2 Sem 2012 - Part One

Maria João Pires
The Piano Sonatas - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)

By Orpheus "a wayfarer" (on the road)
I agree completely with the above reviewer. Maria Joao Pires is one the world's most influential and admired Pianists, her interpretations of Mozart, Chopin, Schumann and Beethoven have been lauded and her concerts are sold out within days. Throughout her career though, she returns again and again to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Mozart Sonatas lack the pathos and gravity of Beethoven's, but reveal a beauty more etheric and elusive. It is not for nothing that most pianists do not dare to touch them, as they represent a world that seems simple and one-dimensional, but is in fact the complete opposite. Mozart' inclination to simplicity reveals, when played by someone with a kindred soul, his Incomparable Genius. Maria Joao Pires does just that.
Her tone is a delicate and lyrical one: warm, soulful, clear and adept to Mozart's subtle and intricate compositions. What I most like about her is her sense of timing and flowing momentum that expresses the essence of a Mozartean Sonata.
You could say this is the most rounded and soulful collection of Mozart's sonatas . But that would not give enough credit to Maria Joao Pires Artistry. Each and every piece is played with an almost unassuming elegance and clarity; no manierisms, ideosyncracies, just a springing forth of the Music.
She creates an atmosphere of delicate intimacy and tranclucent beauty, I have never heared before. She expresses it all: the elegance and lyricism of Mozart love for Opera, his ability to summon a sense of heartbreaking joy and splendour, longing and humour, deep agony and elusive freedom...the whole gamut of the highest of human sentiments and capabilities.
Of course there are other great boxes such as Brendel, Uchida, De La Rocha, Gould. But Pires' unique empathic sensitivity capture something which surpasses just a great performance but touches the heart of Mozart's music.

Track List:

CD 1:
Piano Sonata No.1 in C, K.279
1.1. Allegro 6:59
2.2. Andante 8:58
3.3. Allegro 5:28
Piano Sonata No.2 in F, K.280
4.1. Allegro assai 6:33
5.2. Adagio 8:48
6.3. Presto 4:36
Piano Sonata No.3 in B flat, K.281
7.1. Allegro 6:48
8.2. Andante amoroso 8:16
9.3. Rondeau (Allegro) 5:06

CD 2:
Piano Sonata No.4 in E flat, K.282
1.1. Adagio 7:16
2.2. Menuetto I-II 4:02
3.3. Allegro 3:23
Piano Sonata No.5 in G, K.283
4.1. Allegro 5:31
5.2. Andante 6:31
6.3. Presto 6:13
Piano Sonata No.6 in D, K.284 "Dürnitz"
7.1. Allegro 7:37
8.2. Rondeau en Polonaise (Andante) 5:31
9.3. Tema con variazione 17:04

CD 3: 
Piano Sonata No.7 in C, K.309
1.1. Allegro con spirito 8:49
2.2. Andante, un poco adagio 6:37
3.3. Rondeau (Allegretto grazioso) 7:07
Piano Sonata No.9 in D, K.311
4.1. Allegro con spirito 6:58
5.2. Andantino con espressione 5:56
6.3. Rondeau (Allegro)6:53
Piano Sonata No.8 in A minor, K.310
7.1. Allegro maestoso 8:01
8.2. Andante cantabile con espressione 9:11
9.3. Presto 2:49

CD 4:
Piano Sonata No.10 in C major, K.330
1.1. Allegro moderato 9:08
2.2. Andante cantabile 6:54
3.3. Allegretto 7:48
Piano Sonata No.11 in A, K.331 -"Alla Turca"
4.1. Tema (Andante grazioso) con variazioni 14:12
5.2. Menuetto 5:42
6.3. Alla Turca (Allegretto) 3:42
Piano Sonata No.12 in F, K.332
7.1. Allegro 9:17
8.2. Adagio 4:44
9.3. Allegro assai 9:58

CD 5:
Piano Sonata No.13 in B flat, K.333
1.1. Allegro 9:58
2.2. Andante cantabile 12:16
3.3. Allegretto grazioso 6:35
4.Fantasia in C minor, K.475 11:59
Piano Sonata No.14 in C minor, K.457
5.1. Molto allegro 8:14
6.2. Adagio 7:28
7.3. Allegro assai 4:37

CD 6: 
Piano Sonata "No.18" in F, K.533/K.494
1.1. Allegro, K.533 10:02
2.2. Andante, K.533 10:12
3.3. Rondo (Allegretto), K.494 6:42
Piano Sonata No.15 in C, K.545 "Facile"
4.1. Allegro 4:15
5.2. Andante 6:04
6.3. Rondo (Allegretto) 1:38
Piano Sonata No.16 in B flat, K.570
7.1. Allegro 8:38
8.2. Adagio 8:42
9.3. Allegretto 3:43
Piano Sonata No.17 in D, K.576
10.1. Allegro 5:02
11.2. Adagio 6:17
12.3. Allegretto 4:48