Karolak: Mozart – Complete Fortepiano Concertos (11 CD box set, FLAC)

Performer: Viviana Sofronitzki
Orchestra: Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense
Conductor: Tadeusz Karolak
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 11
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Boheme Pro Musica
Size: 3.38 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
01. Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major (‘Jeunehomme,’ ‘Jenamy’), K. 271: Allegro
02. Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major (‘Jeunehomme,’ ‘Jenamy’), K. 271: Andantino
03. Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major (‘Jeunehomme,’ ‘Jenamy’), K. 271: Rondeau. Presto
04. Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat major, K. 449: Allegro vivace
05. Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat major, K. 449: Andantino
06. Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat major, K. 449: Allegro ma non troppo

Disc: 2
01. Piano Concerto No. 11 in F major, K. 413 (K. 387a): Allegro
02. Piano Concerto No. 11 in F major, K. 413 (K. 387a): Larghetto
03. Piano Concerto No. 11 in F major, K. 413 (K. 387a): Tempo di Menuetto
04. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450: Allegro
05. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450: Andante
06. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450: Allegro
07. Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, K. 459: Allegro
08. Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, K. 459: Allegretto
09. Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, K. 459: Allegro assai

Disc: 3
01. Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503: Allegro maestoso
02. Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503: Andante
03. Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503: Allegro
04. Piano Concerto No. 26 in D major (‘Coronation’) K. 537: Allegro
05. Piano Concerto No. 26 in D major (‘Coronation’) K. 537: Larghetto
06. Piano Concerto No. 26 in D major (‘Coronation’) K. 537: Allegretto
07. Rondo for piano & orchestra in A major, K. 386

Disc: 4
01. Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414 (K. 385p): Allegro
02. Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414 (K. 385p): Andante
03. Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414 (K. 385p): Rondeau. Allegretto
04. Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415 (K. 387b): Allegro
05. Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415 (K. 387b): Andante
06. Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415 (K. 387b): Rondeau. Allegro
07. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major (‘Elvira Madigan’) K. 467: Allegro maestoso
08. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major (‘Elvira Madigan’) K. 467: Andante
09. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major (‘Elvira Madigan’) K. 467: Allegro vivace assai

Disc: 5
01. Piano Concerto No. 5 in D major, K. 175: Allegro
02. Piano Concerto No. 5 in D major, K. 175: Andante, ma un poco adagio
03. Piano Concerto No. 5 in D major, K. 175: Allegro
04. Concerto for 2 pianos & orchestra in E flat major (‘Concerto No. 10’), K. 365 (K. 316a): Allegro
05. Concerto for 2 pianos & orchestra in E flat major (‘Concerto No. 10’), K. 365 (K. 316a): Andante
06. Concerto for 2 pianos & orchestra in E flat major (‘Concerto No. 10’), K. 365 (K. 316a): Rondeaux. Allegro
07. Concerto for 3 (or 2) pianos & orchestra in F major (‘Lodron,’ ‘Concerto No. 7’), K. 242: Allegro
08. Concerto for 3 (or 2) pianos & orchestra in F major (‘Lodron,’ ‘Concerto No. 7’), K. 242: Adagio
09. Concerto for 3 (or 2) pianos & orchestra in F major (‘Lodron,’ ‘Concerto No. 7’), K. 242: Rondeau. Tempo di Menuetto

Disc: 6
01. Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major, K. 482: Allegro
02. Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major, K. 482: Andante
03. Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major, K. 482: Allegro
04. Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491: Allegro
05. Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491: Larghetto
06. Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491: Allegretto
07. Rondo for piano & orchestra in D major, K. 382

Disc: 7
01. Piano Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, K. 238: Allegro aperto
02. Piano Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, K. 238: Andante un poco adagio
03. Piano Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, K. 238: Rondeau. Allegro
04. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466: Allegro
05. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466: Romance
06. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466: Allegro assai
07. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488: Allegro
08. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488: Adagio
09. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488: Allegro assai

Disc: 8
01. Piano Concerto No. 8 in C major (‘Lützow’) K. 246: Allegro aperto
02. Piano Concerto No. 8 in C major (‘Lützow’) K. 246: Andante
03. Piano Concerto No. 8 in C major (‘Lützow’) K. 246: Rondeau. Tempo di Menuetto
04. Piano Concerto No. 16 in D major, K. 451: Allegro assai
05. Piano Concerto No. 16 in D major, K. 451: Andante
06. Piano Concerto No. 16 in D major, K. 451: Rondeau. Allegro di molto
07. Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453: Allegro
08. Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453: Andante
09. Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453: Allegretto

Disc: 9
01. Piano Concerto No. 18 in B flat major, K. 456: Allegro vivace
02. Piano Concerto No. 18 in B flat major, K. 456: Andante un poco sostenuto
03. Piano Concerto No. 18 in B flat major, K. 456: Allegro vivace
04. Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595: Allegro
05. Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595: Larghetto
06. Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595: Allegro

Disc: 10
01. Piano Concerto No. 1 in F major, K. 37: Allegro
02. Piano Concerto No. 1 in F major, K. 37: Andante
03. Piano Concerto No. 1 in F major, K. 37: Allegro
04. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, K. 39: Allegro spirituoso
05. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, K. 39: Andante staccato
06. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, K. 39: Molto allegro
07. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D major, K. 40: Allegro maestoso
08. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D major, K. 40: Andante
09. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D major, K. 40: Presto
10. Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, K. 41: Allegro
11. Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, K. 41: Andante
12. Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, K. 41: Molto allegro

Disc: 11
01. Piano Concerto in D major (after J.C. Bach’s keyboard sonata, Op 5/2), K. 107/1: Allegro
02. Piano Concerto in D major (after J.C. Bach’s keyboard sonata, Op 5/2), K. 107/1: Andante
03. Piano Concerto in D major (after J.C. Bach’s keyboard sonata, Op 5/2), K. 107/1: Tempo di Menuetto
04. Piano Concerto in G major (after J.C. Bach’s keyboard sonata, Op 5/3), K. 107/2: Allegro
05. Piano Concerto in G major (after J.C. Bach’s keyboard sonata, Op 5/3), K. 107/2: Allegretto
06. Piano Concerto in E flat major (after J.C. Bach’s keyboard sonata, Op 5/4), K. 107/3: Allegro
07. Piano Concerto in E flat major (after J.C. Bach’s keyboard sonata, Op 5/4), K. 107/3: Allegretto

EXQUISITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only rarely does an artist come along that is so marvelous with Mozart that you think that they must have been born to play Mozart. Viviana Sofronitzki is such an artist. This complete recording of Mozart’s Fortepiano Concertos on original instruments is, by far, the best performance AND recording ever made of these works and I have them all on original instruments (as well as many on modern instruments). The other recordings I have on original instruments are as follows and I’ve made general comments about each one:

– Malcolm Bilson, John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists – Great orchestra performance but Bilson’s phrasing is awkward and the fortepiano not only sounds bad it is recorded too far away and gets drowned out by the orchestra too much.

– Robert Levin, Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music – Good performances and recordings but not as good as Viviana’s

– Steven Lubin, playing and conducting a small orchestra called the Mozartean Players (3-4 first violins and 3-4 second violins, etc.)- Excellent performances and recordings but not quite as good as Viviana’s.

– Jos van Immerseel and his Anima Eterna orchestra – BORING and again the fortepiano is too far away compared to the orchestra.

– Patrick Cohen and Christopher Coin conducting the Ensemble Baroque de Limoges – Cohen is very good but the orchestra is not.

– Andreas Staier with the Concerto Koln – Excellent performance, but again not quite as good as Viviana’s.

Viviana’s set takes the crown. Her performances are energetic and emotionally involving. Her phrasing is exquisite and she is matched with a conductor and original instrument orchestra that make these works sound fresh with well chosen tempi and beautiful phrasing. Not only is the performance top notch but the recording is exquisitely beautiful with just the right amount of reverberation and balance among the instruments. For the first time since Steven Lubin’s recording for the Arabesque label is the fortepiano properly balanced with the correct size orchestra (4 first violins, 4 second violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, 1 string bass) so you can actually hear the fortepiano at a comfortable level compared to the orchestra. You don’t have to strain to hear the fortepiano as in all the other recordings mentioned above (except Steven Lubin’s). Not only is the orchestra and fortepiano well balanced but the winds are too, which have an earthy beauty to them. The strings have a lustrous sheen to their sound. Viviana plays on a fortepiano built by Paul McNulty after Anton Walter and it is the most beautiful fortepiano I’ve heard. This recording is so incredibly detailed as well. I recommend you get this set now before it’s gone.