ITEM DESCRIPTION:

With these 2 box set of 3 LPs each from EMI – rare to have the complete set, particularly in such superlative condition (27 0324 3/27 0327 3, German Electrola pressings, DMM · Direct Metal Mastering, large dog semi-circle label, DDD stereo, booklets included), one can gather in its entirety pianist Daniel Barenboim’s cycle of Mozart’s Piano Sonatas, recorded at La Mutualité, Paris in December 1984 and August 1985 (producer: Suvi Raj Grubb / engineer: Micheal Sheedy).

 

Thus, the following works are included in these 2 box sets:

 

Vol. I

Side 1

Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major K. 279

 

Piano Sonata No. 2 in F Major K. 280

 

Side 2

Piano Sonata No. 3 in B-flat Major K. 281

 

Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major K. 282

 

Side 3

Piano Sonata No. 5 in G Major K. 283

 

Piano Sonata No. 7 in C Major K. 309

 

Side 4

Piano Sonata No. 6 in D Major K. 284

 

Side 5

Piano Sonata No. 9 in D Major K. 311

 

Piano Sonata No. 12 in F Major K. 332

 

Side 6

Piano Sonata No. 10 in C Major K. 330

 

 

Vol. II

Side 1

Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor K. 310

 

Side 2

Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major K. 331

 

Side 3

Piano Sonata No. 13 in B-flat Major K. 333

 

Side 4

Fantasie in C minor K. 475

 

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor K. 457

 

Side 5

Piano Sonata No. 18 in F Major K. 533

 

Piano Sonata No. 15 in C Major K. 545

 

Side 6

Piano Sonata No. 16 in B-flat Major K. 570

 

Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Major K. 576

 

Wrote the erudite authors of The Penguin Guide in their 2003/4 edition:

 

“Barenboim, while keeping his playing well withing scale in its crisp articulation, refuses to adopt the Dresden china approach to Mozart's Sonatas...Barenboim's voyage of discovery brings out their consistent freshness, with the orchestral implications of some of the allegros strongly established.”

 

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And wrote the critc M.E.O. in his review for the March 1986 issue of The Gramophone:

"[Daniel Barenboim's] crispness of detail and clarity of partwriting and texture are everywhere admirable, his sheer nimbleness and dexterity are often a joy, and there is no suspicion that he is ever using precision or lapidary elegance to miniaturize or prettify the music: there is plenty of fire and expressiveness here, a real comprehension of the stature of such big works as the Fantasia and Sonata, K475 and 457, and a sustained concentration in some of the more profound slow movements that gives a fine sense both of bar-by-bar discovery and of a measured unfolding, unhurried progress towards a clearly perceived destination. Nor is variety of mood neglected, the simple gravity of the middle movement of K570 giving way to a lovely cantabile central section and to a dreamily sensuous continuation, the almost Schubertian Trio of K331 needing no tempo change to mark it off from the relaxed and understated Minuet."

 

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Incidentally, each box set comes with a full-size booklet (not CD-sized booklets) with extensive notes on the music in German (by Harry A.P. Reiter), English (by Stanley Sadie), and in French (by William Glock). The cover photos of Barenboim were taken by B. Adolphson.

 

CONDITION – PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

 

The condition of the 2 boxes is near-MINT throughout. There is some minuscule bumping at corners, and very mild discoloration to the rear panels, but that is all. Really, the 2 boxes appear virtually as new. There are no seamsplits, corner breaks, bends, owners’ markings, not even any edgewear. Both remain perfectly solid, bright, glossy, and highly attractive – overall, these rates as lovely collector’s copies.

 

The condition of the 6 LPs themselves is near-MINT throughout. I believe this is an unplayed set – certainly, the LPs look and sound as such. But, as I cannot guarnatee that, I am rating the LPs as NN.  Thus, if you must have absolutely perfect surfaces, then please do not buy this set. Overall, these 6 LPs rate as truly fine, virtually MINT, collector’s copies.

PLEASE NOTE:
This LP has been carefully cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine. All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

PAYMENT:
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REFUNDS:
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