playing her violin and, to our great delight, she avoides "colouring" each note excessively and to form them in an overemphasised expressiveness and intensity, and this way she avoids unnecessary vibrato in general. HER ACOUSTIC "COLOURS" are discreet and VERY SPLENDID and of MUCH BRIGHTNESS as well as EXPRESSIVNESS, and they are much right to the point in each phrasing; JULIA FISCHER's TECHNICAL CONTROL and INTERPRETATION of THESE PIECES, as well as of PIECES BY OTHER COMPOSERS, are so PURE and HIGHLY PERFECT! This makes JULIA a TRUE and VERY FINE YOUNG MASTRESS OF the VIOLIN! This is a GRAND PLUS FOR HER, and her TECHNICAL CONTROL and INTERPRETATION of pieces for violin is GENERALLY TRUE FOR this WONDERFUL YOUNG VIOLINIST JULIA FISCHER. This is one more reason to ADMIRE HER SO MUCH!

There is one more ability, which makes me appreciate her and which makes JULIA even more admirable for me, that is the fact that SHE w r o t e / c o m p o s e d HER O W N and very beautifully created cadenzas for the five of Mozart's violin concertos - even at this very young age SHE "CADENCES" HERSELF! JULIA, I BOW FOR YOU for this! This way you I N S P I R E N E W L I F E INTO MOZART's violin works - and in particular into those "antiquated" (fusty!) old cadenzas which can be heard thousands of times from numerous other recordings of the same pieces... and which, therefore, have become known to everyone well enough and which we have so by now become a bit "tired" of (bored with!)..... (I do not mind those "old" cadenzas when they are performed/played by other virtuosos with much heart and soul as well as with much technical competence - but a few NEW, "REFRESHING" CADENZAS every now and then would be VERY WELL INTRODUCED into VIOLIN LITERATURE and SERVE us with a FRESH BREEZE of NEW MUSICALITY! THIS BREEZE now brings us to our great delight --- thanks to her musical capability and skills as well as thanks to her CLEAR and WELL-DEFINED UNDERSTANDING of MUSICAL CONTEXTS and thanks to the extraordinary and superior control of her instrument --- JULIA FISCHER!). Julia shows us that CLASSICAL MUSIC NOT ONLY lives from NEW INTERPRETATIONS or ideas, which refer to these, made by virtuosos, BUT can be VITALISED also BY INTRODUCING IDEAS OF COMPOSITION which are MADE BY CADENZAS CREATED BY VIRTUOSOS THEMSELVES!

Another, a third reason to name these recordings by Julia Fischer (one of) my absolutely favourite recordings is that somebody had the courage - much in Bach and Vivaldi style! - to use a HARPSICHORD AS ACCOMPANIMENT for the orchestral background. MOZART would be MUCH CHARMED and DELIGHTED about this really great accompaniment of his first two violin concertos, both of which were recorded with harpsichord accompaniment, through which these get a FRESH BREEZE of NEW MUSICALITY. This NEW FRESH BREEZE, in some passages, reminds me of Bach's and Vivaldi's violin concertos (maybe it reminds me a bit of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons"); the harpsichord in the orchestral background kind of slightly and discreetly eases the musical structure of these pieces. And Julia Fischer does not "seize" these concertos but plays as a perfectly matched partner of the orchestra and the conductor Yakov Kreizberg (who seems to be her preferred conductor)! JULIA, that's BEAUTIFUL! ASTONISHING!!!

So, the FRESHNESS and LIVELINESS OF THESE NEW RECORDINGS of the MOZART VIOLIN CONCERTOS REMIND me very strongly of JULIA FISCHER's SUPERB RECORDING of "THE FOUR SEASONS" which she made a view years ago and which was released on DVD; both her recordings of Vivaldi as well as of Mozart are for the same reasons HIGHLY REMARKABLE as well as RECOMMENDABLE, in particular, since there are also thousands of recordings of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" whose interpretations are, as I see it, "antiquated" (fusty!) and by which one gets bored or feels tired from. So, some years ago, JULIA FISCHER succeeded also in BREEZING NEW and FRESH MUSICALITY into ANTONIO VIVALDI's "THE FOUR SEASONS"! Among many other recordings by Julia Fischer, there is one particular recording by her which I would like to mention on this occasion and which can be heard in the same high quality only rarely from other violin virtuosos in a comparable quality. It is the recording of the RUSSIAN VIOLIN CONCERTO by ARAM KHACHATURIAN which belongs to my personal favourites made by Julia (and certainly it belongs to Julia's favourite concertos), because it brings so much warmth and musical depth into with the beautifulness of her violin play. And also some years ago, again really early in her career, she recorded the BACH SOLO SONATAS and PARTITAS as TERRIFICALLY as BRILLIANTLY - I BOW TO YOU AGAIN!! So much bowing...

Not only because of JULIA FISCHER's OUTSTANDING VIOLIN PLAY but also because of the use of the HARPSICHORD AS ACCOMPANIMENT of the FIRST TWO of MOZART's VIOLIN CONCERTOS --- and F I R S T O F A L L because of the CADENZAS W R I T T E N AND C R E A T E D BY JULIA FISCHER H E R S E L F ! --- I would (if possible!) give AT LEAST SEVEN or MORE STARS for these REFERENCIAL RECORDINGS! ALWAYS KEEP GOING JULIA!! And PLEASE ALSO KEEP COMPOSING FURTHER CADENZAS, please also for those concertos by other composers!

Average customer rating:

Not enough bite or tension
A Must for Any Classical Collection
The Best Available
Not earth-shattering but very nice nonetheless
A disappointment at first but ...

Mozart: 5 Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GNU
Release Date: 1995-07-18

Tracks:

Concerto No. 1 In B Flat Major, K. 207: 1. Allegro moderato
Concerto No. 1 In B Flat Major, K. 207: 2. Adagio
Concerto No. 1 In B Flat Major, K. 207: 3. Presto
Concerto No. 2 In D Major, K. 211: 1. Allegro moderato
Concerto No. 2 In D Major, K. 211: 2. Andante
Concerto No. 2 In D Major, K. 211: 3. Rondeau. Allegro
Adagio In E Major, K. 261
Rondo In C Major, K. 373 - Allegretto grazioso
Rondo In B Flat Major, K. 269 (261a) - Allegro

Tracks:

Concerto No. 3 In G Major, K. 216: 1. Allegro
Concerto No. 3 In G Major, K. 216: 2. Adagio
Concerto No. 3 In G Major, K. 216: 3. Rondeau. Allegro
Concerto No. 4 In D Major, K. 218: 1. Allegro
Concerto No. 4 In D Major, K. 218: 2. Andante cantabile
Concerto No. 4 In D Major, K. 218: 3. Rondeau. Andante grazioso
Concerto No. 5 In A ajor, K. 219: 1. Allegro aperto
Concerto No. 5 In A Major, K. 219: 2. Adagio
Concerto No. 5 In A Major, K. 219: 3. Rondeau. Tempo di Menuetto

Customer Reviews:

Not enough bite or tension.......2006-08-24

Perlman and Levine take a very relaxed approach to these masterworks. If you are in the mood, the performances are very good. But this music has much more passion than these performances exhibit. Perlman almost sounds like he is showing the world how easy this music is to play. That is fine but most of the tension is totally missing. I suspect the Perlman of the 1960's would have played these works much differently. That sense of excitement from his early years is really missing here.

A Must for Any Classical Collection.......2006-05-13

This collection, by 2 of the most brilliant musicians, a magnificent orchestra, recorded perfectly in a beautiful packaging for a great price. What more do you want? I play this CD at least once a month and every time I am enveloped in perfect beauty and joy. A must for any classical music library.

The Best Available.......2005-08-20

This recording of the Mozart violin concertos is quite simply the best available. Although these pieces have been recorded many times, Mozart comes alive in this rendering by Perman and Levine in a way rarely,if ever, matched. By way of comparison, one may think of the earlier readings of Stern, Szeryng, and Oistrakh. The last mentioned are, in their own right, outstanding and will always remain within the repertoire. However, there is a suave and grace about Perlman's performance that sets it apart, not to mention the beautifully recorded sound by DG. Get it!

Not earth-shattering but very nice nonetheless.......2005-06-23

As had been said before, Grumiaux' collection may be more satisfying, and Perlman may let his interpretations slide into Romanticism than is recommended, but does that merit a one or two-star rating? I hardly think so. While this may not be Perlman's greatest effort, it is nevertheless a consistently good collection of performances with a solid backing from Levine & the Vienna Philharmonic through & through. The reasonably good price on the CDs makes it a worthwhile addition to any collection, even though it won't be the first choice for purists.

For those purists who cannot abide Perlman & his romantic indiscretions, I would point out that he is far from the most egregious example of Romanticism run amok whilst playing Mozart, and in fact is remarkably restrained when compared to some who have rendered Mozart almost unrecognizable. Let's try to have some perspective here.

A disappointment at first but ..........2005-05-11

I have a couple of Perlman's CDs and love his strong emotional play style, especially his Kreutzer with Ashkenazy. I also have the K216 by Sophie Mutter for over 15 years and have listened to it over a 100 times. Recently, I was wondering what the K216 will sound like with Perlman's forceful style.

I brought this CD and was very disappointed at first. It is not the style I expected and in fact, it is exactly the opposite. I felt like I was listening to a very good young musician, very good techniques but no emotions. However, when I listen to it with an open mind, I started to understand this is just perfect, a classical Mozart, melody, harmony and light.

I get to know Perman a little better. A job well done by Perlman and Levine!

Average customer rating:

Virtuosic Trumpet: Baroque And Classical Showcase
superb playing
The Best Trumpeter in the Business
Virtuosic... Incredible
A non-trumpet player's view...

Famous Classical Trumpet Concertos

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00002DDWM
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Tracks:

Trumpet Concerto In E: 1. Allegro Con Spirito
Trumpet Concerto In E: 2. Andante
Trumpet Concerto In E: 3. Rondo
Trumpet Concerto In D: 1. Allegro Non Troppo
Trumpet Concerto In D: 2. Largo
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Trumpet Concerto In D: 1. Allegro Non Troppo Presto
Trumpet Concerto In D: 2. Adagio
Trumpet Concerto In D: 3. Allegro Molto
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Trumpet Concerto In E Flat, Hob. VIIIe:1: 3. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D: 1. Allegro Moderato
Trumpet Concerto In D: 2. Andante
Trumpet Concerto In D: 3. Allegro

Tracks:

Trumpet Concerto In D: 1. Andante
Trumpet Concerto In D: 2. Allegro Moderato
Trumpet Concerto No. 1 In E Flat: 1. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto No. 1 In E Flat: 2. Adagio
Trumpet Concerto No. 1 In E Flat: 3. Vivace
Trumpet Concerto No. 1 In D: 1. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto No. 1 In D: 2. Adagio
Trumpet Concerto No. 1 In D: 3. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto No. 2 In C: 1. Adagio
Trumpet Concerto No. 2 In C: 2. Allegro Molto
Sonata In D For Trumpet, Two Violins And Continuo: 1. Grave
Sonata In D For Trumpet, Two Violins And Continuo: 2. Allegro
Sonata In D For Trumpet, Two Violins And Continuo: 3. Grave
Sonata In D For Trumpet, Two Violins And Continuo: 4. Allegro
Sonata In D For Trumpet, Two Violins And Continuo: 5. Allegro
Concerto In B Flat, Op. 7 No. 3: 1. Allegro
Concerto In B Flat, Op. 7 No. 3: 2. Adagio
Concerto In B Flat, Op. 7 No. 3: 3. Allegro
Adagio In G Minor
Trumpet Tune
Chorale Preludes: 'Erbarm Dich Mein, O Herre Gott' BWN 721
Chorale Preludes: 'Ich Ruf' Zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ' BWV 639
Chorale Preludes: 'Herzlich Tut Mich Verlangen' BWV 727
Ave Maria

Customer Reviews:

Virtuosic Trumpet: Baroque And Classical Showcase.......2004-02-22

This album is an incredible showcase for the trumpet and the orchestra, in other words, the trumpet concerto. Hakan Hardenberger, the featured trumpet player, is highly talented and at the top of his game. Even the great jazz and classical trumpeter Winston Marsalis does'nt seem to reach the flights of fancy on the trumpet as does Hakan Hardenberger. Hardenberger masters the trumpet to perfection, capturing every nuance and every tone, from fortissimo fanfares to the softest pianissimo. On this compilation are the trumpet concerti of Baroque and Classical Era composers, among them Corelli and Albinoni and the Classical masters Franz Joseph Haydn and Leopold Mozart, Mozart's father. The sheer scale and magnetism of this music cannot be neglected. It is the greatest gathering of trumpet concerti ever made. The trumpet was perhaps the most fascinating instrument for Baroque composers. The trumpet produces grand, triumphant tones when played forte. It was an instrument that was displayed in ceremonial pomp- weddings, coronations and marches. The Baroque composers were sponsored by kings so they were expected to compose music for trumpet, which could be expressive not only as a fanfare for the king himself, but as an instrument of many dynamics. It can be played softly and slowly, which seems to create a nocturnal, reflective mood and staccato and fast-paced which made the music sound exciting and lively. In my opinion, it was the premier instrument of the Baroque Age.

The cd opens with the Trumpet Concerto In E Flat Major by Johann Hummel. This colorful piece is particularily impressive as it really explores the dynamic potential for the trumpet. It's third movement, the Rondo, is very exciting music, as it is played very fast and in a bouncy, dance-like manner. The Trumpet Concerto by Stamitz, Hertel and Richter are very stylish and must have been highly admired in the Baroque Era. The Trumpet concerto in E by Franz Joseph Haydn, who influenced Mozart, is beautiful, especially in its serenade-style andante second movement. In the last cd, Leopold Mozart's trumpet concerto is featured, and it's a good work. Perhaps his son Mozart greatly admired it, though Mozart did'nt really expand on trumpet concerti himself nor really ever showcased the instrument greatly. There are trumpet arrangements for the famous Albinoni Adagio in G, which on this version, sounds chilling, dark and dramatic. The cd concludes with trumpet versions of Bach's Organ Preludes and the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria.

superb playing.......2003-10-30

Hardenberger is indeed an extraordinary. The playing is right up there with the best of them. One thing unique to hardnberger is his ability to lock in ever note of every passage reguardless of register, speed, etc. In addition he playes with great character. The only reason i give hims less than 5 stars is because his lyricism, the most important thing, is surpassed by Maurice Andre and Phil Smith without questiong. especially after seing all of them live and buying their CDs. He is definitely among the greatests ever.

The Best Trumpeter in the Business.......2003-05-25

It's a rare treat for a reviewer when he can throw caution to the winds and go out on a limb for a musician. This is such an occasion for me. Hakan Hardenberger is a phenomenon. I think he is the Babe Ruth, the Wayne Gretzky, the Michael Jordan, the Vladimir Horowitz, the Jascha Heifetz of trumpet players.

Hardenberger is a Swedish trumpeter who made his first recording (Haydn, Hummel, Hertel, and Stamitz trumpet concertos, with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Neville Marriner, on Philips) in 1986 when he was only 25 years old (in the cover photo of the original CD he looks like a boy). The first time I played this debut CD of his, my jaw dropped and I could hardly believe my ears. His playing was a revelation--absolutely stunning. I'd never heard trumpet playing to compare with it. In my opinion, with his first two CDs young Hardenberger not only moved into the top rank of trumpeters; he swept right past his competitors to the head of the class. I've compared a number of his baroque concerto performances, here and elsewhere, with those of other famous trumpeters, and he always comes out on top. I believe him to be in a league of his own. He has everything: virtuosity and technique to burn, dead-on intonation, clean trills, smooth legato, expressive shading, beauty of tone, brilliant high notes, enormous dynamic range. He is also a sound musician, with taste and a sense of style. His arsenal is complete and unassailable; there is no chink in his armor.

Everything that was on that debut CD is now in this Philips Duo set, which is a much better value, because it offers two generously filled CDs--72:55 and 78:27--for the price of one, adding most of the contents of two later Hardenberger CDs of baroque music for trumpet (the recordings here were made from 1986 through 1993). It's a good buy, and if you're going to own only one collection of baroque trumpet music, this is the one I'd recommend.

The trumpet has always been a difficult instrument to record and reproduce accurately. Here, although the consistently excellent digital recording presents Hardenberger very much front and center, it captures the timbre, "bite," and wide dynamic range of his trumpet with exemplary vividness and fidelity. On a top-quality playback system, he sounds like he's standing right between the speakers playing for you. And what playing it is! Not to be missed.

Hardenberger's second CD, of Telemann Trumpet Concertos, also accompanied by the ASMF, this time under Iona Brown, was recorded in 1987 (again on Philips). It too is marvelous, fully as impressive as his first CD, but unfortunately none of it is included in the Philips Duo reviewed here, so you have to acquire it separately. It's well worth it.

Long live the king!

Virtuosic... Incredible.......2001-08-06

You don't have to be a fan of the instrument in order to appreciate and become overwhelmed by the beauty, the splendor and acrobatics of the trumpet. In the Baroque era, it was a instrument for the royal treatment and heralded arrival of kings and war. The performances here are excellent- Hardenberger, I Musici and Neville Marriner and his orchestra deliver virtuosic renditions of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E flat, Hummel's, Hertel's, Molter's and Albinoni's concerti, as well as incredible arrangements of Ave Maria by Bach and Albinoni's Adagio.

A non-trumpet player's view..........2001-02-12

Although I love classical music and have done so for a long time, I must confess that I am not a trumpet player. With that said, I must say that these two CDs are wonderful. My first recording of the Hummel and the Haydn concertos was the second Marsalis/Leppard/ECO recording on Sony Classical (titled Wynton Marsalis - The London Concert). Inexperienced with trumpet recordings at the time, I really treasured the CD. After all, a big name artist known for his virtuosity was performing the technically demanding concertos. What more could you ask for? After a while, though, I began to feel that Marsalis didn't really do it for me in these works. Sure, he played with a flair (and what a flair it was), but he lacked the focused, rich tone that I've come to associate with great trumpet players (Herseth comes to mind here).

The current reviewed recording, on the other hand, is quite a piece of gem. Even though I have never heard of Hardenberger before (you trumpet players out there please excuse my ignorance), he delivers precisely what I am looking for. Hardenberger has the centered tone that most trumpeters would envy, yet he lacked none of the technical virtuosity needed for the music. His vibrato is light and very classical (as opposed to the wider jazz vibrato). On top of all that, he shows much understanding and affinity for the various works on these two CDs.

Tracks:

I. Vivace
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Largo
II. Allegro Moderato
I. Con Discrezione
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
Horn Concertino In E Minor, Op.45
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andante
III. Allegro
I. Larghetto
II. Allegro Non Troppo
III. Menuet & Trio

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Rondo (Allegretto)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Cantabile
III. Rondo (Moderato)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Lento Cantabile
III. Rondo (Allegretto)
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Menuetto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

The finest horn album ever.......2005-08-11

No, this album doesn't include any of the superb horn concerti by Wolfgang Mozart. But it does have some incredible works, played wonderfully by Barry Tuckwell.

Over an hour is devoted to the works of Johann Stich (concerti 5, 6, 10, and 11). There are concerti by Franz Joseph Haydn and by Michael Haydn. And by Leopold Mozart. There's a concerto by Telemann. A beautiful sonata for horn and strings by Cherubini. A concerto by Forster. And the piece I consider the masterpiece of the bunch, the Horn Concertino by Carl Weber. Tuckwell is at his best with this work, including the very difficult chords (!) that have to produced by humming one note while playing another.

I highly recommend these two disks.

Mozart: Flute Concertos 1 & 2/Andante/Rondo

Average customer rating:

Outstanding!

Mozart: Flute Concertos 1 & 2/Andante/Rondo

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000059T70
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Fl Con No.1 in G, K.313: I. Allegro Maestoso
Fl Con No.1 in G, K.313: II. Adagio Non Troppo
Fl Con No.1 in G, K.313: III. Rondo (Tempo Di Minuetto)
Fl Con No.2 in D, K.314: I. Allegro Aperto
Fl Con No.2 in D, K.314: II. Andante Ma Non Troppo
Fl Con No.2 in D, K.314: III. Allegro
Andante in C, K.315
Rondo in D, K.184 Anh.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding!.......2004-06-06

This is an outstanding rendering of these flute concertos. In particular, Mr. Wilson's phrasing and overall "good taste" are exceptional. A bonus is that this is a discount CD. I heartily recommend this recording.

Mozart: Violin concertos Nos. 1-5; Sinfonia concertante, K. 364; Concertone, K. 190

Average customer rating:

Stern + Szell = Sensational!

Mozart: Violin concertos Nos. 1-5; Sinfonia concertante, K. 364; Concertone, K. 190

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B000002ATH
Release Date: 1995-05-16

Tracks:

Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 1 In B-Flat Major, K. 207: Allegro moderato
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 1 In B-Flat Major, K. 207: Adagio
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 1 In B-Flat Major, K. 207: Presto
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 2 In D Major, K. 211: Allegro moderato
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 2 In D Major, K. 211: Andante
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 2 In D Major, K. 211: Rondeau. Allegro
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 3 In G Major, K. 216: Allegro
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 3 In G Major, K. 216: Adagio
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 3 In G Major, K. 216: Rondeau. Allegro

Tracks:

Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 4. In D Major, K. 218: Allegro
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 4. In D Major, K. 218: Andante cantabile
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 4. In D Major, K. 218: Rondeau. Andante grazioso
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 5 in A major, K. 219: Allegro aperto
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 5 in A major, K. 219: Adagio
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 5 in A major, K. 219: Rondeau. Tempo di menuetto
Adagio For Violin And Orchestra In E Major, K. 261
Rondo For Violin And Orchestra In C Major, K. 373

Tracks:

Concertone For 2 Violins And Orchestra In C Major, K. 190: Allegro spiritoso
Concertone For 2 Violins And Orchestra In C Major, K. 190: Andantino grazioso
Concertone For 2 Violins And Orchestra In C Major, K. 190: Tempo di menuetto. Vivace
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E-Flat Major, K. 364: Allegro maestoso
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E-Flat Major, K. 364: Andante
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E-Flat Major, K. 364: Presto

Customer Reviews:

Stern + Szell = Sensational!.......2003-09-23

Volume 3 of violinist Isaac Stern's "A Life in Music" series is (appropriately) a three-disc set featuring Mozart's five Violin Concertos, and other orchestral works for the instrument. This collection was originally issued in Sony's "Mozart - Legendary Interpretations" series and fortunately it has been reissued here. (Note to Sony - follow suit and reissue the rest of Szell's Symphonies and Ormandy's Wind Concertos!) As indicated above, three different men -- George Szell, Alexander Schneider and Daniel Barenboim -- conduct the works on this disc. The Szell performances date from the early 1960s -- Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 are from January 1961 while No. 5 is from April 1963. The Barenboim recordings are from 1971 (Sinfonia Concertante K364) and 1973 (Concertone K190). Finally, the Schneider accounts -- Concertos Nos. 2 & 4, Adagio K261 and Rondo K373 -- are all from February 1976. All are in stereo. It is my opinion that these performances, particularly those with Szell, are the best available, and the only other set comparable is the Grumiaux/Davis on Philips (see my review). Of course, if you don't want to buy 3 CDs worth of Mozart Violin works, you can always buy the Sony "Great Performances" title featuring the very same recordings of Concertos Nos. 4 & 5.

Average customer rating:

MOZART VIOLIN CONCERTOS LOWER SUGAR 110 POINTS

Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1-3

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B00005YSXQ
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.1 In B Flat Minor, K. 207: I. Allegro Moderato
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.1 In B Flat Minor, K. 207: II. Adagio
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.1 In B Flat Minor, K. 207: III. Presto
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.2 In D Major, K. 211: I. Allegro Moderato
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.2 In D Major, K. 211: II. Andante
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.2 In D Major, K. 211: III. Rondeau. Allegro
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.3 In G Major, K. 216: I. Allegro
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.3 In G Major, K. 216: II. Adagio
Concerto For Violin & Orchestra No.3 In G Major, K. 216: III. Rondeau. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

MOZART VIOLIN CONCERTOS LOWER SUGAR 110 POINTS.......2002-07-11

Stock market debacle drove my blood sugar to 212. Two and a half hours later Zukerman's Violin Concertos lowered it to 102. Mozart at 19 fits Zukerman at 35. Too bad so many performers stop playing to conduct. Too bad the fine Jewish Americans, who have kept classical music alive, are not being recorded by American music conglomerates who are owned by Japan, Britain or Germany. Later Mozart is sometimes to frenetic for me. The youth, purity, and joy of Mozart's violin concertos are for me.

Average customer rating:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations

The Violinist
Yehudi Menuhin , Johann Sebastian Bach , Bela Bartok , Ludwig van Beethoven , Alban Berg , Johannes Brahms , Max Bruch , Arcangelo Corelli , Edward Elgar , Franz Joseph Haydn , Edouard Lalo , Felix Mendelssohn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Carl Nielsen , Niccolo Paganini , Camille Saint-Saens , Jean Sibelius , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Michael Tippett , Henri Vieuxtemps , Antonio Vivaldi , William Walton , Alberto Lysy , Anatole Fistoulari , Antal Dorati , Anthony Bernard , Gaston Poulet , John Pitchard , Mogens Woldike , Pierre Boulez , and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000BWTKJ
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
I. Vivace
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Rhapsody No. 2 (Lassu [Moderato] - Friss [Allegro Moderato])
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Tranquillo
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante
I. Allegretto (Scherzando)
II. Allegro
II. Adagio

Tracks:

Romance No. 1 In G Major
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Larghetto
III. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadenza: Kreisler)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Energico)

Tracks:

Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50
I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace - Poco Piu Presto
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante Tranquillo
II. Presto Capriccioso Alla Napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
III. Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato (Cadenza: Menuhin)
II. Adagio Molto
III. Finale (Presto) (Cadenza: Menuhin)
I. Allegro
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo (Andante Grazioso - Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
III. Intermezzo (Allegretto Non Troppo)
IV. Andante
V. Rondo (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato E Maestoso - Allegro Non Troppo
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
Havanaise, Op. 83

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso (Cadenza: Emile Sauret)
II. Adagio Espressivo
III. Rondo (Allegro Spiritoso)
I. Andante - Moderato - Cadenza
II. Adagio Religioso
III. Scherzo (Vivace) & Trio
IV. Finale (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Cadenza
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Di Molto
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
I. Praeludium (Largo)
I. Allegro Cavalleresco
II. Intermezzo (Poco Adagio)
II. Rondo (Allegretto Scherzando)

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Adagio
III. Presto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Largo Andante
II. Allegro
III. Grave - Andante Largo - Allegro
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations.......2004-01-06

The recent trend toward classical box sets focusing on the performer instead of the composer (see my reviews of the various DG/Decca "Original Masters" sets) continues with EMI's new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist." Sure EMI's past sets have showcased individual performances by Samson Francois, Eugen Jochum and Rudolf Kempe to name a few, but it was always under the heading of a given composer's works, and in the cases mentioned above, to Chopin's piano pieces, Bruckner's Symphonies and Strauss' Orchestral Works respectively. Therefore, this Menuhin collection is the first of EMI's "Budget Box Sets" to showcase a performer playing the works of a variety of composers.

As Menuhin was an EMI recording artist for an incredible 68 years (1931-99), his performances for the label number in the hundreds. With so much music from which to choose, this 10-disc set aims "to highlight some of those alternative versions, including recordings that have not been easily available since the days of LP and others that have never previously appeared on CD." Therefore, the obvious mainstream, easily attainable recordings are omitted here -- for example, the Beethoven/Mendelssohn VCs with Furtwangler, the Elgar VC with the composer conducting, and the Bruch/Mendelssohn VCs with Susskind and Kurtz.

However, a lot of this material has been on disc before on titles which the serious collector most likely already owns. Most of the Bach is currently available as part of the Bach "Budget Box Series" title. The Bruch, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Vivaldi VCs were all available in the now out-of-print 2CD EMI Seraphim series. The Elgar and the Walton are still available in the "British Composers" series. And perhaps most annoyingly, the previously unpublished Beethoven VC and Tchaikovsky "Serenade melancolique" (available as a single disc), and the Beethoven Romance No. 2 (available on an EMI Encore title) were both reissued just a few months back.

But let's focus on the positive, which are the other rare performances, the most significant being the never before reissued 1954 performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 with John Pritchard and the Philharmonia. Other elusive recordings include Viuextemps and Paganini VCs with Fistoulari, Lalo and Saint-Saens works with Goossens, and excellent Berg and Bartok accounts with Boulez. Though I'm delighted at their inclusion, of lesser importance is a 1965 Bartok VC No. 2 with Dorati -- his mono EMI with Furtwangler and an earlier account with Dorati on Mercury Living Presence are far superior. Also, neither the Sibelius (Boult, 1955) nor Nielsen (Woldike, 1952) Concertos are truly Menuhin's cups of tea.

My last complaint has to do with the packaging. I know I'm being rather trite but it seems that EMI has taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new box of Liszt Orchestral Works by Masur are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves, not to mention the amount of wasted packaging.

Overall though, despite the fact that "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" is not as essential a reissue as its counterparts in the "Original Masters" series, it is a delightful set that most collectors will thoroughly enjoy.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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