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19.3.17

A Survey of Mozart Piano Sonata Cycles






An Index of ionarts Discographies


Updates:



12/06/2023: I am keeping my eye on developing sontata cycles (Orli Shaham, Angela Hewitt, Jean Muller, Michael Wessel, Christopher Berensen et al.. Meanwhile, Peter Donohoe's (Somm) cycle has reached volume 6 and thus its end - and I have added Yeol Eum Son's (Naïve) cycle. I have also discovered a cycle by Yasuko Tomada on Alm Records / Kojima Recordings, out in Japan and at least on volume 6. There are new re-releases of the cycels by Clara Würtz and Glenn Gould. They have been added.

10/07/2022: It's been a while since the last update. Here are some of the additions: New cycles from Mao Fujita, Elisabeth Leonskaja, and Robert Levin. Newly released as a box: Kristian Bezuidenhout. New re-issues of Barenboim I and Lubimov. Michael Wessel seems to be working on a cycle for Ars, ditto Orli Shaham on Canari Classics and Angela Hewitt has started with Mozart for Hyperion. I'll add those once they have developed more widely. This is all v. much a work in progress. If you have comments, it is easiest to hit me up on Twitter @ClassicalCritic.

09/11/2019: Roberto Prosseda's Fazioli-cycle on Decca (Italy) has been added to the survey.

04/07/2019: Paul Badura-Skoda's first set (on modern instruments) has been re-issued by Sony and is now available again.

01/09/2019: It would appear that Chen; Pi-hsien (long on the faculty of the Cologne and Freiburg conservatories where she focused on modern and contemporary music) has recorded a cycle. (Thanks to Fred from the comment section!) I'm looking into it and will add more information as I get it.

08/22/2018: William Youn's cycle has since been finished with volume 5 and already released in boxed form, too. It shoots to the top of the recommendation list, as expected. If you want to sample one volume only, make it Volume 4. Also, having finally listened to it, Christian Zacharias gets an "ionarts' choice" recommendation - but only in one of the original releases. One hopes that if it should ever be re-released, the people at Warner might undo the damage of ordering the sonatas by key, which makes for tedious listening, even with a cycle played with such a light and imaginary touch as Zacharias'.

03/26/2017: True, Alfred Brendel didn't record a complete set, but really, he's come closer than some others included in this survey. Since it's recently been issued as a set, that merits inclusion.

03/22/2017: Clara Sverner has been added.

03/18/2017: Finished, at last! At least as far as my database goes.

02/20/2016: Updated from Walter Klien to Vlado Perlemutter. Alphabetical banners added for easier navigation.

02/11/2016: Pianists A through J are finished... the rest, from Walter Klien to Christian Zacharias, will be added over the next weeks.

01/29/2016: There are several new discographic entries under work. Mahler Symphony Cycles, almost obviously. Ditto Nielsen and Martinů as well as Bartók and Shostakovich String Quartet cycles. They just take so much darn time and even then they are rarely complete or mistake-free. Neither will this one be, and every such post is also a plea to generously inclined readers with more information and knowledge of the subject than I have to lend a helping hand correcting my mistakes or filling data-lacunae. (I.e. will Yuko Hisamoto’s begun cycle be finished? Are there new, available editions of formerly hard-to-find sets?) I am grateful for any such pointers, hinters, and corrections.

Commentary on individual releases, where available, on mouse-over.

Because I lack consistent data for when these cycles were recorded (I need the date of the earliest and the last included recording), I will list the sets alphabetically for now. As (or if) I gather enough information, I will want to set it up chronologically. Else I hope that only pianists whose name begins with "Z" are recording any new sets. ☺ (William Youn almost gets that right!)

Like the Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle Survey, this is a mere inventory of what has been recorded and whether it is still available. Favorites are denoted with the "ionarts' choice" graphic. Also like the Beethoven Survey but unlike most of the other symphony-cycle-surveys among the ionarts-discographies, this survey actually is meant to be exhaustive and cover all issues, not just those that are available or have at some point made it onto CD. Unlike with earlier surveys, I will give each (meaningful) iteration of a cycle its own space, rather than listing only to the most recent re-issue. This is partly because with cycles going in and out of print, more than one may be available, depending on your location prices might differ, and perhaps most of all so that we can marvel at the covers and how they have evolved. (And remember: Ah, this is the one I have.) If cycles of one pianist are not given a differing roman numeral, then they are identical to all those that share that (lack of) numeral, even if they are on entirely different labels.











A; Albrizio, Arrau


available at Amazon
Marco Albrizio
(1988-1991)
Sheva Collection

UK | DE | FR

available at Amazon
Claudio Arrau
(1973/74, 1983-88)
Philips ~$45, oop


UK | DE | FR

available at Amazon
Claudio Arrau
(1973/74, 1983-88)
Decca/Eloquence ~$20

UK | DE | FR

available at Amazon
Claudio Arrau
(1973/74, 1983-88)
Italian Decca ~$85

UK | DE | FR

A; Badura-Skoda I


available at Amazon
Paul Badura-Skoda I
(1978-80)
Bösendorfer & Steinway
Ariola / Eurodisc ~$90 (oop)

UK | DE | FR

available at Amazon
Paul Badura-Skoda I
(1978-80)
Bösendorfer & Steinway
Ariola / Eurodisc ~$65 (oop)

UK | DE | FR

available at Amazon
Paul Badura-Skoda I
(1978-80)
Bösendorfer & Steinway
Sony $17


UK | DE | FR



A; Badura-Skoda II


available at Amazon
Paul Badura-Skoda II
(1984-1990)
1790 Schantz fortepiano
Astrée ~$115 (oop)


UK | DE | FR

available at Amazon
Paul Badura-Skoda II
(1984-1990)
1790 Schantz fortepiano
Naïve ~$115 (oop)


UK | DE | FR





B; Barenboim I



available at Amazon
Daniel Barenboim I
(1984-85)
EMI ~$40 (oop)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Daniel Barenboim I
(1984-85)
EMI/Warner ~$30

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Daniel Barenboim I
(1984-85)
EMI ~$20 (oop)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Daniel Barenboim I
(1984-85)
Warner $25

UK | DE | FR


B; Barenboim II



available at Amazon
Daniel Barenboim II
(1988-90)
EuroArts DVD ~$44

UK | DE | FR











B; Batik, Bezuidenhout



available at Amazon
Roland Batik
(1990)
Bösendorfer
Gramopla ~$40


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Roland Batik
(1990)
Bösendorfer
Camerata ~$100


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Kristian Bezuidenhout
(2009? -2014)
Harmonia Mundi

[Paul McNulty fortepianos]
(indiv. volumes)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Kristian Bezuidenhout
(2009? -2014)
Harmonia Mundi

[Paul McNulty fortepianos]
9 CDs

UK | DE | FR-->




available at Amazon
Jeffry Biegel
(2008?-2014?)
E1, vol.1 ~$15


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Jeffry Biegel
(2008?-2014?)
E1, vol.2 ~$15


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Anton Walter, 1785; Louis Dulcken, 1790;  Anton Walter c.1795
Malolm Bilson
(1988-90)
Hungaroton (oop)

[Walter & Dulcken fortepianos]

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Christian Blackshaw
(2012)
Wigmore Hall Live
4 volumes á $25

UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Ronald Brautigam
(Aug. 1996)
(complete sonatas)
BIS ~$45
[McNulty fortepianos]

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Ronald Brautigam
(1996 [Sonatas])
(comp. solo keyboard wks.)
BIS 10 CDs ~$60
[McNulty fortepianos]

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Alfred Brendel
(1975-2008)
Decca/Eloquence
7 CDs
~$20 [incomplete]

UK | DE | (FR)






C + D; Ciccolini, Deyanova, Donohoe



available at Amazon
Aldo Ciccolini
(19XX?-19XX?)
Koch, oop
6 volumes


UK | DE | (FR)



available at Amazon
Marta Deyanova
(1989-1990)
Nimbus ~€30



UK | DE | FR


available at Amazon
Peter Donohoe
(2018-22)
SOMM,
6 individ. vols.


UK | DE | FR








available at Amazon
Performed on a 1966 model Steinway
François Dumont
(2008)
Anima ~€45

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Michael Endres
(1998)
Arte Nova ~$25 (oop)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Michael Endres
(1998)
Oehms ~$30

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon

Karl Engel
(1980-82)
Teldec ~$60

UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Philippe Entremont
(1982-1985)
Reproducing Bösendorfer
ProArte
v.1 ~$3 (oop)
US | UK | DE | FR
v.2 ~$3 (oop)
US | UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Christoph Eschenbach
(1967-70)
DG 1993 ~$23 (oop)


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Christoph Eschenbach
(1967-70)
DG Collectors Ed. 1999 ~$25


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Christoph Eschenbach
(1967-70)
+ 4 Hand, Violin Sonatas
DG Collectors Ed. 2014 ~$32

UK | DE | FR


F; Francesch, Fujita



available at Amazon
Homero Francesch
(ca. 1990?)
KontraPunkt ~$100 (oop)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Mao Fujita
(20??-202?)
Sony $52

UK | DE | FR








G; Gianoli, Gieseking, Glaser



available at Amazon
Reine Gianoli
(1953-55)
Doremi (Westminster) ~$55

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Walter Gieseking
(1953-54)
EMI ~$70

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Liv Glaser
(???)
Simax (oop)

UK | DE | FR





G; Gould



available at Amazon
Glenn Gould
(1965-74)
CBS/Sony ~$100


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Glenn Gould
(1965-74)
Glenn Gould Edition
Sony ~$20

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Glenn Gould
(1965-74)
Glenn Gould Collection
Sony ~$23

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Glenn Gould
(1965-74)
Masters Collection 2021
Sony ~$18

UK | DE | FR


G; Gulda



available at Amazon
Friedrich Gulda
(1948-99)
DG ~$30
[incomplete]

UK | DE | FR























available at Amazon

Ingrid Haebler I
(1963-67)
Philips (oop)


US | UK | DE | FR
Tower-Japan/Decca
US | UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon

Ingrid Haebler II
(1986-91)
Denon ~$55 (Japan)



UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Tuija Hakkila
(1993-96)
Finlandia ~$100 (oop)
[Fortepiano(s)]
avail. individ. in Europe
UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Éric Heidsieck
(1990-1992)
Victor Japan
5 individ. vol.

UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Miki Hirano
(2000s??)
Camerata (oop-ish)
6 individ. vol.
UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Mieczyslaw Horszowski
(1960-69)
Arbiter ~$80

v.1: US | UK | DE | FR
v.2: US | UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Seung-Yeun Huh
(????-2011?)
Ars Musici ~$60 (oop?)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Jenő Jandó
(1990-1991)
Naxos ~$45 (oop)

avail. individ.
UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Peter Katin
(~1988?)
Olympia/Musical Heritage (oop)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Peter Katin
(~1988?)
Altara ~$60

UK | DE | FR












available at Amazon
Walter Klien
(1964?)
Vox ~$28
vo. 1:
US | UK | DE | FR
vol. 2:
US | UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Lili Kraus I
(1954)
Haydn Society/
Music Arts ~$31

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Lili Kraus I
(1954)
Compl. Reco. 1933-58
Parlophone/Warner ~$70

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Lili Kraus II
(1967-68)
RCA/Sony 1991 Jp. ~$50


UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Lili Kraus II
(1967-68)
RCA/Sony 1991
Legendary Interp. (oop)


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Lili Kraus II
(1967-68)
RCA/Sony 2003
Columbia Legends (oop)


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Lili Kraus II
(1967-68)
RCA/Sony 2003
Compl. Coll. (oop)


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Lili Kraus II
(1967-68)
RCA/Sony 2015
Masters ~$20


UK | DE | FR


L; Larrocha, Lee



available at Amazon
Alicia de Larrocha
(1989-91)
RCA/Sony
Complete Coll. (oop)

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon.
Alicia de Larrocha
(1989-91)
RCA/Sony Masters ~$20

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Kyung Sook Lee
(????)
Paradiso (mp3 only?)

UK | DE | FR





L; Leonskaya, Leygraf



available at Amazon
Elisabeth Leonskaya
(2021)
Warner $30

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Hans Leygraf
(1981-84)
dB Productions ~$80

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Robert Levin
(2017/18)
ECM $70

UK | DE | FR





L; Lowy, Lubimov



available at Amazon
Heidi Lowy
(1962?)
Musical Heritage Society ~20

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Alexei Lubimov
(1990)
Erato 2008 ~$28
[fortepianos]
UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Alexei Lubimov
(1990)
Warner/Erato 2018 $18
[fortepianos]
UK | DE | FR





M; Mamou, Mauser



available at Amazon
Roberte Mamou
(~1990)
Pavane/Ligia ~$64

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Siegfried Mauser
(1995, 2012-13?)
Celestial Harmonies ~$32

UK | DE | FR










available at Amazon
Leon McCawley
(2005-06)
Avie ~$30



UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Meiko Miyazawa
(????)
Trio Records (?, mp3 only)


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Ikuyo Nakamichi
(ca. 2012?)
RCA Japan ~$180 (Import)


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Anthony Newman
(1988/9?)
[fortepianos]
Newport Classics (oop)
Individ. vol.
UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Ichiro Nodaira
(2009-2012)
Live Notes (Japan only)
5 individ. volumes

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Mehmet Okonsar
(????)
CD Baby (self published)


UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Bart van Oort
(2004-05)
Fortepianos
Brilliant Classics ~$21

UK | DE | FR



available at Amazon
Vlado Perlemutter
(1956, mono)
Vox/Musical Concepts ~$24

[incomplete]

UK | DE | FR




available at Amazon
Carmen Piazzini
(1989-90?)
Prima La Musica/Line Music/Cantus Classics




available at Amazon
Carmen Piazzini
(1989-90?)
Membran/Quadromania





available at Amazon
Carmen Piazzini
(1989-90?)
Hera, 2 Audio-DVDs
[includes Concertos]




available at Amazon
Daniel-Ben Pienaar
(2008-2009)
Avie




P; Pires I & II



available at Amazon
Maria João Pires
(1974)
Denon




available at Amazon
Maria João Pires
(1974)
Brilliant




available at Amazon
Maria João Pires II
(1989-90)
DG (1991)




available at Amazon
Maria João Pires II
(1989-90)
DG (2006)





available at Amazon
Gitti Pirner
(1996-99)
Farao




available at Amazon
Georges Pludermacher
(1991)
Harmonia Mundi





available at Amazon
Jean-Bernard Pommier
(1982)
Virgin Classics









Recorded at Fazioli Concert Hall on a Fazioli F278 Grand Piano. Available at Amazon

Roberto Prosseda 1-6
(2015-16)
Decca (Italy)




Recorded at Fazioli Concert Hall on a Fazioli F278 Grand Piano. Available at Amazon

Roberto Prosseda 7-12
(2016-17)
Decca (Italy)




Recorded at Fazioli Concert Hall on a Fazioli F278 Grand Piano. Available at Amazon

Roberto Prosseda 13-18
(2016-17)
Decca (Italy)









available at Amazon
Siegbert Rampe
(2004-2007)
m|DG 12 Volumes
[Compl. keyboard wks.,
var. historic instruments]




available at Amazon
Ránki-Kocsis v.1
Dezső Ránki
(1978-79)
Hungaroton
[On a Steinway D]




available at Amazon
Ránki-Kocsis v.2
Zoltán Kocsis
(1978-79)
Hungaroton
[On a Steinway B]




available at Amazon
Elizabeth Rich
(~1998)
Connoisseur Society
[Hamburg Steinway]






available at Amazon
Fazi Say
(2014/15?)
Warner















available at Amazon
András Schiff
(1980)
Decca






available at Amazon
Arthur Schoonderwoerd
(2005-2009)
Accent
[Original Instruments]




available at Amazon
Gilbert Schuchter
(1975-1978)
Tudor, 9 discs
[Complete keyboard works]



available at Amazon
Carl Seeman
(1949-1955)
DG




S; Sémerjian, Silverman, Son, Sverner



available at Amazon
Ludwig Sémerjian
(2004?-2006)
ATMA Classique
[fortepianos]
5 of 6 volumes




available at Amazon
Robert Silverman
(2010)
IsoMike
SACDs





available at Amazon
Yeol Eum Son
(2022)
naïve
6 CDs





available at Amazon
Clara Sverner
(2002? - 2009?)
Azul Music
[5 volumes]




T; Tilney, Tirimo, Toba, Tomasello



available at Amazon
Colin Tilney
(~2000-2004?)
Doremi
[6 volumes, fortepiano(s)]




available at Amazon
Martino Tirimo
(2005-06)
Heritage/Regis





available at Amazon
Yasuko Toba
(2004-?)
King Records
[4? volumes]





available at Amazon
Gabriele Tomasello
(2012-TBD)
Acte Préalable
[2 volumes so far]




T; Tomoda



available at Amazon
Yasuko Tomoda
(20??-2019)
ALM Records
Vol.1
[6 volumes)]




available at Amazon
Yasuko Tomoda
(20??-2019)
ALM Records
Vol.2
[6 volumes)]




available at Amazon
Yasuko Tomoda
(20??-2019)
ALM Records
Vol.3
[6 volumes)]




available at Amazon
Yasuko Tomoda
(20??-2019)
ALM Records
Vol.4
[6 volumes)]




available at Amazon
Yasuko Tomoda
(20??-2019)
ALM Records
Vol.5
[6 volumes)]




available at Amazon
Yasuko Tomoda
(20??-2019)
ALM Records
Vol.6
[6 volumes)]









U; Ucbasaran



available at Amazon
Zeynep Ucbasaran "Early"
(2008)
Eroica
[set completed by two further single discs…]




available at Amazon
Zeynep Ucbasaran "Late"
(2008)
Eroica
[…Eroica 3222 and 3311]












available at Amazon
Mitsuko Uchida
(1983-87)
Philips
1991






available at Amazon
Mitsuko Uchida
(1983-87)
Philips
Complete Mozart Ed. 1991






available at Amazon
Mitsuko Uchida
(1983-87)
Philips
Complete Mozart Ed. 2000
All Keyboard Works w/Haebler, Koopman et al.





available at Amazon
Mitsuko Uchida
(1983-87)
Philips
2002





V; Vesselinova, Vosresensky



available at Amazon

Temenuschka Vesselinova
(1988)
ACC
[fortepiano(s)]
[3 x 2 CD sets]




available at Amazon
Mikhail Voskresensky
(2012-2014)
Moscow Conservatory











W; Würtz



available at Amazon
Klara Würtz
(1998)
Brilliant
(2005)





available at Amazon
Klara Würtz
(1998)
Brilliant
(2010)





available at Amazon
Klara Würtz
(1998)
Brilliant Quintessence
(2019)












available at Amazon

William Youn
(2013-2015)
Oehms






available at Amazon

Christian Zacharias
(1983-1984?)
EMI 1990






available at Amazon

Christian Zacharias
(1983-1984?)
EMI 1995






available at Amazon

Christian Zacharias
(1983-1984?
EMI 2011

































13 comments:

Tom Guidera said...

Hello, JFL,

I'd point to Klara Würtz and her complete Mozart Sonatas, on Brilliant, 2010.

Thank you.

Keep up the great work.

jfl said...

Thanks for the comment. She's definitely on my radar... alas, at "W", she'll have to wait a little while. In fact, she's third-to-last on my (alphabetical) list.

FRED said...

I think Mejoueva has just finished a set. Excellent. Plus don't forget Clara Sverner - also superb

jfl said...

Thanks much, Fred! Will include those when I get to it. Cheers & best,

Jens

jfl said...

Fred: I'm still not seeing more than two volumes of Mozart from Mejoueva on Denon... do you know about more than that? Thanks & cheers,

Jens

Gurn Blanston said...

Massive number of sets! Some very interesting interpretations exist in less than complete sets, too many to keep track of, I guess, but the 2 disk "Mozart: The Vienna Years" by Immerseel on Vivarte, and the 2 disk "Mozart Sonatas" by Staier on HM are both very interesting but will probably never be a full cycle. Thanks for all the great info. Tilney, hmmm.....

Gurn 8^)

jfl said...

Thanks for the comment, Gurn. Among interesting-but-not-a-set, I'd also include Pletnev (Dip Your Ears No.53), but of course a very different direction than Staier & Immerseel.

Who'd have thought that the 'underrated' or even 'lesser' (Paul Johnson) Mozart Sonatas have almost as many recordings (81 as of now) as the grand Beethoven sonatas (96 as per my count). Granted, the latter's a much more daunting undertaking, at roughly 3 times the music...

Tom Guidera said...

Jens, Thank you so much for collecting all of these. It's a great resource, beautifully arranged, and a wonderful achievement on your part.

I'm going to look at the hyperlink in your last comment hoping to see something about the Beethoven cycles.

Keep up the great work.

jfl said...

Dear Tom,

thanks ever so much for the kind words - they are MUCH appreciated, indeed. I hope you have found the Beethoven Survey similarly helpful.

Best,

Jens

Unknown said...

Thank you for your list, my recordings of Mozart's Piano Sonatas were performed on Bosendorfer and Bechstein pianos in the years 1988-1991, and published by Sheva collection in 2011 under the Patronage of the Austrian Embassy in Rome.
Marco Albrizio

jfl said...

Dear Mr. Albrizio,

thanks much for the info which I'll see to incorporate.

Cheers & best,

jfl

FRED said...

Just to make life difficult for you: Pi-Hsien Chen seems to have recorded a complete set in Taiwan for Sunrise Records. But it's basically impossible to obtain.

jfl said...

Oh, GREAT! [EyeRoll]

No, but seriously: Thanks Fred!!! Will see what I can find.