Rachel & I feel that, by using a fortepiano throughout, we present a sort of musical ‘level playing field’ with regard to our choice of Mozart’s sonatas included on this disc – spanning as it does such a huge portion of the composer’s life & musical development. While K.6 may at first appear to the listener as amiable juvenilia, sitting as it does alongside a sonata of such undoubted breadth & maturity as K.481, we firmly believe that allowing Mozart’s early – and outstanding – ventures into this genre to speak for themselves by using using the same instruments throughout, we hope to draw attention to his early work in the best way – in a way that is not only so suggestive of what would in time follow, but also seeks to demonstrate the eight year old’s already fecund imagination and uncanny sense of musical line. Gary Cooper
Tracklist
Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.Total time: 01:13:16
Additional information
| Label | |
|---|---|
| SKU | 22805 |
| Qualities | |
| Channels | 2ch Stereo, 5 Channel Surround Sound, 2ch Stereo & 5ch Surround |
| Artists | |
| Composers | |
| Genres | |
| Cables | van den Hul T3 series |
| Digital Converters | Meitner A/D DSD / Meitner DA |
| Mastering Engineer | Jared Sacks |
| Mastering Equipment | B&W 803 diamond series |
| Microphones | Bruel & Kjaer, Schoeps |
| Mixing Board | Rens Heijnis custom design |
| Awards | |
| Instruments | |
| Original Recording Format | |
| Producer | Jonathan Attwood |
| Recording Engineer | Jared Sacks |
| Recording location | The Church of Our Lady, St Mary South Creake, UK 2005 |
| Recording Software | Pyramix bij Merging |
| Recording Type & Bit Rate | DSD64 |
| Speakers | Audiolab, Holland |
| Release Date | February 23, 2014 |
Press reviews
International Record Review
The performances on this disc are delightfully musical. As ever, Podger’s nuance in phrasing is absolutely lovely and the sound that she draws from her Pesarius violin is the sweetest imaginable. (…)
this series looks set to become a benchmark in its own right: again, warmly recommended.
BBC Music Magazine
Podger and Cooper are suberp in the G major K 301. With an account of the minor-mode siciliano-like episode in its finale that’s both expressive and irresistibly lilting. (…) this well recorded newcomer is like a breath of fresh air. It should not be missed
Gramophone
Both artists show an impressive command of the rhetorical 18th- century approach to phrasing and expression, giving a very lively air to the music-making (….) the marriage of expertise and stylistic awareness results in truly treasurable performances.
Audiophle Audition
“I must confess I had been perfectly prepared to dismiss this disc as just another round of Mozart sonatas by predictably adept young talents. Wrong!”
The entire range of performances enjoys a fresh, brisk ambiance, a feeling of improvisation much in keeping with the composer’s original intent as audition pieces to impress royal patrons. This pair of young artists projects the piece in its profound transparency, a classical column reverberating with romantic energies.
STRAD
Rachel Podger and Gary Cooper have put a lot of thought and a lot of heart into the second of their four planned CDs of Mozart’s keyboard and violin sonatas. Cooper is a free and greatly expressive player with a tendency toward the grand gesture, while Rachel Podger has panache for wit and decorous commentary. (…)
Channel Classics enables these artists to work their magic with sympathetic and balanced recording.
The Sydney Morning Herald
On January 1, 1764, the eight-year-old Mozart sat down at the fortepiano before Louis XV of France and, accompanied by his father on the violin, played a selection of his Violin Sonatas, Opus 1 & 2, which had just been published in Paris. One of those was the Sonata in B flat, KV 8 and, amid the bright courtly conventions, fortepianist Gary Cooper and baroque violinist Rachel Podger take care to nurture the moments of originality – the lingering Andante and the darkly serious second Menuet – which would preserve this music for the next two and a half centuries. Jump forward 20-odd years to the Sonatas, KV 380 and KV 454, written in Mozart’s few precious glory days in Vienna, and he has learnt to write genuine duo sonatas full of spontaneous brilliance for both players. Podger and Cooper’s playing is full of fluid freshness and colour, leaning on phrases just enough to give them charm without making them cloying. Also on the disc is the Sonata KV 28 and an Andante and Fugue. (…)
The Melbourne Age
A complete survey of Mozart’s sonatas for violin and keyboard (including juvenalia) with period instruments is a welcome enterprise in this anniversary year. However, this series with acclaimed baroque violinist Rachel Podger has already been the subject of controversy, its first disc attracting both critical praise and ire. These performances are full of passion and drama, and in the case of the early works there is probably too much of those commodities, especially when the occasional unsubtle forte of the fortepiano intrudes. In this second volume, the mature works such as the Sonata in C (303) and the Sonata in E flat (481) are able to withstand a more probing interpretation. In general, the slower movements are beautifully played and the faster movements are not without their witty moments. Whatever your taste, this committed playing merits attention. (…)
Pianiste
ésormais une chose est sûre; Rachel et Gary sont bien et belle en train de se hisser sur les plus hauts cimes de l’Olympique Mozartien! (…) après un tel disque, on se plairait presque a rêver que l’année de Mozart ne nous apporte que des disques de cette trempe. Rêvons……En attendant la suite de l’intégrale de Rachel Podger et Gary Cooper.
Partituren
Die enorm differenzierte, phantasievolle und lebendige Phrasierung der beiden verrät ihre große Erfahrung mit Alten Musik. Ein bestens aufeinander eingespieltes Duo musiziert Mozart aus barocker Perspektive.
Rondo
Gary Cooper spielt mit Verve, Fantasie und Sensibilität. Über Rachel braucht es nicht mehr viele Worte. (…)Hessiche/Niedersächsische Allgemeine(…) verspielt, leicht, intim, detailreich, kleingliedrig (…)
hier wird Mozart vor Publikum Theater gespielt: alles wirkt größer, dramatischer, extrovertierter, virtuoser. (…)
Stereo
(…) eine beschwingte Duo-Musik mit feinsinnigen Dialoge
Ein detailfreudiges Musizieren, geführt mit diskreter Meisterschaft.
Klassik Heute
Rachel Podger und Gary Cooper lassen bei ihrer Einspielung den Werken des Kindes Mozart denselben Ernst angedeihen wie den Werken des Zwanzig- oder Dreißigjährigen. Und siehe da: Plötzlich verlieren die Sonaten der 1760er Jahre die ihnen gar zu oft angedichtete Atmosphäre des Wunderkindspiels und werden als Kompositionen offenbar, die voll und ganz auf der Höhe ihrer Zeit stehen.
Gelderlander
Melodieën zingen dat het een lust is en het geheel is doordrenkt van een frisse visie op het fenomeen ‘authentiek’ muciseren. Briljant gespeeld en groots van uitstraling.
BN de Stem
Bij het beluisteren valt op hoe goed een fortepiano en een barokviool bij elkaar passen. De wat scherpere klank van Podger vormt met de virtuoos roffelende piano een onweerstaanbaar geheel. Zeer aanbevolen.
Bayern 4 Klassik
Die zweite Folge der geplanten Gesamtaufnahme von Mozarts Sonaten bestätigt das hohe Niveau der ersten. (…) Rachel Podger spielt wie zuvor mit herrlich entspannter Frische, wunderschöner, lebendiger Phrasierung und ihre Barockgeige klingt wie das ideale Instrument für Mozart.
(…) Ein echtes Hörvergnügen.
Crescendo
Podger und Cooper setzen ihre mit einem brillanten Auftakt gestartete Reihe aller Violinsonaten mit einem ebenso gelungen zweiten teil fort.
(…) wieder getragen von purer Spielfreude.
Klassieke Zaken
Sommige opnames kun je nou eenmaal niet omheen … de volle toon van de Walter-kopie is aan de pianist Cooper wel besteed: hij neemt de tijd en ornamenteert waar hij het nodig vindt en geeft daarmee Podger alle ruimte op te bloeien.
Volkskrant
Fortepiano en oude viool krijgen van ‘Jetje’ in vrolijke uitvoeringen waarin soms uitbundig wordt gekrast.
Diapason
Podger forme avec Gary Cooper un duo d’une complicité totale, il faut avouer que le pianofortiste se montre un partenaire stimulant dont le jeu s’équilibre idéalement avec la
sensibilité de l’archet, leur dialogue s’affirmant parfois luxuriant. (…) Si les deux partenaires continuent dans la même voie, les superlatifs vont nous manquer…..
Diapason d’Or
Pianowereld
Dit intens muzikaal betoog, zowel speels als geduldig, zou eigenlijk op elk instrumentarium goed uitkomen, maar in de pretentieuze authentieke muziekpraktijk is dit bezielde, ongemaniëreerde musiceren nochtans een zeldzaamheid (…
( Wederom laat een voortreffelijke super audio opname door Jared Sacks, uiterst discreet over de kanalen voor en achter verdeeld, alle inspiratie de vrije ruimte. (…)
Luister
Alles klinkt verbazend licht, speels en onbekommerd (…)
(…) De beide musici zijn niet alleen aan elkaar gewaagd wat betreft hun voorbeeldige techniek, maar ze passen ook naadloos bij elkaar.
(…) Warm aanbevolen aan iedereen die z’n Mozart graag zo authentiek mogelijk uitgevoerd wil hebben.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.