Mozart: Horn Concertos 1-4

On this CD:

1. Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, K. 417
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Timothy (i) Brown
Conducted by Iona Brown

2. Horn Concerto No. 4 in E flat major, K. 495
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Timothy (i) Brown
Conducted by Iona Brown

3. Horn Concerto No. 3 in E flat major, K. 447
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Timothy (i) Brown
Conducted by Iona Brown

4. Horn Concerto No. 1 in D major, K. 412/514 (K. 386b)
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Timothy (i) Brown
Conducted by Iona Brown

5. Rondo in D major (original Finale to K. 412) for horn & orchestra, K. 514
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Timothy (i) Brown
Conducted by Iona Brown

6. Rondo for horn & orchestra in E flat major (fragment), K. 371
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Timothy (i) Brown
Conducted by Iona Brown

Tracks:

Hn Con No.1 in D, K.412: I. Rondo: Allegro
Hn Con No.1 in D, K.412: II. Allegro
Hn Con No.2 in E flat, K.417: I. Allegro Maestoso
Hn Con No.2 in E flat, K.417: II. Andante
Hn Con No.2 in E flat, K.417: III. Rondo
Hn Con No.3 in E flat, K.447: I. Allegro
Hn Con No.3 in E flat, K.447: II. Romanza: Larghetto
Hn Con No.3 in E flat, K.447: III. Allegro
Hn Con No.4 in E flat, K.495: I. Allegro Moderato
Hn Con No.4 in E flat, K.495: II. Romanza: Andante
Hn Con No.4 in E flat, K.495: III. Rondo: Allegro Vivace
Fragment in E flat, 494a
Rondo in E flat, K.371

Customer Reviews:

Mozart:: Horn Concertos 1 - 4.......2006-07-28

Exactly what we needed to prepare intermediate horn solo for competition.

This needs to be the "other" recording.......2005-05-31

As a music teacher and hornist who has performed all of the Mozart horn concertos at one time or another, I am probably more picky about recordings of these works than anything else. Everyone always upholds the Dennis Brain recordings as the best, and rightly so. Brain was the all-time master of the horn, period. The problem is that he died young and his Mozart recordings were made in the 1950s. Yes, the CD has been remastered and sounds quite good, but there's only so much a producer can do.

That's why one recording of these masterpieces simply will not do.

This CD by Barry Tuckwell most assuredly needs to be the "other" recording one has in their collection. Tuckwell with his gorgeous tone, fantastic range, and excellent lip trills is easily the best hornist in the past few decades. He plays each concerto with spirit and aggression in contrast to Brain's more controlled and leisurely interpretation. His cadenzas are more modern and showy yet maintain classical style and taste. The ASMF provides perfect, well-balanced accompaniment with, interestingly enough, a harpsicord playing basso continuo underneath the orchestra (a feature that may or may not have been used when Mozart first debuted these concertos).

Finally, the original recordings are modern enough that when digitally remastered, they sound clear as a bell.

So yes, buy the Brain recording, he is the best hornist of all time. But this recording by Tuckwell is marvellous and should be immediately added to one's collection. Both recordings are correct, both are beautiful, but both are different.

Therefore, both are needed.

Its worth it.......2003-05-27

I am impressed with the elegance of Barry Tuckwell's playing, combined with the conducting of world known conductor, Sir Marriner. As a beginner trumpeter, who also loves the french horn, I would recommend this cd for those who loves the french horn as much as I do.

Average customer rating:

What Hath God Wrought?
World class music
I Wish Dennis Brain Had Been Born So That His Performing Powers Peaked in 1995
A Master Performs a Master
Mozart: Horn Concert

Mozart: Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000GCAD
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

Horn Concerto No.1 In D, K.412: Allegro
Horn Concerto No.1 In D, K.412: Rondo (Allegro)
Horn Concerto No.2 In E Flat, K.417: Allegro maestoso
Horn Concerto No.2 In E Flat, K.417: Andante
Horn Concerto No.2 In E Flat, K.417: Rondo
Horn Concerto No.3 In E Flat, K.447: Allegro
Horn Concerto No.3 In E Flat, K.447: Romance (Larghetto)
Horn Concerto No.3 In E Flat, K.447: Allegro
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495: Allegro moderato
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495: Romance (Andante)
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495: Rondo (Allegro vivace)
Quintet In E Flat For Piano And Wind K.452: Largo-Allegro moderato
Quintet In E Flat For Piano And Wind K.452: Larghetto
Quintet In E Flat For Piano And Wind K.452: Rondo (Allegro)

Customer Reviews:

What Hath God Wrought?.......2007-04-02

Well ...

If you're reading this, it's likely that you have already have already heard about Dennis Brain and in particular the famous passages where his rapid playing left a generation of listeners shaking their heads in astonishment.

This is how everyone first hears of him: a sort of circus act with lots of notes but without the great tone that distinguishes really good horn playing. This first impression is strengthened by stories about the strange, narrow-bore horn he played and by the sound of occasionally clipped staccato notes and a tight low range. As someone once said, "My faults, according to this calculation, are heavy indeed!"

But in Brain's case as well as in Fitzwilliam Darcy's, closer acquaintance reverses the impression altogether.

At odds with the idea of frenetic speed, Brain produces some of the most sensitive phrase shaping you'll find in any musical recordings. His effortless mastery gives many passages a relaxed feeling that suggests he is playing them a third lower than written. His recordings of hornists' two signature pieces -- Strauss's first horn concerto and Mozart's third -- are both gentler than any other recording in the catalogue. He plays the Mozart third at a surprisingly slow tempo and turns the first page of the Strauss, which most players muscle up on, into a lullaby.

In the middle and upper ranges, Brain's tone, while unobtrusive, is so full and pure that many people say they have a tendency to block out everything else and just listen to that sound. That may not seem an asset for ensemble playing, but his accompaniment playing was wonderful and his reliability a huge asset for his colleagues. The expectation of perfection became so other-worldly that, on the inevitable day when Brain finally flubbed a passage in rehearsal, the always mischievous Sir Thomas Beecham stopped the orchestra, put his baton down, and just said, "Thank God."

Brain's trills, lip trills in particular, are uniquely clear, and at the end of the day, yes, there is that fabulously rapid articulation that leaves listeners wondering whether they were dreaming what they just heard.

This playing all emanated from a personality that was apparently of the utmost simplicity and modesty. Alan Civil had the last word on this forty years ago in his remembrance of Brain on the jacket of "The Art of Dennis Brain" album (Seraphim 60040, if you can find it). Try also [...] Brain's early, accidental death strikes one the same way as Beethoven's deafness does: a hint that higher forces are at play.

No, this is not a review of Brain's Mozart. It is an invitation to begin an acquaintance. Dig in!

World class music.......2007-01-10

By far the best rendition of the Mozart Horn Concertos ever produced. David Brain must be the "El Supremo" of horn playing. An added bonus on this CD is the Quintet in E flat for piano and wind and with Colin Horsley as the pianist is an added treat for New Zealanders. A "MUST HAVE" for all lovers of Mozart.

I Wish Dennis Brain Had Been Born So That His Performing Powers Peaked in 1995.......2006-05-17

I purchased The LP in 1953 and proceeded to 'wear it out.' No, I have not yet thrown it out.

However, I have had the good fortune to find myself a resident of the San Francisco Peninsula since 1970 and, in time, have had the privilege to make the acquaintance of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, who perform one of each of their annual subscription concert series locally here in Palo Alto.

In 1992 they recorded the Horn Concertos with Lowell Greer performing them on the natural (valveless) horn, the instrument which was in use at the time Mozart composed them. Given the temperamental nature of the the instrument, the recording is doubtless a composite of many 'takes.' It is also a breathtaking performance and is now my 'standard.' See:

[...]

Take a moment to listen to some of the available tracks.

Form your own opinion.

A Master Performs a Master.......2005-08-20

I'm not much of a classical music reviewer. I've been exposed to a lot of music, but I tend to stick to favorite performances, so I don't have the depth needed to really be authoritative. Except perhaps for oboe, and that's because I grew up listening to John De Lancie and Marcel Tabuteau - and once you hear really good, you know what's what. This album is a similar case. Dennis Brain wasn't a 'good' French horn player, he was probably the best that there ever was or will be.

I've heard a lot of performance horn players. All you have to do to see what I mean is to wander through this website and pick off performances of the first movement of Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat and you will discover that Brain never blurbles a note, and every attack in the Allegro Maestoso is pinpoint. He is technically and tonally perfect and couples that with a superb musical sensibility. It was one of the great musical tragedies that he died at the age of 36.

Something to keep in mind is that when Mozart wrote these works for his good friend (and cheesemonger) Joseph Leutgeb, the French horn was a very limited instrument. Many of the notes were reached by stopping the bell to some degree, which affected volume and intonation. Mozart wrote to take advantage of Leutgeb's expertise at this, and Dennis Brain chooses to maintain this effect rather than just play his modern instrument with no thought to the past.

These compositions cover a fair range of time. Number 2(K.417) is really the earliest (1783). And the incomplete No. 1 (K.412) is really the last (1791). The best though, in both my mind and Mozart's is the Quintet in E flat for piano & wind. Mozart was a master in using instrument groupings in novel and powerful fashion and this is no exception.

EMI has remastered this CD over their previous release, which enhances clarity, and makes it easier to hear Dennis Brain's considerable finesse. I own their first release and the difference in clarity makes it worth finding this edition. But even the duller production of the 1997 is enjoyable. It you want a good selection of Dennis Brain's work on one CD this is an excellent buy.

Mozart: Horn Concert.......2005-08-14

Great recordings of the century, and that is what it is.
Herbart von Karajan conducting, and Dennis Brain on horn tells it all; a wonderful rich music experience are waiting for you.
In my ears its probably one of the best recordings ever made of the horn concert. And even though its from the mid 50`s it comes in a wonderful remastered CD.
The CD comes with a very good booklet in English; telling the story behind the record.
I highly recommend this album

Average customer rating:

Great Horn on difficult pieces
wonderful in every aspect

Mozart: Horn Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: Concerto for clarinet in A; Concerto for bassoon in Bf
Baroque Trumpet Concertos
Mozart: Requiem, Exsultate jubilate
Mozart: Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4
Virtuoso Horn

ASIN: B00004TV9F
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Rondo. Allegro
I. Allegroi Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Rondo. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Romance. Larghetto
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Romanza. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo. Allegro Vivace
Rondo in E Flat, K.371

Customer Reviews:

Great Horn on difficult pieces.......2007-02-12

If you like great intune Horn you will Love this CD.

wonderful in every aspect.......2003-09-12

A horn-player friend introduced me to this CD when I was down-and-out about the Mozart concerti, frustrated with all the recordings I'd heard and my own performances. I've studied horn for almost 10 years now and I have to say I was absolutely _floored_ when I heard the crisp attacks, beautiful tone, and unique but expert interpretation which are consistently present on this album.

I know it sounds like blasphemy, but I think this CD is better than the Brain recording, better than the Alan Civil recording, better than any I've heard (I have about 5 by "big-name" horn players). Also, the cadenzas are really original and enjoyable, although at times I feel they stray from a direct adherence to the principles of Mozart's time.

Tracks:

Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K622: I Allegro
Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K622: II Adagio
Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K622: III Rondo; Allegro
Flute Concerto No. 1 In G Major, K313 (285C): I Allegro maestoso
Flute Concerto No. 1 In G Major, K313 (285C): II Adagio non troppo
Flute Concerto No. 1 In G Major, K313 (285C): III Rondo: Tempo di menuetto
Oboe Concerto In C Major, K314: I Allegro aperto
Oboe Concerto In C Major, K314: II Adagio non troppo
Oboe Concerto In C Major, K314: III Rondo: Allegretto

Tracks:

Bassoon Concerto In B Flat Major, K191: I Allegro
Bassoon Concerto In B Flat Major, K191: II Andante ma adagio
Bassoon Concerto In B Flat Major, K191: III Rondo: Tempo di menuetto
Horn Concerto No. 1 In D Major, K412: I Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 1 In D Major, K412: II Rondo: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major, K417: I Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major, K417: II Andante
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major, K417: III Rondo: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E Flat Major, K447: I Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E Flat Major, K447: II Romance: Larghetto
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E Flat Major, K447: III Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 4 In E Flat Major, K495: I Allegro maestoso
Horn Concerto No. 4 In E Flat Major, K495: II Romance: Andante cantabile
Horn Concerto No. 4 In E Flat Major, K495: III Rondo: Allegro vivace

Customer Reviews:

The Value Far Exceeds the Cost.......2005-06-28

Not only does this 2-CD set present a great set of pieces by Mozart, but the renditions given are among the best anywhere. Much good has been said about the performances of the clarinet and horn concertos, and rightly so. I must, however, being a flute player, comment on William Bennett's wonderful G Major concerto: you would be hard-pressed to find a more songful and intense recording. The bassoon concerto is the best I've heard, as is the oboe concerto. The horn concertos, though thoroughly enjoyable, are bested by James Sommerville. I would also recommend you compare the clarinet concerto here with Bohm's on DG, which is transcendent.

Value Packed Concerto Set.......2002-01-19

Outstanding value from this two-CD set. Highlighting this solid recording is a marvelous clarinet performance by de Peyer backed solidly by the London Symphony and what could be the best of the horn renderings of Mozart's Concertos by Tuckwell again with the London Symphony. The balance and mood here by their interpretation is excellent, with the strength and toning by de Peyer and Tuckwell superb.

These are ably supplemented by very able renditions of the oboe and bassoon concertos respectively by Mack and McGill with the Cleveland Orchestra.

One will not go astray by having this set in their collection.

Great Set of Concertos.......2001-03-19

This is a marvelous set of mozart's wind concertos. De Peyer is an incredible musician who executes the clarinet concerto with sheer brilliance. Elegant and refined, this is the only recording of this concerto you'll ever need. The flute and bassoon concertos are remarkable as well. John Mack is a wonderful player who shapes the most beautiful phrases in the oboe concerto, and puts a touch of elegance on every note he plays. Tuckwell is a notoriously excellent musician, and his interpretation of the horn concertos are certainly 1st-rate, with an accompaniment to match. These CD's are certainly an asset to any Mozart-lover.

Fine performances with superb accompaniments........2000-09-07

Both Barry Tuckwell on horn and Gervais de Peyer on clarinet are fine soloists who play their respective concertos beautifully. However, it is the suberb accompaniments by Peter Maag -- an extremely gifted Mozart conductor -- which provide the polish which makes this a 5-star set.

Great de Peyers and Tuckwell performances.......2000-04-04

The clarinet concerto played by de Peyer is undoubtedly the best recorded performance of this great concerto. The sound is absolutely beautiful and the interpretation is retrained but elegant to the extreme. The orchestra under Maag played precisely and stylishly. In spite of the age of this recording, the sonic quality is very fine. Tuckwell's performance is as fantastic as one would expect from the all time greatest horn player.

Average customer rating:

Among the greatest recordings ever made
An Excellent Recording

Mozart: Horn Concertos; Quintet, K.452

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

ASIN: B000002RXC
Release Date: 1997-09-16

Amazon.com

Mozart's horn concertos are among his most delightful works, full of lovely melodies and ample opportunities for virtuosos of that treacherous instrument to show their stuff. Dennis Brain, scion of a famous horn-playing family, was the world's leading hornist when these recordings were made in the early 1950s, some years before his tragic death in an auto accident, and they still rank as a major feature in his recorded legacy. His tonal beauty is extraordinary, his technique the envy of his peers, and his rhythmic command exceptional. The catalogue is full of versions of these popular works, but Brain's continues to be the one to have if you're having only one. Good, straightforward accompaniments, and the great orchestra shines. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Among the greatest recordings ever made.......2006-07-30

In 30 years buying, selling, trading, collecting and making LPs, CDs, cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes and CDs of classical music and reading classical music reviews, I have not experienced another recording that so dominates its repertoire as this one: the 4 Horn Concertos and Quintet K. 452 of Mozart.

Every critic I have ever read or heard has ranked this recording above all others in this repertoire. That was reinforced earlier this year when Barry Tuckwell's wonderful recording was re-released, a time when critics around the world took time to say Tuckwell is marvelous, but Brain is out of this world. Many gave Tuckwell the ultimate compliment, calling his recording their second favorite recording of the concertos or, perhaps, their favorite modern recording.

Once you listen to Brain it is not hard to understand why every critic has been bowled over by this recording since it was made more than 50 years ago. Brain plays his instrument to produce a singular sound that no one can replicate. Not only is his tone and breath control more remarkable than anyone else's, his sound is as if his instrument is a combination French horn and trombone. Brain produces a deeper, richer, more robust sound than anyone else.

I am not an expert in this repertoire but I have heard a number of outstanding renditions of the horn concertos and the other bit parts for horn Mozart penned. Among the better ones I'v heard are the aforementioned Tuckwell and Radovan Vlatkovic on modern instruments and performances on CD by Lowell Greer and Anthony Halstead on period horns. Greer's collection is outstanding and can be had for as little as $3 or $4 used from an Amazon vendor.

My favorite living horn player, Marie Luise Neunecker, recorded the Mozart concertos some years ago on Novalis. That recording, like much of her CD repertoire, is out of print.

I was equally surpirsed that Brain's quintet would also become a benchmark recording in the K. 452 quintet, a piece that has been recorded by many virtuoso groups over the years. Not only does Brain's group play this music as well as I've ever heard it, their playing is akin to having a basketball team comprised of five Michael Jordans: they all sound best at their part and they play with spontaneous individuality within the constraints of a group effort. Every part is always displayed even though the organic whole supercedes every part.

The recording of these 52 and 53-year old performances is another marvel, as is the restrained and sensitive accompaniment the young Herbert von Karajan the and Philharmonia Orchestra provided for virtuoso Brain in the horn concertos. Here is a recording that will probably always be the top recommendation in repertoire that will be played and recorded as long as man survives on this planet. I don't know of another recording from any period about which I can say that.

An Excellent Recording.......2001-06-23

Mozart's Horn Concertos are four of my favorite pieces of music, and this is by far my favorite recording of them. In fact, this recording was responsible for me learning to play the french horn. The tone is both crisp and light, with the mellow timbre of the horn maintained. Highly recommended!

Mozart: Horn Concertos 1-4; Quintet K 452

Average customer rating:

It doesn't get any better!
A sweet-sounding remastering of these classics

Mozart: Horn Concertos 1-4; Quintet K 452

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000BPN24U
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

Allegro
Rondo (Allegro) (K514, Arr. Submayr)
Allegro Maestoso
Andante
Rondo
Allegro
Romance (Largehtto)
Allegro
Allegro Moderato
Romance (Andante)
Rondo (Allegro Vivace)
Largo-Allegro Moderato - Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble
Larghetto - Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble
Rondo (Allegro) - Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble

Customer Reviews:

It doesn't get any better!.......2007-06-02

This recording is over 50 years, but Dennis Brain's performance is still the benchmark for Mozart's horn concertos. Brain was the complete master of a very difficult instrument. Pure magic!

A sweet-sounding remastering of these classics.......2006-09-02

Dennis Brain's universaly acclaimed Mozart horn concertos haven't been out of hte catalog for fifty years, but for the longest while the 1953 sonics were boxy and cramped. So it's good news that in this remastering Paul Baily has amde the orchestra and soloist sound sweet, even if the boxiness still remains. Brain's playing is uniquely supple and lyrical; future horn players like Barry Tuckwell brought more fire into their playing.

The Quintet for Piano and Winds K. 452 is also a fine performance. It dates from 1954. the only caveat is ot to mistake this reading, with Colin Horsley as the (very good) pianist, for another EMI recording, also with Dennis Brain on horn but with Walter gieseking as pianist. He was, of course, much more famous than Horsley, but the present recording is livelier in the first movement, where gieseking preferred the more usual slower tempo.

Average customer rating:

Mozart: Horn Concertos

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000040X7
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 447: 1. Allegro
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 447: 2. Romanze (Larghetto)
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 447: 3. Allegro
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 417: 1. Allegro Maestoso
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 417: 2. Andante
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 417: 3. Rondo
Hn Con in D: Allegro, K./KV 412
Hn Con in D: Rondo (Allegro), K./KV 514
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 495: 1. Allegro Moderato - Hermann Baumann H
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 495: 2. Romanza (Andante)
Hn Con in E flat, K./KV 495: 3. Rondo (Allegro Vivace) - Hermann Baumann H

Average customer rating:

Glorious sound of the cor naturel

Mozart: Horn Concertos
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Lowell Greer , Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra , and Nicholas McGegan
Manufacturer: Hmf Classical Exp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000056F7K
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Rondeau in E flat, K.371
Con in D, K.412: Allegro
Con in D, K.412: Rondo - Allegro
Con in E flat, K.417: Allegro
Con in E flat, K.417: Andante
Con in E flat, K.417: Rondo - Allegro
Rondo in D, K.514: Allegro
Con in E flat, K.447: Allegro
Con in E flat, K.447: Romance - Larghetto
Con in E flat, K.447: Allegro
Con in E flat, K.495: Allegro Maestoso
Con in E flat, K.495: Romance - Andante Cantabile
Con in E flat, K.495: Rondo - Allegro Vivace

Customer Reviews:

Glorious sound of the cor naturel.......2005-07-16

For this recording, Lowell Greer himself reconstructed a natural horn of the type that was invented during Mozart's later years and was generally played in orchestras at the beginning of the nineteenth century. He is pictured holding the horn in the booklet, and the pride in his eyes is only natural, for this is a wonderful-sounding instrument that seems ideal for playing Mozart's playfully beautiful Horn Concertos. Greer and the Philharmonia Baroque play in a relatively straightforward, perhaps even somewhat naive manner, but this is not necessarily a criticism: At all events, the disc can give enormous listening pleasure (as is presumably evidenced by the fact that I have often heard it being played on German radio stations). The engineering puts the horn on the left of proceedings and in the centre of attention, and it is truly wonderful to listen to this glorious sound. Musicologically, I suspect that the Sony Vivarte recording made by Ab Koster and the Canadian Tafelmusik ensemble is a little more refined (and the music has definitely been reconstructed in a more accurate manner there); but nonetheless, the Harmonia Mundi recording is a true classic and is well worth the listening to.

Average customer rating:

Great collection, value
A great way to get Mozart's concertos
A great set of Mozart concertos
Excellent - Worth Every Penny!
Highly enjoyable

Complete Wind Concertos
Mozart , and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000065TV1
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Customer Reviews:

Great collection, value.......2007-05-31

This is a really neat collection of the Mozart wind concertos. I really like the Sinfonia Concertante and Bassoon Concertos. The bassoonist here does a fantastic job with that concerto; he is matched only be Thuneman and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. The cadenza for said concerto is also interesting, and provided some inspiration for my own cadenza when I performed the work.

Overall this CD is a MUST HAVE, most particularly for the performances, but also because it is pretty cheap for such great music.

A great way to get Mozart's concertos.......2005-11-11

This set of three discs is a great, economical way to fill out your collection of Mozart concertos. Contained are good to excellent versions of all 4 horn concertos, the three works featuring flute, the fine clarinet concerto and the early bassoon and oboe concertos. The digitally recorded sound is very clear if occasionally dry and the balance between soloists and orchestra is quite natural. Many times, particularly with the flute works, on other recordings the soloist ends up being unnaturally favored but not so here.

The Sinfonia Concertante which opens the collection is a delightful work even if it is not actually a Mozart composition -- which it almost certainly is not. The Clarinet soloist in the clarinet concerto plays beutifully and I think rivals Leister's great work with Karajan. The four horn concertos are fine even if the soloists are not quite at the level of the famous Brain recordings. The Bassoon and Oboe soloists are truly excellent and these are the best versions of these pieces I have yet heard.

This collection can be recommended highly.

A great set of Mozart concertos.......2005-09-01

This set is an excellent value. 212 minutes of Mozart's music at a very modest price. And what music! The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra does a superb job.

The first disc begins with the Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon and Orchestra. Next is one of Mozart's last works, the beautiful Clarinet Concerto. Charles Neidich is the soloist, on basset clarinet, and his technique is simply the best. I also like his cadenzas very much. By the way, the use of the basset clarinet makes this concerto so much better! It was indeed written for the basset clarinet, which goes four half-notes lower than a normal A clarinet, and five half-notes lower than a normal B-flat clarinet. And the disc finishes with an Andante for Flute and Orchestra, with Susan Palma on the flute.

The second disc has the famous four horn concertos. William Purvis is the soloist for concertos 2 and 3 (playing his own cadenzas, of course). David Jolley solos for concertos 1 and 4. Purvis does a fine job, and I like Jolley even more. The disc also has a very nice recording of an early Mozart work, the bassoon concerto (written when Mozart was 18). Frank Morelli is the solist here, and offers us nice cadenzas too.

The final disc begins with the Oboe concerto, where we get Randall Wolfgang as the soloist (playing his own cadenza). Then we hear the Flute concerto, followed by the Flute and Harp concerto. Susan Palma is the flute soloist on both of these, and she plays her own impressive array of cadenzas. Nancy Allen does a great job on the harp on the latter piece.

I highly recommend this set of discs.

Excellent - Worth Every Penny!.......2004-08-19

I have heard all these pieces and even played some myself over the years and thought that this was an excellent collection of Mozart's wind concerti. You really get to see the development of this prodigy from his teens (bassoon concerto) to his late 30s, the clarinet concerto was one of his last crowning pieces.

The oboe and bassoon concerti were both delightful and the "clicking" of the keys mentioned by another reviewer are the limitations of the instruments. I'm an oboist and all oboes and bassoons make this noise. I don't find it distracting at all. If you hear it, think of it as an percussive accompaniment. :-) I thought the bassoon concerto to be one of the best interpretations yet and the oboe concerto was confident and bright.

The Sinfonia Concertante (one of my original reasons for purchasing the set) was delightfully balanced and playful - a definite pleasure.

The flute concerto and andante were both fun to listen to as well as the concerto for flute and harp. The horn concerti are always joyful and are a nice balance to all the woodwind (technically-speaking) music.

The clarinet concerto was indeed lovely and played on a basset clarinet so there were some richer tones than when it's played on a typical 'A' clarinet. Superb.

I thought all the concerti had wonderful cadenzas and the orchestra was excellently balanced against the soloists. This is a CD collection that you will never regret and will feed your soul.

Highly enjoyable.......2004-06-02

Mozart wind concertos may not rank among his finest and deepest works, but they indeed show that a master is at work. It is difficult to judge a whole set, and you may probably find some better versions of this music, but I think that this recording deserves some praise. The performings from both the soloists and the orchestra are solid, stylish and virtuosistic. To name an example I consider the clarinet concerto to be one of the best achievements here. The slow movement is just a miracle of beauty, and at one point the soloist leads the orchestra to an incredible pianissimo nuance, so soft and delicate that you may be afraid of breathing. Mozart's music is just so beautiful that instead of writing about it we should just listen and enjoy. Moreover the price is very attractive, so no excuses!

Average customer rating:

Very nice performances, but.....
Wow
Finally

Mozart: Hornbone Concertos

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00002R15G
Release Date: 1999-11-19

Customer Reviews:

Very nice performances, but............2006-01-24

Christian Lindberg is a master of the trombone, a virtuoso beyond compare, and a consummate musician. He can do whatever he likes with his instrument, which is why I looked forward to listening to this recording so much. However, on several listens, I have to say that these are NOT definitive performances of the concertos (Dennis Brain still wins by a mile!). The Tapiola Sinfonietta is superb, with the most beautiful textures, balance, and musicianship imaginable. The music sparkles and comes alive through their playing, but they constantly struggle to try and achieve the same clipped articulation style that Mr. Lindberg employs. He is lyrical when absolutely called for by the music, but he does not hold out phrases or notes as a regular practice, and does not use legato technique where the music simply demands it. Thus, the violins are always at odds with his phrasing whenever the lines are repeated between soloist and orchestra. I find myself constantly wishing he'd hold out notes for their full value, and not use an overly staccato technique. I admire the ability shown on this recording, but the solo part is distracting to me for this reason. Others may disagree, but I will search out other recordings by Tapiola, and continue to marvel at Mr. Lindberg's other recordings, while placing these performances well behind Mr. Brain's.

Wow.......2005-08-12

I was listening to the radio and heard what sounded like a Mozart horn concerto. But what in the world was it being played on? And who was playing it?

It was being played, stunningly, on a Conn 36H Alto Trombone! By Christian Lindberg. Um, it can't be easy to do that. Lindberg makes it seem so natural, and the concertos sound even better than they do on a French horn. I also like the cadenzas that Lindberg created for the third and fourth concertos.

Maybe the high quality of this music explains the program notes, which are the silliest I have ever seen. In the notes, Lindberg kids us by saying, along with other nonsense, that the concertos were not written "for the French horn, with its monstrous hand-stopping technique, but for the vastly superior hornbone."

This recording is terrific, and I very highly recommend it. If you haven't already heard it, you are in for a treat.

Finally.......2004-07-11

Many times I've wondered what's so great about Mozart. Now I know! Christian's interpretation of these famous Horn Concertos is flawless and in my opinion is it the best recording of those concertos. Christian has really brought the Alto trombone on a higher stage, first the Tenor and now the Alto. What's next?

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