Étiquette : Mozart
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Bruno Walter, a Conductor of Life: a conversation with Rémy Louis

To mark the 150th anniversary of Bruno Walter’s birth on September 15, 1876, Warner Classics is reissuing all of the conductor’s recordings for HMV and Graphophone between 1924 and 1939, beautifully restored by Christophe Hénault from Studio Art et Son. To look back at this major period—undoubtedly the most striking and foundational of Walter’s career—I…
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Alfred Brendel, a portrait

When we talk about a pianist who plays in a truly « pure » way, in the sense that nothing is altered, in other words, nothing is superfluous and everything serves the music, I think of Alfred Brendel. Born on 5 January 1931, Alfred Brendel left us on 17 June. He was universally respected for his interpretations,…
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Interpretations of Mozart’s symphonies, from the Golden Age to period instruments

Mozart’s symphonies seem to be imbued with a certain idea of perfection, a quest for intelligibility. There’s no denying that these are works with a certain physical impact – and it’s no coincidence that Mozart’s harmonies even have beneficial effects on plants, and are even used in New Zealand to cradle the vines. So how…
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A legendary recording: Bruggen conducts Mozart

Frans Bruggen is one of the most singular exponents of historically informed conducting – in other words, conducting with period instruments. The conductor has shown that it is not an oxymoron to be a ‘barroqueux’ while claiming Furtwangler as his main inspiration. There is an organic vision of music in Bruggen’s art, and under his…
