James Peyton | columbia, sc United States | 10/21/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Andras Schiff first made a career for himself by playing Bach on a modern piano rather than a harpsicord and doing so most persuasively. Later, he turned his attention to Mozart, and again showed why he is one of the modern greats of the keyboard. I tend to think of Schiff's playing as being more reflective than Uchida's who is perhaps at times more energetic. However, Schiff is in his own way ideal for this music that calls for humor, vibrancy, delicacy, and control."
Some Well-Known and Some Little-Known Mozart Well Played
Paul S. Rottenberg | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | 12/20/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This well-filled disc contains very fine performances of some of Mozart's shorter works for piano. The two greatest pieces are the A Minor Rondo and the B Minor Adagio. Both are given moving performances by Schiff, who is one of the finest Mozart pianists today. Other pieces include a minuet which Tchiakovsky orchestrated for his Mozartiana suite (it's not a minor, unimportant dance, either; it includes some harmonic surprises), and Mozart's wonderful variations on the French folk song original of our "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Again, this is not trivia. Nothing from Mozart's last years is, and all the works on this excellent recording date from that time. Sound, as usual for Decca, is perfection."
"Schiff makes an outstanding reading of these piano pieces of Mozart . The adagio in B minor may be the jewel of the crown .
Schiff plays with broad gusto . His sound is clear , and deeply expressive . From time to time you feel the torch of the Mozart piano players . In the reduced list of the Mozart champions you must name Lili Kraus , Dinu Lipatti, Horszowski , Clara Haskill , Edwin Fisher , Robert Casadesus , Eugene Istomin , Badura Skoda , Clifford Curzon , Georg Demus , Daniel Barenboim , Maria Joao Pires and Andras Schiff .
Schiff belongs to this elite . What else may I say?"
Lovely
D.J. Young | Melbourne, Australia | 11/15/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I brought this CD because I love "Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman". It is one piece of Mozart's work that I can never tire of. The recording is great and it is a very relaxing CD to listen to. If you like Mozart's variations then you'll love this CD.
"
The greatest!
William Michaels | Hillsborough, NJ United States | 01/09/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Andreas Schiff does an excellent job with these pieces, but my intent is really more to make sure that no one misses hearing the music itself. These are mostly masterpieces among masterpieces, among the greatest piano music ever written. I would say that the Rondo in A Minor, K. 511 and the Gigue in G Major, K. 574 especially stand out. The latter, by the way, has been even further enhanced via a superb orchestration that forms the opening movement of Tchaikovsky's Mozartiana Suite, with the later composer's sense of Christmas-Eve like anticipation perfectly in tune (I believe) with Mozart's own intentions."