Best Mozart's Piano Music Interpreter

[immanueljoseph]

Dear all,

Please range for me the above pianists from the best to the least, who interpretes Mozart's music most accurately (from the historical performance practice). Please state also why you like/don't like each pianist. If I leave out any pianist, please state, too. Thank you.

Best regards,

Joseph

[nicco]

I really like Andsnes mozart. But looks like i cant vote for him. Then it will be horowitz without a doubt.

[desordre]

 Dear Joseph:
 Although I think that there are many good versions of Mozart's music, my first-of-the-list, my above-all is Mrs. Mitsuko Uchida. Her recordings of the sonatas are just perfect: the balance, the concept, the touch, the phrasing, the everything...
 Of course, Barenboim's concerti are outstanding. And Gould is quite surprising, as usual.
 Best wishes!

[rachmaninova]

Just one repair: it's Maria Joao Pires not Joan Pires

[jre58591]

Just one repair: it's Maria Joao Pires not Joan Pires

youre both wrong. its actually maria joćo pires. 

[rachmaninova]

youre both wrong. its actually maria joćo pires. 

I know that (I'm portuguese!  ), but I didn't put the ~ on the word because I don't know if this sign is seen by others. How can I explain this? If you write these signs on sites like hi5.com, something weird appears on the screen. And if someone who is not from a country whose language is portuguese tries to say "Joćo", the only thing that comes out is "Joao". We have a hard time on teaching foreign students to say "Joćo", really!!! 

[desordre]

youre both wrong. its actually maria joćo pires.

Dear Jre:
 You're wrong too. It's Maria Joćo Pires. 
 Best wishes!

 

[pianistimo]

bilson
cassedesus
perahia
kempff
brendel
levine
richter
serkin
haskil
horowitz
barenboim
gilels
gulda?
haebler
de larrocha
joan p.
edwin fischer
uchida
gould
kissin

this in no way implies anything about any of these artists.  i would just as soon go to kissin's concerts as anyone elses.  i'm just saying who i'm most familiar with as mozart specialist vs someone who enjoys playing mozart (imo).  and, i'm not a scholar yet - but an attempt is being made at becoming scholarly.  one thing that i find is that many artists sort of 'specialize' after a while.  each of these artists may have something they play better than anyone else on the list - so the list would change according to what is being played or requested.  also, i'm sure i would change my mind about any, after the first three, if i was proven wrong by listening to some of these pianists for some length of time.  if carefulness to mozart's own interpretations is the point of this thread - then i'm attempting to classify the most strict interpretations to the most liberal.

i'm already starting to wonder if i put de larrocha too far down on the list.  if i remember right, she was quite amazing!

[jre58591]

Dear Jre:
 You're wrong too. It's Maria Joćo Pires. 
 Best wishes!

haha, ive taken capital letters completely out of my online vocabulary.

[musicsdarkangel]

of the choices, Joao Pirez easily


I'm sorry, I just can't stand Uchida,

her concertos are alright,

her sonatas are terrible....

what about La Roccha?  Her and Pirez are my favorites

[mikebechstein]

Is it just me, or is mozart (more than any other composer) often better interpreted by women than men?

[kempff1234]

No one has voted for Gulda???

[pianistimo]

where's badura-skoda and ashkenazy?

i also happen to think that women can be very good at mozart.  it's naturally 'facile' for smaller hands.  and, he actually was writing for certain women (ie barbara ployer, etc) as well as his sister - at certain points. 

[pianote]

No one has voted for Gulda???

why didn't you vote for Gulda then? 

[cmg]

Please include Joyce Hatto.  THE most lyrical, stylish Mozart playing I've ever heard.  She reminds you that Mozart was, at heart, a composer of extraordinary operas.

[_____]

I quite enjoy Brendel and Uchida's Mozart, although the latter tends to play a bit too 'cute' for my liking.

[krittyot]

Horowitz all the way, most exquisite Mozart's playing.

[degenhart]

Without any doubt Maria Joćo Pires is for me the best interpreter of the Sonatas. Her natural, very musical interpretations on the Denon cd's ( when she was young ), as well as the later recordings on DG are outstanding. Regarding the Pianoconcertos I prefer Murray Perahia.

[mikey6]

Who on earth voted for Gould? You can't possibly take his recordings seriously when he didn't.  It's ort of hard to vote for come of these people whe you ask for the msot authentic interpreter - people like Gulda (from what I've heard from others), Horowitz etc. I think are definitley more personal intepretations and wouldn't win competitions.  Likewise anyone from the old school beofre the whole Kirkpatrick perios revision thing can't really be considered historically acurate playing.
Perahia and Brendel or possibly Levine although I don't like him but he's a period schooled performer.

[a1]

I know that (I'm portuguese!  ), but I didn't put the ~ on the word because I don't know if this sign is seen by others. How can I explain this? If you write these signs on sites like hi5.com, something weird appears on the screen. And if someone who is not from a country whose language is portuguese tries to say "Joćo", the only thing that comes out is "Joao". We have a hard time on teaching foreign students to say "Joćo", really!!! 

Your english is  so good.Well done.i am a Chinese but not a China man.

[thaicheow]

I personally feel that Alicia de Larrocha's mozart is the best. She is very restrain, and full of command, but yet everything seems easy under her fingers. To play without showing any technique at all, I think is what Mozart asks from his performers.

Why no one mention Martha Argerich. I like some of her concertos greatly.

Also, no one mention Andras Schiff.

I will put Daniel barenboim's mozart at the last place. His temperement simply not suitable for Mozart. But I like his playing on other romantic composers, especially Beethovan.

Glenn Gould did some Mozart concerto VERY well in his early performance. But his complete recording on Mozart sonatas simply out of my list.

Richter also did some great Mozart performance, though he lamented that Mozart isnt easy to do.

How about those 'legendary' mozart performers? Like Lily Kraus, Myra Hess?

[mephisto]

Glenn Gould did some Mozart concerto VERY well in his early performance. But his complete recording on Mozart sonatas simply out of my list.

I agree. Gould was somewhat of an idiot. When he was young his playing was very very good, but whenhe got older he sort of had to do something strange everytime he played.

For Mozart Andsnes is also very good, so is Haskil and Pires and as said before; Early Gould.

[vesna1951]

In my humble opinion, the very best interpretation of Mozart's piano concertos in d-minor and the Coronation one are those by late Maestro Friedrich Gulda. What I LOVE in his interpretations is very strong personal touch and very well knowledge of music, because he is a conductor in both concertos. AAnd, above all, his communication with all the orchestra members who enjoyed his playing the piano and followed him down to the last sound. He knows exactly when a certain instrument has to play in, and when he looks at the camera, I always have a feeling that he is playing it ONLY for me. I cannot tell you how sad I was when I learned that he died in 2000. My each day begins and ends with him-

[rmbarbosa]

Maria Joćo Pires.

[pianoplayjl]

Mitsuko Uchida. 

[49410enrique]

Mitsuko Uchida. 

agreed!

[schubert_21]

I think Leon Fleisher's recording of Mozart's piano concerto no. 25 with George Szell is absolutely fantastic.  This is one of the most underrated Mozart concertos ever.

[albertus_magnus]

Ingrid Haebler