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    A few questions about Mozarts piano work

    What are his finest piano Concertos? I bought a CD of his D Minor, then the C major after it.

    Also, this is a very specific, and probably hard to answer question: In the movie "Amadeus" there is a scene where Salieri is looking over the scores that Constanze just brought to him. He is moving from one piece to the other quickly, with the music playing as it corresponds to what he is looking at. At one point, what sounds like a Piano sonata (or maybe concerto, but I only heard piano) is playing. Its only for maybe 5 seconds, but it sounded really amazing. I badly want to know what piece this is to hunt down the recording. The movie only notates two piano works: D minor Concerto and Eb Major concerto. This piece sounded very minor key, but it may have been part of a development section. Does anyone know what I am talking about?
    Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
    That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
    And then is heard no more. It is a tale
    Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
    Signifying nothing. -- Act V, Scene V, Macbeth.

    #2
    Well, of course No. 21 is one of the most loved. My personal favorite is No. 23 in A major. Truly an oustanding work.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Beyond Within:
      What are his finest piano Concertos? I bought a CD of his D Minor, then the C major after it.

      Also, this is a very specific, and probably hard to answer question: In the movie "Amadeus" there is a scene where Salieri is looking over the scores that Constanze just brought to him. He is moving from one piece to the other quickly, with the music playing as it corresponds to what he is looking at. At one point, what sounds like a Piano sonata (or maybe concerto, but I only heard piano) is playing. Its only for maybe 5 seconds, but it sounded really amazing. I badly want to know what piece this is to hunt down the recording. The movie only notates two piano works: D minor Concerto and Eb Major concerto. This piece sounded very minor key, but it may have been part of a development section. Does anyone know what I am talking about?
      I think it may have been the finale of the D minor concerto, but I'm not sure without checking.

      Some of the other great concertos are K.467 in C, K.491 C minor, K.503 C major, K.488 A major, K.482 Eb, K.450 Bb, K.595 Bb, K.459 F major, K.449 Eb, K.453 G major.

      ------------------
      'Man know thyself'
      'Man know thyself'

      Comment


        #4
        BW,
        It has been about 20 years since I saw the movie so I couldn't help you, by why not listen to all of the mature piano concertos and see if you can hear the passage you are thinking about it? That would be an excellent summer project.

        I agree with the choices above for concerti. There are some wonderful earlier ones as well: #9 and #17 are excellent. #12 is very nice.

        There is probably no question that Mozart's piano concertos are amazing pieces, but I have heard many pianists say that they consider the sonatas to be some of Mozart's less inspired music.

        Agree, disagree?

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by urtextmeister:
          BW,
          There is probably no question that Mozart's piano concertos are amazing pieces, but I have heard many pianists say that they consider the sonatas to be some of Mozart's less inspired music.

          Agree, disagree?

          I agree, there are only around 5 or so of the sonatas that are first rate.

          ------------------
          'Man know thyself'
          'Man know thyself'

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Peter:
            I agree, there are only around 5 or so of the sonatas that are first rate.

            And what would your selection be Peter? I particularly like Piano Sonata in C minor, the adagio is beautiful, and the Piano Sonata in A minor is also one of my favourite.
            The concertos I would have to include his Piano Concerto #9 and #17 two of my absolute favourites. Also #21 (especially the andante) and #23.



            ------------------
            'Truth and beauty joined'
            'Truth and beauty joined'

            Comment


              #7
              I don't know all by far, but my favorite is the cheerful K. 570 B flat major.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Peter:
                I agree, there are only around 5 or so of the sonatas that are first rate.

                Peter,
                As opposed to what?


                ------------------
                Regards,
                Gurn
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                Regards,
                Gurn
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
                  Peter,
                  As opposed to what?


                  I mean they are outstanding in quality whereas the others are not, and to answer Joy's question in the same post I'm thinking of the A minor K.310, the C minor and Fantasia K.475 & K.457, the F major K.533 (though the finale is a disappointment, an earlier rondo tacked on) and the D major K.576.

                  Aside from these sonatas, Mozart's finest solo piano music is to be found in the Adagio in B minor K.450 and the Rondo in A minor K.511 and I'm also rather fond of the D minor fantasia K.397.

                  ------------------
                  'Man know thyself'
                  'Man know thyself'

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Beyond Within:
                    Also, this is a very specific, and probably hard to answer question: In the movie "Amadeus" there is a scene where Salieri is looking over the scores that Constanze just brought to him. He is moving from one piece to the other quickly, with the music playing as it corresponds to what he is looking at. At one point, what sounds like a Piano sonata (or maybe concerto, but I only heard piano) is playing. Its only for maybe 5 seconds, but it sounded really amazing. I badly want to know what piece this is to hunt down the recording. Does anyone know what I am talking about?
                    I believe the piece you are looking for is the Concerto for Two Pianos in E flat. The extract is a brief transitional passage (in the fast movement) - the main theme is different, so don't be put off at first if it doesn't sound like it. Play it all the way through and listen carefully for that particular passage, which is quite brief. The work overall, however, is a good one, and worth listening to.
                    "It is only as an aesthetic experience that existence is eternally justified" - Nietzsche

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Steppenwolf:
                      I believe the piece you are looking for is the Concerto for Two Pianos in E flat. The extract is a brief transitional passage (in the fast movement) - the main theme is different, so don't be put off at first if it doesn't sound like it. Play it all the way through and listen carefully for that particular passage, which is quite brief. The work overall, however, is a good one, and worth listening to.

                      Yes, as Steppenwolf correctly said, this extract comes from the Concerto for Two Pianos K. 365, 3rd movement. It is the development section. It particularly impressed me the first time I heard it too, and the entire movement is delightful to listen to. It's on the "Amadeus" soundtrack - CD 1 Track 7.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        haha well I went to the store and bought 100$ worth of Mozart Piano music. This Eb piece was part of this spree. The entire third movement is lovely. It has this 'flowing' quality to it I really like.
                        Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
                        That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
                        And then is heard no more. It is a tale
                        Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
                        Signifying nothing. -- Act V, Scene V, Macbeth.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          oh and...

                          Peter: what Piano Sonata composers do you think are superior to Mozart? I have heard Chopins 3, Most of beethovens, several of Haydns, and several of Scuberts. I found only Chopins 2nd and Beethovens to be of equal or better quality. Schuberts seem to be lifeless next to these. But I am wondering, what are the Great Piano Sonatas, if Mozart barely ranks among them?
                          Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
                          That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
                          And then is heard no more. It is a tale
                          Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
                          Signifying nothing. -- Act V, Scene V, Macbeth.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Beyond Within:
                            oh and...

                            Peter: what Piano Sonata composers do you think are superior to Mozart? I have heard Chopins 3, Most of beethovens, several of Haydns, and several of Scuberts. I found only Chopins 2nd and Beethovens to be of equal or better quality. Schuberts seem to be lifeless next to these. But I am wondering, what are the Great Piano Sonatas, if Mozart barely ranks among them?
                            Well Beethoven is unique in that the sonatas chart his development as a composer in a way that Mozart's do not. Undoubtedly in the piano repertoire Beethoven's sonatas are the towering achievement.

                            I don't entirely agree with you about Schubert, at least his last 3 sonatas plus the G major D894 and the lovely A major Op.120 are fine works.

                            You've mentioned Chopin whose Bb minor I adore and the 3rd sonata of Brahms (F minor)is also very fine. Liszt's tremendous B minor sonata may also appeal to you. A composer who you may not have considered is Scriabin - he wrote 10 very interesting sonatas between 1892 and 1913, ranging from Romanticism to Atonal.
                            http://www.prometheuseditions.com/prometheus/001.html

                            ------------------
                            'Man know thyself'

                            [This message has been edited by Peter (edited 08-08-2004).]
                            'Man know thyself'

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Beyond Within:
                              oh and...

                              Peter: what Piano Sonata composers do you think are superior to Mozart? I have heard Chopins 3, Most of beethovens, several of Haydns, and several of Scuberts. I found only Chopins 2nd and Beethovens to be of equal or better quality. Schuberts seem to be lifeless next to these. But I am wondering, what are the Great Piano Sonatas, if Mozart barely ranks among them?

                              Don't forget Haydn in all this. In what I've played I've seen Haydn's mastery in development and counterpoint.

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