Marginal Revolution: My favorite Mozart

December
S	M	T	W	Th	F	St
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31

« Should You Treat Your Marriage Like a Job? | Main | Follow the Money »

My favorite Mozart

Here are my favorite pieces by Mozart, and recommended recordings...

The Operas: The peaks of his achievement. For Figaro I recommend Carlos Guilini or Rene Jacob, for Cosi Fan Tutte, Karl Boehm, here is my post on Don Giovanni, and Klemperer is a sure thing for The Magic Flute. For The Abduction from the Sergalio, how about Beecham with a nod to Krips?

The String Quintets: Grumiaux's group, with Takacs as a good runner-up. Most of the string quartets are boring.

Symphonies: I am courting hate mail, but 38-41 will suffice, toss in the first movement of 29 if need be. I like von Karajan for the last two symphonies (not everyone does), and there are many good versions of the others.

Piano Concerti: Focus on 20-27; I grew up with Casadesus and Szell but you have many good choices. Few areas of the repertoire have been better covered.

Piano sonatas: Uchida all the way. They start getting good around K311. Here are bloggers on the sonatas. As a general rule, Mozart before K300 is not so special.

K563: Mozart's least-known masterpiece, go for Grumiaux. Even better is the currently unavailable L'Archibudelli version.

If you own these you have a decent chunk of the essential Mozart.

Most overrated Mozart: The Violin concerti and then the Requiem. Contrary to cliche, Suessmayr ruined the ending. The Clarinet Concerto was once wonderful, but it has been overexposed in muzak, Nordstrom, and overpriced faux Italian restaurants. By the way, it won a listeners' poll as "best Mozart," the Requiem came in second.

Most underrated Mozart: The violin and piano sonatas, and the short, comic vocal pieces. Try also the Piano and Wind Quintet, K. 452, the Clarinet Trio, K. 498, the Piano Quartets (with George Szell as pianist), and the Clarinet Quintet, K. 581.

Comments are open, do offer your opinions...

Posted by Tyler Cowen on January 26, 2006 at 05:04 AM in Music | Permalink

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/3576/3996402

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference My favorite Mozart:

» Mozart from EclectEcon
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born 250 years ago Friday. While musicologists might debate the power and importa... [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 26, 2006 10:33:16 AM

» K. 250. from Cold Spring Shops
January 27, 1756 is the best estimate of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birthday. Tyler at Marginal Revolution offers some recommended listening, and the readers nominate a few of their favorites. I'll put in a few words for the clarinet concerto. [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 27, 2006 12:13:56 AM

» Friday Mozart Blogging from Political Animal
FRIDAY MOZART BLOGGING....Happy 250th Birthday, Mozart! In celebration, we have Édouard Boubat's famous musical cat, Partition (1982), accompanied by the only slightly less famous Jasmine Sitting Over the Fireplace (2003). Want to test your knowledge of... [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 27, 2006 11:35:20 AM

» Friday Mozart Blogging from Political Animal
FRIDAY MOZART BLOGGING.... Happy 250th Birthday, Mozart! In celebration, we have Édouard Boubat's famous musical cat, Partition (1982), accompanied by the only slightly less famous Jasmine Sitting Over the Fireplace (2003). Want to test your knowledge o... [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 27, 2006 11:36:16 AM

» Friday Mozart Blogging from Political Animal
FRIDAY MOZART BLOGGING.... Happy 250th Birthday, Mozart! In celebration, we have Édouard Boubat's famous musical cat, Partition (1982), accompanied by the only slightly less famous Jasmine Sitting Over the Fireplace (2003). Want to test your knowledge o... [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 27, 2006 11:40:13 AM

» Friday Mozart Blogging from Political Animal
FRIDAY MOZART BLOGGING.... Happy 250th Birthday, Mozart! In celebration, we have Édouard Boubat's famous musical cat, Partition (1982), accompanied by the only slightly less famous Jasmine Sitting Over the Fireplace (2003). Want to test your knowledge o... [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 27, 2006 1:06:27 PM

» Friday Mozart Blogging from Political Animal
FRIDAY MOZART BLOGGING.... Happy 250th Birthday, Mozart! In celebration, we have Édouard Boubat's famous musical cat, Partition (1982), accompanied by the only slightly less famous Jasmine Sitting Over the Fireplace (2003). Want to test your knowledge o... [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 27, 2006 1:57:58 PM

» Mozart at the Margin from The Anger of Compassion
I don't think so. There is nothing marginal about Mozart. Tyler Cowen opines on Mozart here. He includes, as a category, the "most overrated Mozart." In this our celebration of Mozart's 250th whatever, what, pray tell, does the good doctor... [Read More]

Tracked on Jan 29, 2006 9:49:46 PM

Tracked on Feb 12, 2006 5:34:44 PM

» allegra from allegra
[Read More]

Tracked on Feb 14, 2006 4:47:08 PM

» Santana Juelz What The Game's Been Missing from Gerhart Desirce
My favorite Mozart [Read More]

Tracked on Feb 18, 2006 8:01:30 PM

Comments

I haven't actually heard recordings with Szell as pianist but his conducting of the Symphony 41 is my favourite, esp. the last movement (which is my favourite symphonic movement from any composer)

For the clarinet works, I love Eric Hoeprich. I don't always prefer original instrument versions but for the clarinet I certainly do because of its darker quality.

I agree about Uchida and love her concerti too.

Posted by: James Tauber at Jan 26, 2006 6:16:25 AM

I would recommend Mackerras for Symphonies 40 & 41. Not the flashiest recording, but the Prague Chamber Orchestra plays brilliantly, IMO.

Posted by: Ryo at Jan 26, 2006 7:43:46 AM

Have to totally disagree with you about the Quartets. The Emerson Quartet version of K. 387 and the d-minor Quartet on Deutsche Gramophon is amazing. I highly recommend that recording. In contrast, I am not so high on the Quintets.

But you nailed it about the Requiem - clearly an unfinished piece, although it has marvelous moments.

Agree with the poster above about the finale of the "Jupiter" Symphony. For me, there is still something very special about the Bruno Walter recording of that piece.

The last time I heard the Szell recording of the Piano Quartets (with the Budapest Qt, right?) I didn't like it AT ALL but that was a few years ago.

Posted by: jult52 at Jan 26, 2006 8:47:24 AM

I'm surprised and disappointed that you don't have the horn concertos on the list. I am posting about them (and other things Mozart) tomorrow (Jan 27th), the 250th anniversary of his birth.

Summary: I prefer the recordings by Jamie Sommerville.

Posted by: The Eclectic Econoclast at Jan 26, 2006 9:29:23 AM

The Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola, and orchestra. By anyone, after all, it's Mozart.

Posted by: lee at Jan 26, 2006 9:35:37 AM

I'm surprised and disappointed that you don't have the horn concertos on the list. I am posting about them (and other things Mozart) on January 27th, the 250th anniversary of his birth.

Summary: I prefer the recordings by Jamie Sommerville.

Posted by: The Eclectic Econoclast at Jan 26, 2006 9:49:34 AM

I'd put the C Minor Mass in the underrated category, especially when compared with the Requiem. Unfortunately, like the Requiem, it also went unfinished (there’s no Agnus Dei). Mozart had written the mass for his wedding to Constanze but it was not completed in time and he pretty much abandoned it after using some of the music in a cantata a couple years later. The Laudamus Te ranks right up there as one of Mozart's best soprano arias (Constanze was the soloist at the wedding). The Robert Shaw recording is pretty good, but there may be better recordings that I have not heard.

Posted by: Andrew at Jan 26, 2006 10:53:27 AM

I had a funny Mozart experience a while back in a restaurant.

I got into an animated discussion with an asian student who had recently arrived to N. America. I was asked what music I liked and I mentioned Mozart.

This caused a puzzled look, then the chat dramatically shifted to talk about painting, sculpture etc.

I wondered what had led to the change in topic, then the the student put me straight.

"Yes, I like most art too."

Posted by: Jammy Sammy at Jan 26, 2006 11:17:04 AM

The quartets by the Quatuor Mosaiques on period instruments are revelatory; for me their's is the definitive set.

Posted by: Chaldani MacDougalstein at Jan 26, 2006 1:53:30 PM

I'll stay away from the performer/conductor issue,
but I have already weighed in earlier on the Requiem
as a defense of Mozart as a serious composer. For
outright, serious depth it is still the tops, with
only Don Giovanni its rival.

For sheer ecstasy, The Magic Flute.

For pure orchestral balance, Symphony # 40.

For sheer universality, the tune to "Twinkle,
Twinkle, Little Star."

Posted by: Barkley Rosser at Jan 26, 2006 3:05:34 PM

Oh, I will comment on one peformer issue, as an old
French horn player. The old Angel recordings by Dennis
Brain are still the tops for his four French horn concerti.

Posted by: Barkley Rosser at Jan 26, 2006 3:09:16 PM

Underrated- His Coronation mass, which is quite lovely. Also, his great Mass in C Minor. I also like some of his divertimenti and Piano Quartets (Rubinstein and Guarneri quartets). Also his concerti for flute and harp.

Posted by: vkrr at Jan 26, 2006 8:18:00 PM

The Mass in C minor has its incredibly beautiful moments but there's no way it is a top piece by Mozart.

Posted by: jult52 at Jan 27, 2006 9:20:54 AM

NB: It's Rene Jacobs, not Rene Jacob. And his Cosi fan tutte is indeed splendid. By far my favorite.

The Requiem, like Beethoven's Sym. 5, has been overexposed. Come back to it after a while and you will again see that up through the Lacrimosa (i.e. the part more or less finished by Mozart) it is an extraordinary work. Try the recording by Jordi Savall and the Concert des Nations on Fontalis.

And I'm not a fan of Uchida in the sonatas--too dainty. Try Walter Klien on Vox (cheap too).

Posted by: pk at Jan 27, 2006 12:08:14 PM

I am a huge fan of Benny Goodman's recordings of the Clarinet Quartet and Quintet, which do not appear to be available (yet?) on CD. Makes me glad I still have the obsolete capital equipment.

Posted by: Donald A. Coffin at Jan 27, 2006 12:33:09 PM

For choral pieces, the Litaniae Lauretanae K. 195, Litaniae de Venerabili Altaris Sacramento K. 243 and Missa in C K. 257. Also Missa Brevis K. 275, and the Coronation Mass mentioned above. The ones I mentioned are on 2 Teldec discs. The conclusion to the Litaniae Lauretanae is absolutely ethereal.

Posted by: Mimikatz at Jan 27, 2006 12:33:17 PM

Agree with most of your choices, but start the piano concertos at 19 and drop 27 which is awful. 9, 15 and 17 are indispensible too especially 9 which was way beyond anything before it.

You also have to add the K 287 divertimento, K339 vespers, K 297 sinfonia concertante even if he didn't write it, K376 violin sonata, the Rondo for Piano (K 511) and the Ave Verum.

And some early things you can't do without: Symphonies 13 and 27, offertories K 272-273, early masses, e.g. K194, and the G Major string quarter K 156.

and don't go hatin' on the requiem.

Posted by: bucky20816 at Jan 27, 2006 12:39:01 PM

Agree about the operas. They're the only Mozart I actually listen to on a regular basis; for all the other musical forms I prefer other composers. The only detrimental aspect of his operas, in my opinion, is that the recitative (The non-aria segments with only harpsichord accompaniment - I think that's what it's called) hadn't died out yet. If Mozart hadn't still been held back by the conventions of the times his operas would have been even more brilliant. (Although I have to confess that the recitatives do make life easier for anyone in the orchestra pit.)

As a bassoonist, I'm going to have to add his bassoon concerto (K 191) to the "most overrated" list. I've met a few bassoonists who actually liked it but most of them play it because they have to (it's standard audition material). Dull, uninspired, technically difficult but not a virtuoso piece, and somehow very difficult to interpret. And far inferior to Weber's concerto, which is played less only because it's by Weber and not Mozart but which everyone enjoys more. (Hell, some of Vivaldi's were better too.) Apparently Mozart originally wrote four bassoon concertos; I always wondered if the lost ones were better.

Posted by: Nat at Jan 27, 2006 1:46:33 PM

Back when Nonesuch was doing for affordable classical music what Naxos is today, they had a bunch of Mozart (serenades and the like) by Karl Ristenpart and the Chamber Orchestra of the Saar, that I could listen to over and over without getting tired of them. Seemed to have just the right touch for the music. I agree with the comments about Mackerras and Szell; there's a Concerto #25 with Leon Fleisher and Szell you might want to give a listen to, and for something completely different, the "Masonic Funeral Music" with Bruno Walter--a piece that sounds almost as if it could have been written a century later.

Posted by: ZakAttack at Jan 27, 2006 2:42:15 PM

A nice list, to be sure. Maybe the Clarinet Concerto is overplayed, but it it still pure greatness. I'd want to be sure to add Symphony #25 (the two Mozart symphonies in G minor are both great, including the overplayed 40th). I also agree with the Eclectic Econoclast, the concerti for horn are simply masterpieces, all of them...don't miss them. One other thing...the Serenade #10, "Gran Partita," (K. 361) is unbelievable. Gotta include that one.

Posted by: aggro at Jan 27, 2006 3:55:44 PM

I am disappointed and dismayed by Tyler's assessment of the Mozart violin conerti. He is sorely wrong! I do not know if Tyler has studied the violin but he is clearly missing the delicacy and utter exquisiteness of those pieces. I suspect he is being far too cavalier in his summation. What a real shame!

Posted by: Pamela Abrams at Jan 27, 2006 4:58:36 PM

I like the fantasia and fugue and the adagio and fugue. One's in C minor and one's in F minor, but I forget which is which, and I don't feel like checking.

Posted by: godoggo at Jan 27, 2006 9:07:19 PM

Leonard Bernstein wrote an article 45 years ago or so asking why Beethoven strode the musical world as a mighty colossus (okay, he didn't use that cliche). Mozart has clearly displaced him. Why? [This question goes to the question of the place of classical music in popular culture, not to artistic merits.]

Back to the String Quartets: in addition to the d-minor by the Emerson Q, their version of the Hunt and Dissonance are also worth seeking out. The Hunt was unavailable for years, but now is out.

Posted by: Henry at Jan 27, 2006 9:37:57 PM

students liefde ^^^ heet schoolmeisje ^^^ funny allievo ^^^ asiatiche mepeg ^^^ pipes dans les escaliers ^^^ ecoliere flic baise ^^^ plus chaud filles film ^^^ chaude vingt trois ^^^ fantastico asiatiche sex ^^^ agente di polizia spogliarello in anticamera ^^^ val vald servitris aktion ^^^ manlig brudar alska ^^^ attraente asiatiche sex ^^^ good looking studentessa inculate ^^^ penest lav ^^^ kald kaninaktig brud ^^^ fillesak tysk ^^^ kjolig overjordisk kysk ^^^ astinomikos pipa stin kouzina ^^^ agrios moro agapi ^^^ plus chaude papa photos ^^^ bite en feu ^^^