Mozart: Piano Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, K. 478, 493

Wolfgang A. Mozart (Composer), Emanuel Ax (Performer), Isaac Stern (Performer), Jaime Laredo (Performer), Yo-Yo Ma (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, Yo-Yo Ma
• Composer: Wolfgang A. Mozart
• Audio CD (February 25, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002AY5
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,088 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Made in USA. cd is free of scratches. Hardly used. May be some handling wear to the cd case.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUTUALLY MUTUAL MOZART, August 10, 2005

By 

Melvyn M. Sobel "Melvyn M. Sobel" (Freeport, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart: Piano Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, K. 478, 493 (Audio CD)

With a consistency of interpretation and authenticity that beggars criticism, Mozart's undeniably glowing piano quartets spring warmly to life in the fraternal hands of Ax, Stern, Laredo and Ma. There is no streamlining here; the performances retain an endearing rough and ready quality so contagious, so fresh, so vital that the rare musical melding allows the listener immediate emotional entree. Tempi are insightfully and affectionately judged, the balance between slow and fast movements, perfectly contrasted. Ax, true to the composer, gives the piano a voice amongst the strings, acting very much the representative compass. Stern is particularly lyrical here, and Laredo liberates the second violin with a melodious sensitivity; Ma's cello adds an outstanding autumnal stability to the whole. The recording is exceptionally realistic and present, with each instrument beautifully engaged. This is self-recommending, glorious "hausmusik" intimately, yet spontaneously re-defined by a stellar ensemble.

[Running time: 55:37]

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Mozart, September 26, 2000

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mozart: Piano Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, K. 478, 493 (Audio CD)

These two "Piano Quartets" are Mozart at his most magnificent. The team of Ma, Ax, Stern and Laredo, who also brought us classic chamber recordings by Beethoven, Brahms, Faure, and most recently Dvorak, here tackle Mozart with glowing results. I have to say that while I'm a huge fan of Yo-Yo Ma and Isaac Stern, I can be luke warm about Emanuel Ax . While I don't dispute his virtuosity, I sometimes have found his playing style cold and uninspiring. Oh, but not here! This quartet's playing is wonderfully telepathic, and they make the music jump off the page. There's even a little improvising going on, and while it may not be of the same volume and nature as the Classic Coltrane Quartet, it is of similar quality. This Mozart "Piano Quartets" is an essential purchase for serious fans, and a great introduction for newcomers.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best rendition of the piano 4tets, November 14, 2008

By 

J. Wayland Eheart (east central Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mozart: Piano Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, K. 478, 493 (Audio CD)

The sound quality is excellent, and the artistry can't be beat. The only surprise is that four superstars like these, each of whom has a well-established career, can work so seamlessly together to produce such a beautiful sound. Anyone who hasn't heard these quartets and who finds Mozart's symphonies less compelling than his operas and concerti, and I include myself in this category, will enjoy these pieces.