 | Highly Recommended.
rating: 5
I am glad to see that this set is popular with Amazon reviewers, since it has been overlooked and underrated over the years. Perahia seems to get all the critical attention.
There seems to be a consensus that since Ashkenazy recorded so much, his work could not be truly distinguished. This set proves that very common myth to be false. The orchestra plays beautifully and seems to be working very intimately with him. His playing is exquisite and very appropriate in style.
Perhaps most important of all, the recorded sound makes this all very immediate. I know of no set of the Mozart concertos that on every level SOUNDS as good. Highly recommended.
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Superb
rating: 5
Don't have much to say about this set except if your thinking about buying it, quit thinking and buy it. It's one of the finer sets of Mozart's piano concertos. Vlad's playing is near perfection and the orchestra fits in well, not too overbearing yet you definitely feel their presence.
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A set of collection!
rating: 5
For nearly five decades, the presence of Vladimir Askkenazy has been constant on international stages. He was pupil of Lev Oborin, he was distinguished with the second place in Warsaw, 1956, won the prestigious Prize Queen Elizabeth from Belgium, 1958 and finally he shared honors with John Ogdon in 1962 in the most commented Tchaikovsky Piano Festival in years.
His style never followed the traces of his predecessor, Sviatoslav Richter, a bravura pianist, incisive and sometimes quite temperamental; he decided to bet for a most introspective atmosphere, Chopin and Schubert, then Prokoviev, Bartok and from time to time, Tchaikovsky #1 (a successful performance was given by him accompanied by Lorin Maazel in 1963), he was foremost owner of a pristine sound, but since the last sixties, his approach was much more rational (with a sound that reminds us to the young Brendel). However, his lyrical vein blossomed again when he joined forces with Istvan Kertesz, the most distinguished promise of the orchestral direction in the emerging seventies (pitifully vanished when the glory smiled him) and decided to record a sensitive Mozart.
This set of Mozart Sonatas constitute one of the highest achievements, reflect a pianist in absolute domain of his powers, genuine insight and high caliber inspiration.
In spite of the fact he won't be reminded among the selected elite of Mozartean pianists, it would be convenient to listen these admirable sonatas, specially the last ones in which he displays fire, imagination, lyricism and sensibility.
Highly recommended.
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Music 5 Stars/Ashkenazy 3 Stars
rating: 3
Sorry but from listening to the 1 minute clip of the final movement pc 21, I have to go with Uchida, who in my opinion is the master of Mozart's last 8 pc;s.
I do not care for uchida's recordings of the 1-19, too thick handed for the style of those concertos.
Quick, nimble, playful was not present in Uchida of the 1-19.
Ashkenazy here is too busy with conducting to get the piano down with perfect nuances, which Mozart demands.
EDIT, I've just added to more clip r4eviews , opening move 21 and opening from the 24th pc. Reconfirms my opinuion that Uchida is much better articulated. And though Tate is aweful in the syms , in the pc's he's much more on to of things concentrating in conducting. Ashkenazy is juggling both, successful at times I'll admit. At other times sloppy. Its impossible for any performer to both conduct and play paino. Impossible as this set shows.
Nice Day
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A marriage made in heaven
rating: 5
Rarely do soloists and orchestras create such an amazing musical experience. Even more rare is that this experience is duplicated over two dozen times. Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia Orchestra create what is truly one of the crowning achievements of audiophile history.
I have owned this set now for nearly half a decade and I am still surprised by Ashkenazy's level of musicianship. Not that I have ever doubted his skill, rather, I am still amazed that this master of Rachmaninoff and the romantics approaches these pieces so perfectly. Ashkenazy plays these concertos as they should be played. His typical sense of drama is somewhat subdued, replaced with a sublime sense of delicacy and classical phrasing. He brings out the beautiful chromaticism, the magical melodies, and the pure beauty of Mozart effortlessly.
What is even more wonderful is that the orchestral accompaniment is top notch. Although these are not period performances, the Philharmonia plays with a classical grace and level of perfection that push these performances over the top. The orchestra's sound is full, accompanying Ashkenazy's "full" sound quite well. As mentioned above, Ashkenazy (who conducts these performances from the piano) instills in the orchestra the perfect balance of classical grace and dramatic flair.
Finally, the recorded sound is flawless. This set is so appealing to me because Ashkenazy approaches these performances in an organized, coherent fashion. Unlike his set of the Beethoven concertos (where Ashkenazy's technique, phrasing, and ultimate interpretation is dramatically different in each concerto), Ashkenazy maintains a sense of classical style throughout the cycle. And not only are the interpretations so consistent, but the sound is as well. It almost seems as if all the concertos were recorded in one session.
Moments like this are rare in music. There are certainly individual performances of the concertos that may be more appealing here or there, but all in all Ashkenazy's cycle delivers the most consistently fresh, powerful, and beautiful interpretations. For those that are not sure they want to invest so much for this set, look into Decca's CD of the "Big Six" concertos (20-25) on two CDs. But you would be missing out. Ashkenazy does not "run through" the earlier concertos but actually plays them all as if they were all equally masterful. I highly recommend this set. It is a wonderful musical investment.
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