An essential list of Mozart concerti

[LVB_opus.125]

I don't like to encourage list threads, so please provide discussion as to why you feel the work is essential. Of the many piano concertos, which are the greatest, in your opinion? What about all the other concertos he wrote, which of them stand up to the best of the best?

I've never really been that immersed in Mozart's world, even though I've been casually listening to him for years. Of his works I most enjoy The Magic Flute, Requiem, the concerto for flute and harp, symphonies 40, 41. But I'm in need of some knowledge in order to make some educated purchases and I've decided to focus on concertos, since I have such an affinity for them. I haven't yet heard a Mozart concerto I haven't liked, or loved.

[Opus106]

I won't, of course, say which are his greatest. I can't. These are works that top my list of favourite Mozart concerti.

I'm always a fan of Mozart's works in a minor scale, especially the later ones. So, piano concerti No. 20 and 24 are fairly high up on the list. But that does not exclude No. 21. As for the earlier works from this genre, No. 10, for two pianos. In E-flat. That is K. 365, but K. 364, another work from his youth and in E-flat, is his Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola. And don't miss the clarinet concerto, something he wrote only a few months before breathing his last breath. Mozart wrote some of his best music for winds, IMHO. And if the last sentence is going cause a stir, I'll rephrase it and say that some of my favourite music by Mozart are the ones he wrote for wind instruments.

[Josquin des Prez]

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27.

My two cents.

[(poco) Sforzando]

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27.

My two cents.

All superb choices, but I must add at least 9 and 17.

[rappy]

My list would contain:

9, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

[Novi]

No love for #19? 

That's one of my favourites .

[hornteacher]

IMHO your first purchase should be the Clarinet Concerto.  Its one of the most perfect works ever written.  However, please purchase a version on the basset clarinet (such as Sabine Meyer or Martin Frost) as the modern clarinet version has to take several passages up an octave.

Beyond the Clarinet Concerto I would go with the Piano Concertos mentioned above (9, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25), the Violin Concertos #3, #4, and #5.  Also the Horn Concerto #3.

[Bulldog]

IMHO your first purchase should be the Clarinet Concerto.  Its one of the most perfect works ever written. 

I second that emotion.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I second that emotion.

C'est vrai, but I believe the Choral Symphony was asking about piano concerti.

[adamdavid80]

No love for #19? 

That's one of my favourites .

Love the 19th!  Surprised it hasn't received more attention.  Perahia's version is my favorite, but it was also the one I heard first, so I was taken aback by the faster tempo used by Brendel and some others.  As it turns out, the faster pace was Moz's original intention. 

Overall, I would say my 5 faves are 17, 19, 21, 26, 27, though that's all likely to change the next time I listen to them.

Can't really discuss why I think these are essential.  It's like asking me why I think air or the sight of a full moon is essential.

[ChamberNut]

As Hornteacher mentioned, Horn Concerto No. 3.  All the horn concerti, IMHO.   0:)

Violin Concerto # 4 and # 5 aren't too shabby either.   

[adamdavid80]

IMHO your first purchase should be the Clarinet Concerto.  Its one of the most perfect works ever written.  However, please purchase a version on the basset clarinet (such as Sabine Meyer or Martin Frost) as the modern clarinet version has to take several passages up an octave.

Beyond the Clarinet Concerto I would go with the Piano Concertos mentioned above (9, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25), the Violin Concertos #3, #4, and #5.  Also the Horn Concerto #3.

Of the modern clarinet versions, which 2 or 3 do you rank highest?

[Gurn Blanston]

Of the modern clarinet versions, which 2 or 3 do you rank highest?

English Chamber Orchestra / Richard Stoltzman. And it is coupled with the Tokyo String Quartet / Stoltzman playing the Clarinet Quintet. Nice disk!   



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Listening to:
State Orchestra Frankfurt / Athinäos  Ming / Göbel - Czerny Op 153 Concerto in C  for Piano 4 Hands 3rd mvmt - Rondo alla Polacca

[Dancing Divertimentian]

The 19th concerto is generally considered the demarcation line between the simply 'great' Mozart PCs and the truly 'timeless' PCs (the 26th excluded as it is an 'easy' one rattled off in a hurry for the coronation ceremony of Leopold II).

As a collection the PCs represent some of the finest of all Mozart. Any number of them should give immense satisfaction (though the first four are transcriptions).

[Jay F]

This is the easiest, cheapest way to get the Piano Concertos that matter most. I also like Brendel's versions better than most. However, in order to put as much music as possible on the fewest discs, two of the concertos are split onto two discs. It omits 26, but includes 19.

[adamdavid80]

This is the easiest, cheapest way to get the Piano Concertos that matter most. I also like Brendel's versions better than most. However, in order to put as much music as possible on the fewest discs, two of the concertos are split onto two discs. It omits 26, but includes 19.

It is a great offering and at a good price, but I HATE how they split two of the pcs onto two seperate discs.  It just seemed somehow lazy, and easily avoidable.  I'm not sure why they came to that decision, I frankly would have sooner done three total packages (of 6 discs), with one less each on the existing offerings.   I wound up buying the full Brendel set instead (and happy I did!) instead, bc I didn't want the interruption (especially when I'm in the middle of being transported to heaven),  , especially bc the pcs that were split are among my favorite. 

[(poco) Sforzando]

It is a great offering and at a good price, but I HATE how they split two of the pcs onto two seperate discs.  It just seemed somehow lazy, and easily avoidable.  I'm not sure why they came to that decision, I frankly would have sooner done three total packages (of 6 discs), with one less each on the existing offerings.   I wound up buying the full Brendel set instead (and happy I did!) instead, bc I didn't want the interruption (especially when I'm in the middle of being transported to heaven),  , especially bc the pcs that were split are among my favorite. 

So burn yourself a CD with the two split PCs.

[adamdavid80]

So burn yourself a CD with the two split PCs.

Ha!    I actually bought the box set, which is well worth it.  I didn't bother going into it before, but my concern was, if they were sloppy and/or careless enough about the packaging to split the pcs apart, it raised doubts about the rest of the packaging as well: liner notes, sound quality, etc.

(Liner notes are a massive part of the packaging to me...I recently bought a Clara Haskil performance of 19 and 20 (good!  but in mono), and was REALLY disappointed to find no liner notes, just an illustration of Mozart at a fortepiano, apparently contemplating either a) the key for his next masterpiece, or b) the hangnail on his left pinky finger.

[rappy]

I don't understand the dislike of #26. Of course it is a more easy-listening than the surrounding concertos are, but that middle movement is so very heart touching that i would never want to live without it.

[adamdavid80]

English Chamber Orchestra / Richard Stoltzman. And it is coupled with the Tokyo String Quartet / Stoltzman playing the Clarinet Quintet. Nice disk!   



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Listening to:
State Orchestra Frankfurt / Athinäos  Ming / Göbel - Czerny Op 153 Concerto in C  for Piano 4 Hands 3rd mvmt - Rondo alla Polacca

Picked it up!  I, Stolzman, and RCA thank you!