Customer Reviews

Friedrich Gulda - Mozart Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 26

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a LIVE recording, so a memeber of the audience coughed. What could be done about it? Show him the door and start all over again? A full orchestra for Mozart?? This is not Mahler! I got a feeling that quite a proportion of the DVD viewers aren't serious music lovers, caring more about visual or other things than music per se without due respect to the natural overall effect. So, new comers have better excercise care reading such reviews.

I find the wood winds of Munich Orchestra most appealing, particularly the clarinet, which compares favourably with the present Berlin Philharmonic. Needless to say, the strings as well as the other sections are all upfront. Here you can see that Gulda the solist/conductor competes well, had he chosen to be a conductor, with his masterclass pupil, Abbado and note their striking similarirties. And as a pianist, he had even better control over the piano than his pupil, Martha Argerich and his understanding of music as well as his sense of structure and rhythm is so much stronger. Again, note the similarities between these two pianists.

Horowitz said none of the US orchestra is any good. When people say something not nice about Berlin Philharmonic, they say it's got the Philadelphia sound... Well, get ready your pipe and smoke it.

This is one of the most gratifying performance of Mozart piano concertos I have ever heard or seen anywhere at any time! Gulda conducts the Munich Philharmonic from the piano in the famous D Minor concerto (No. 20) and the "Coronation" Concerto (No. 26). The orchestra is clearly inspired by Gulda's ebullient conducting and playing. On the keyboard he plays out, projecting so you can hear the piano over the orchestra in the actual written passages. True to Mozartian style he accompanies the orchestra during tutti passages giving an absolutely perfect rythymic pulse to the performances. This is music making at its most joyous and you can tell Gulda simply loves the joy he is spreading in these performances. The orchestra is superb as well. The audio is available in excellent Dolby 5.1 surround sound as well as uncompressed PCM stereo. The camera work and sound quality are excellent. There's also an interesting interview with Gulda in german (with English subtitles) (the soundtrack in this mini-documentary is faulty however). We are even treated to an excerpt from Chopin's Berceuse in a wonderful performance.

All in all, to see what made Gulda such a legend, one has to see and hear the performances on this disc. His performance of the Beethoven Emperor concerto on another DVD is also spectacular.

It is not easy to classify an artist such as Friedrich Gulda.
This recording belongs to one of Gulda's "standards", a standard which is so high that most of modern pianists find it even hard to comprehend. Nevertheless, a few names whose great performances of Mozart are currently on the market come to mind . First, Gulda himself in a perfomance of Mozart's K467 with WIener Symphoniker "Authentic Interpretation". This recording surpasses even the current DVD with K466 and K537. Then there is a stunning Mozart CD by Andreas Staier with K.331, 332, 333 and Mozart CD with Robert Levin. This would conclude the list of artists who can argue with Gulda in Mozart. The Mozart year is coming in 2006 and we will hear much more of his music...One wishes 2006 never ends...

Because I liked Mozard Piano Concerto No. 20 D minor, I ordered this DVD. It supports Dolby Digital 5.1 Channel. I am satisfied with sound and video quality. It was enjoyable to see Gulda play the piano and direct a small orchestra team in the sweat of his brow, because I had listened this music just by LP stereo. I am not quite sure what else I may expect more from this kind of concerto DVD. I think the only flaw is that the noise and applauding sounds from the audience seats were too large. There are a few bonus materials in this title.

Just, Fantastic! I recomend it. Gulda is super. Buy it. You wouldn't be desappointed. Get Beethoven Piano Concerto #5. Terrific!

My meeting with Friedrich Gulda was a strange one. I was searching for a video of Mozart's 26th Concerto which I adore, and finally found a video on youtube. There was a strangely clad person conducting the orchestra with funny and sweet motions of his hands and body. Then he touched the piano... Boy, I was blown away, his touch was magical. That video is present on this DVD and will definitely blow away anyone who listens to/watches this DVD.

Further investigation on Gulda revealed that he was one of the most talented and important figures in piano in the 20th century. My piano teacher told me that he was a top-notch pianist and though I don't find myself appropriate to judge his playing, he is great!

What I find strange is that I bought this DVD for less than $10 in a local store. Perhaps it has to do with something with the price drops after the New Year but that's a big drop. Perhaps it has to do with my living in Turkey. Anyway, even if I had to give $30, I would've bought it.

Recommended to anyone who likes great music and musicianship.

An interesting an unique artist who loves Mozart and shows it in his playing. Enjoyable to watch. Pleased to add this DVD to our library, along with his other one featuring Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 and Mozart Sonatas.

Excellent performance throughout!! Mr Gulda totally immersed himself into the music and gave a very spirited performance. The orchestra was superb too.

A long waited classical piece, but the release is a bit disappointing. The ochestra was scaled-down, and the piano soloist was the conductor himself. Wood pipes sounded a bit weak, certain camera appeared a bit out of focus, there was some ghost images throughout. Clearly there was audience coughing in the second movement.