There isn't much I can say about this recording that hasn't already been said. In short, the Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet gives impassioned, exuberant readings of these works that bring out their drama and ardor while still maintaining Mozartean precision and transparency of sound. The acoustics are a tad on the resonant side, which I prefer--but if you like your chamber music to sound more confined, this isn't the recording for you. That's the only possible fault I can find with this CD, though. Some Naxos classical CDs are good starter recordings until you can buy more "upscale" interpretations, but this isn't one of them--it's the only recording of these quartets I need. It sounds every bit as good as the classic recordings of Mozart's piano quartets and it's less than half the price. What else do you need to know?
April 1, 2005In my view, Mozart's two piano quartets (he only wrote the two) are amongst the loveliest in the chamber music repertoire. The Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet provides a classy, lively, and lyrical performance of both.
I admit that I have not heard the two much higher-priced recordings recommended by Gramophone, but I'd be very surprised if they are much better. At $7, this CD is a real bargain; it is one of my most frequently played CDs -- for good reason. [I say much the same about the Ashkenazy / Zukerman / Harris recording of Schubert's piano trios, for the same reasons.] May 16, 2004
I stumbled on this CD recently while looking for a performance by the Menuhim Festival Orchestra. I bought it based upon the fine review written below and have not been disappointed. My measure of a CD's quality is how long it remains on my six disc carousel. This CD has not left the carousel in the weeks since I first listened to it. I have no idea why my compatriot gave these performances only four stars. In my estimation they surely deserve five stars. That the CD costs less than the price of a movie ticket is at once a surprise and a delight. Thank you again Naxos! You make it possible for a classical music fan to build a credible library of fine music without having to mortgage the house.
December 24, 2002This CD contains a pair of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's loveliest chamber music compositions. Mozart only composed two piano quartets in his brief but illustrious career, and both came relatively late in his life. The first (K.478) was completed in 1785, and the second (K.493) came a year later. These quartets show Mozart at "full stretch," with his chamber music style fully developed and at its most eloquent and imaginative.
I found these to be excellent performances. The Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet plays both masterpieces with great sensitivity and warmth. The first movements of both are played with bold majesty, especially in the opening measures. Inner movements are quietly serene and poetic. The G minor quartet's second movement has a beautifully played piano melody accompanied by the strings, while the central movement of the E flat major quartet takes the form of a superbly balanced musical conversation between all four instruments. The final movements of both quartets both have a joyfully exuberant dance-like quality which shows Mozart at his most cheerfully optimistic.
Overall, the CD sound quality is very good. The balance between the four instruments is almost perfect, giving the recording an excellent sense of realism and immediacy. However, the resonant acoustics of Clara Wieck auditorium, where the quartets were recorded, detract slightly from the intimate feel so essential in chamber music. Despite this very minor shortcoming, this remains a very enjoyable listening experience.
Highly recommended! July 25, 2000
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