Mozart and the Whodunnit
341372
It is a testament to the performers on this disc that a review does not allocate much bandwidth to their endeavours: they are uniformly excellent. Kantorow, in this disc and the cycle per se, is a delight; Hager is a perceptive navigator and the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra is top notch (they have more horsepower under the bonnet than the usual, thinned-down fare).

The real interest in this disc lies in the works themselves. They are not prodigally represented on disc. Both works are apocryphal: there is not a scap of hard evidence to moor them to Mozart. Under such circumstances, one defaults to a stylistic test which is subjectivity personified.

To my ears, it is libellous to ascribe K 271a to Mozart: it is thin gruel indeed. K 268 is another matter. Einstein labelled its slow movement 'a crude forgery' - his adjective is correct but the noun assumes that its ultimate composer was trying to ape Mozart. A good idea sustains the last movement: Einstein suggests that it could have been derived from a Mozart sketch (even so, our Salzburg friend did not monopolise such a commodity). The real interest, however, is the first movement. It is a typical Eighteenth Century composition in E Flat with the usual flourishes - Mozart partook of this general dynamic (hence works such as K 132, K 482, and dare one say it, K 297b, the Sinfonia Concertante). It commands one's attention throughout. There are several masterly gestures that predicate a talented composer in the least - many of Mozart's contemporaries have been ill-served by discography but they are none the worse for that. Einstein hypothesized that whoever was responsible for the final product had access to a substantial Mozart sketch. Alternatively, other names have been nominated. Until documentary evidence emerges, it's all guesswork.

In short, this is a fascinating disc. It won't change your life but it'll make you think.
2520149
Unless you are a hardcore Mozart aficionado, or a scholar, this is probably all the Mozart you will likely need.  However, my set had a duplicate CD (therefore one CD short).  Check your set before the return period expires!

Enjoy
178629
I chose the book because Im a whodunnit fan. But the author has obviously researched ancient Rome thoroughly, and I came to trust what she was saying. So, although its a good whodunnit, that became secondary to the interesting way the Romans operated. Its a pleasure to recommend.
2507004
This theme for Poirot does a good job of being mysterious and classic sounding.  I prefer this saxophone version over the oboe one.
1850267
Critics have mostly ignored Barenboim's Mozart, but I cannot understand why.  It is always lively and well-detailed.  The playing is beautiful, and the interpretations are free of eccentricity.  This set is a true bargain!
1397015
When Gianni Castiglione, a 63-year-old violin-maker from Cremona, meets the three friends with whom he has played string quartets for fifteen years, he has no way of knowing that within hours one of them, violin-maker Tomaso Rainaldi, will be found stabbed to death in his workshop.  Tomaso has been searching for a missing Stradivari, "The Messiah's Sister," supposedly a twin to "Le Messie" ("The Messiah"), the most famous and most valuable violin on earth, now in the Ashmolean Museum in England and worth over ten million dollars.  Castiglione tells Antonio Guastafeste, a detective with the Questura, who is another member of Rainaldi's quartet, that if "another perfect, untouched Stradivari," such as "The Messiah's Sister" were to come onto the open market, that it would be "an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime, maybe once in several lifetimes, if ever."

As Castiglione and Guastafeste search for Rainaldi's killer by recreating Rainaldi's search for "The Messiah's Sister," they delve into all facets of violin history, craftsmanship, and ownership;  the nature of collectors and their motivations;  fakes and how they are created;  and the importance of documentation and provenance.  Investigating several competing collectors, Castiglione and Guastafeste eventually travel to Venice, the moors of rural England, a small town on the Po River, London, and various locations in and around Cremona.  The concert debut of Rainaldi's young granddaughter and a London auction of rare violins are full of breathtakingly exciting moments, adding color and insight into the lives of serious violinists and collectors.

Though the stories of the various violins are complex, the author's insights into the hidden world of violin collecting keep the reader on tenterhooks.  The dramatic tension is enhanced through the character of the narrator, Gianni Castiglione, a man with whom the reader empathizes, and whose interior monologues and musings about Tomaso Rainaldi and his own deceased loved ones make his personal reactions to the unfolding events particularly moving. When this kind and sensitive man confesses to a crime committed when he was young, the reader is all the more shocked by the revelation.

Additional deaths, mysterious strangers, a dotty old woman surrounded by cats, a cruelly jealous violin teacher, ancient and crumbling letters, a portrait containing secrets, a visit to a graveyard at night, and a life or death confrontation and race inject romantic elements into this challenging mystery and keep the action and excitement at a high pitch.  Music lovers will thrill at this unusual mystery with its insights into the society of serious violin collectors, a novel that is carefully plotted and constructed, filled with a high level of unusual detail, and great fun to read. n Mary Whipple
3358383
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Misterioso-A-Crime-Novel/dp/B004FGLXXI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Misterioso: A Crime Novel</a>

A dastardly villain murdering quickly to the tune of  Misterioso.  Only those who know the obscure musical score will be able to solve the crime. I enjoyed the investigation.
2159811
The story of the life of Mozart reads a bit like a term paper rather than a biography. It is full of facts and
speculation. Mozart was a child prodigy and had the usual "stage" father. Although the pressure and
guidance of his father helped him become who he was; Mozart also suffered because of the relationship
with his father as is often the case. Those who may not have liked his father were predisposed to not
liking him. He composed his first music at the age of three which is before most children learn to play
an instrument. He and his older sister played the piano so well that his father took them on tour across
Europe to entertain royalty and common folk as well. Often they had to earn enough in one city to get
them to the next city. The children received many gifts that were sold to get cash for their living expenses.
Mozart learned from some great composers including the son of J.S. Bach, Gluck and Hayden. They
also learned from him. Mozart was born in Salzburg which is now Austria, and died in Vienna which is
also now Austria. He achieved the most fame in Vienna in his later years. He was only 35 when he died
and had composed over 600 works. Many of these survive today and are popular symphonies and
operas. He was one composer who was held in high esteem during his lifetime even though his life
was short. He influenced the future of music in his short life. Today if you travel to Salzburg and Vienna
you can hear the music of Mozart played in the streets. I visited both in 2010 and noted this to be true.
There is a house in each which have signs saying they are the homes where Mozart lived in each city.
Overall, this is a good introduction to the life of Mozart.
1619648
always wanted the complete piano sonatas from Mozart on my player to hear it uninterrupted, and this recording gives me the greates listening pleasure. i fallowed Miss Uchida from Wienna, when she was a sudent there in the late 1950's, and her playing became the finest interpretation of Mozart;-and she must have known Bela Bartok's  take on the piano as a percussion instrument, and her oriental background help to bring wonderful coloration to her sound,palyfulness, and lightness,as if sunlight bouces off from fresh snow.

--would Mozart love to hear her playing? he would dance with her.--A B Vizy.
3794082
I really enjoyed listening to this book being read by Andrew Sachs.  He did a wonderful job distinguishing between the different characters with slight alterations of his voice.  Oftentimes, you never know what you're going to get when you listen to an audiobook--will the narrator simply read the book with little to no expression, or will s/he take it to the next level and read as one would "hear" it in ones' head?  Sachs does the latter to a wonderful degree of simplicity and subtlety.

As for the actal plot, I enjoyed it quite throughly.  The characters were enjoyable, though the supporting characters simply disappear.  It is the three main chacacters--Mr. Sutterthwaite (excuse me if I spell his name wrong as I've only heard it pronounced), "Egg"  Liton Gore, and Sir Charles--that drive along the action, instigating the investigation into the mysterious murders.  M. Poirot appears sporadically until about 2/3 of the way through the book where he comes in as a stronger force.  What I found engaging was that Christie was able to get me interested in the mystery, despite the fact that I had picked up this particular audiobook due to the presence of Poirot within the novel.  (Definately a marketing tool for Christie.  It also seemed as if she wanted to further Poirot's character without completely connecting him to any particular story, as evidenced by his few final comments at the end.)  As another reviewer noted, I guessed the murderer early on in the story--however, it was a passing notion of my to think that this particular character might have done it.  It was the motive that remained semi-elusive, as well as how the murderer pulled it all off.  That is what always makes Christie fascinating as an author--her ability to construct a case that seems impossible, yet, at the same time, can become so clear when one sees the facts.  In the end, I found it to be a very good listen and would definately recommend it to anyone interested in a lighthearted, fun, and interesting mystery.  And since Poirot isn't a huge player, it can probably be accessible to people who are not familiar with the Belgian detective and don't want to have to rely heavily on previous knowledge of the character.
3846117
I like the creativity of the writers that come up with unexpected evidence, and the humble Columbo character. It is fun trying to outwit the writers as each script develops. I am often amazed that the crime was solved. I always hated the last minute confession by the accused on the witness stand. Columbo satisfies my rational approach to crime solving. The subdued repartee between Columbo and his arrogant foes are very entertaining.
1785105
From the late Eighties onwards, the intonation of the Academy of Ancient Music having been largely rectified, Hogwood made not a few excellent recordings of Mozart, starting with the latter installations of his pyramid of sorts (Volume 1, the Early Symphonies, is a ripper  and much the same could be said of the Horn Concertos with Halstead and Piano Concertos with Levin et al). His good form is evident in this endeavour. Above all, the Posthorn requires panache, humour and sassiness  here, they're forthcoming in spades. This is a hoot. Ive never heard the passage for the double bass in the Andante Grazioso being played as drolly as this. Its not hard to understand why K 320 is a Mozartian variant of On the Road when the Posthorn issues its summons in the Minuetto, as it does here, to leave everything behind and entrust oneself to the highway which is life itself. Slow movements are decorous. The strings of the AAM are tempered with vibrato and woodwind are easy on the ear. In keeping with contemporary Salzburg practice, no cellos are deployed in the serenade - I hardly noticed their omission, such be the fullness on offer. In summary I cannot fault this. How compulsive it is! Equally, its good to hear the underrated Ballet Music from Idomemeo being played with such exuberance and dash. The Chaconne in particular is a formidable composition and should be better known. Its Mozart as Rodins Thinker. Again, theres no sense of miniaturisation here. Intensity is keynote as it should be.

In K 320, my fealty lies eternally with Uncle Karl & Berliners from May 1970 with honourable recourse to Harnoncourt (Dresden 83, not that recent horror), Vegh and Marriner. Hogwood warrants mention in their company  an august one at that.
4194668
Who would have known it? Mozarts K. 37 fronting an album, in this case alongside the K. 271 (Jeunehomme) and, of all things, Mozarts friggin London sketchbook from the ages of 8 to 9.  What a bold move.  Martin Stadtfeld, the young Mozartean who has already recorded idiosyncratic versions of the K. 466 and K. 491, is one of the few who would try it.

And, as youd expect, theres nothing middle-of-the-road about this album. Its certainly idiosyncratic, but strikes me as a very good balance between influence from historical performance practice while making the most of a modern instrument (for example, Stadtfeld goes to town on the pedal, even in these very early Mozart works).

And he gives the K. 37 full respect.  Theres no Mozart was only 11 when he composed this so I need to play it like a child.  He throws in off-score cadenzas in the first and third movements, and occasionally adds his own ornamentation. And this isn't an easy work  try playing the third movement at home.

Statdfelds K. 271 is certainly different. And shouldnt one of Mozarts most idiosyncratic works be played in that spirit? Some of the idiosyncrasies are obvious: the out-of-period cadenzas, including a first movement one that takes place entirely underneath a right-hand tremolo.  But the minor things are also still there, such as the occasional off-score embellishment or rolled chord. The second movement is, in my view, a ripper.  Its a little faster than the norm, but thats ok. Stadtfeld maximises the use of his left hand to supplement a growling double bass, and throws in an ethereal cadenza to sign-off on the movement. Indeed, its the left hand that is one of the highlights of the concerto as a whole: at all times it seems exactly where it should be, and by deliberate choice, either blending with the orchestra or taking on its own life.

Going through the London sketchbook cover-to-cover wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but I don't hold that against the pianist here, who gave a very good account of it.

Overall Im giving this four stars. Interesting and of high quality. But I would question the *need* to purchase it.
701457
The French horn is a limited instrument and the Mozart concerti are effectively the basis of the horn's repertoire.  They were written by Mozart as a favor for a friend, and in that sense show Mozart in a relaxed mood.  They are delightful.

The choice of recordings is another matter.  It's easy to get into an argument.  It appears that the Dennis Brain recordings are still the most highly regarded, but Mr. Tuckwell's hold their own -- that's a discussion best left to professionals.  From the viewpoint of the average listener is that these recordings go beyond proficiency an into the area of joy.  According to the liner notes, Mozart we writing insulting notes to his friend, for whom these works were written, which seems to indicate the playful nature of the work, On these recordings, Mr. Tuckwell was both soloist and conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of London. and seems to be enjoying both roles.

For the casual classic music lover, these works are a wonderful choice for outdoor listening on a summer evening, or perhaps to play on a car CD player during a ride in the country.
516592
Prior to reading Juliet Waldron's view of Wolfgang and Konstanze Mozart, I knew only what I saw in "Amadeus".  Not a very flattering picture of either character.  Waldron has created wonderfully intense characters.  Stanzi was a very strong woman trying desperately to understand her genius of a husband.  Mozart did not make it easy.

Waldron's descriptions of 18th century Austria are just amazing.  The reader is transported to another time in history.  We meet Mozart's contemporaries, friends and foes.  This is an incredibly well written, well researched novel.  The reader is able to feel Stanzi's pain and distress over her husband, the death of her children and her less than perfect life with the musician.  History has not been kind to Konstanze, this book may alter any preconceived ideas.

I give it 4/5 stars
4745334
If you love the music of Mozart, but are not technically up to playing it, get this book. Many of Mozart's familiar themes are here, but arranged for the beginner. It's been a joyful experience for a novice like me.
625498
This edition of the Requiem tries to eliminate anything that was not written by the hand of Mozart. Sussymayer, Eybler tamperings are not presented here in the Maunder edition.
This version is an early 80's recording with Christopher Hogwood with the signature "Hogwood" sound.  Beautifully recorded and buoyant.  I do recommend this version for the fine singing of soprano Emma Kirkby.
Hogwood chooses to use the Maunder edition which substitutes key sections with pieces from other Mozart compositions in an effort to keep the composition as purely Mozart as possible.  In doing so, he may have achieved to some degree a more "pure" Mozart authorship, but on the other hand the piece has lost it's overall musical structure and proportion and in this respect it is clearly less "Mozartian".
Still, it is interesting to listen to this version but if I were limited to only one version I would choose the Sussmayr edition and in this regard I recommend the one directed by George Guest and the English Chamber Orchestra with Choir of St. John Cambridge recorded on Chandos.