Friedrich Gulda's "Lost" Mozart Tapes on DGG

[Lance]

~ Announcing a New Release from DGG ~

Mozart:

• Sonata in C, K. 330
• Sonata in F, K. 332
• Sonata in B-flat, K. 333
• Sonata in C, K. 279
• Sonata in F, K. 280
• Sonata in B-flat, K. 281
• Sonata in E-flat, K. 282
• Sonata in G, K. 283*
• Sonata in C, K. 545 ("Facile")
• Sonata in D, K. 311
• Fantasia in C, K. 475.

* Mono

Friedrich Gulda, piano [Bösendorfer Imperial]
Recorded: 1980 [Newly-discovered]
Remastered from cassette copies
Timings: CD1-78:05; CD2-70:48; CD3-63:40[/b]
_______________________________________

In the February winter of 1981, Friedrich Gulda (1930-2000) performed all of Mozart's piano sonatas for the public. It was his first- and last time. During the 1970s, he switched from being a classical music performer to a jazz musician. Music lovers were understandably shocked. But his performances of all of Mozart's piano sonatas was thought a "come-back" to classical music, thus the event was considered "sensational." Gulda's thoughts about Mozart's music were strange. He felt this music was only good for warming up and for playing while latecomers were being seated in the auditorium. Now at a much older age, Gulda knew this was a mortal sin and thus immersed himself with Mozart's music in a manner never done before.

But just prior to his live performance of all the Mozart sonatas, Gulda decided to record them, not in a professional studio (he abhored these surroundings), but at the Hotel Zur Post in Weissenbach on the Attersee just east of Salzburg, Austria where he maintained a vacation home. Gulda asked a balancing engineer, Herr Hans Klement, to join him, and the hotel's Bösendorfer "Imperial" (9'6") concert grand piano was put into immediate use. Microphones were placed rather close the piano because Gulda preferred "immediacy" of sound. Few edits were necessary. He felt he wanted to be playing for himself rather than addressing an audience so he could convey all the inner expression he felt; thus an intimate atmosphere was maintained.

When he went back to his vacation home, he would leave the Revox-made tapes running while he practised in his basement studio. Gulda intended the tapes for his own private use. Eventually, he thought of the possibilities of releasing the recordings though nothing proved fruitful in this respect. The tapes eventually lost their importance to him and he gave them to the original balance engineer. Gulda then died on the birthday of Mozart, ironically. Herr Klement also died before copies of the old recordings could be brought to life again, remastered by Greenlight Studios. Rico Gulda (the producer of this set, and Frieidrich Gulda's son) was only eleven years old when he heard his father perform them live in Munich, Germany. The original tapes were never found, presumed lost or discarded, and the cycle survived only on cassette tapes, which were used for this new three-CD DGG set. Some of the sonatas were transferred to cassettes at high volume levels causing considerable distortion and thus some of the sonatas could not be included for technical reasons.

Nonetheless, Gulda fans will rejoice in having this set as a memento of Gulda's late-in-life love and discovery of Mozart's solo piano works. If the pianist is considered an enigma—which he is by many—you will forget all that as you listen to the pianist perform in the surroundings of the Hotel Zur, which was open only during the summer months thus providing the quietude and peace required for recording sessions.

If it was Gulda's wish "to play piano duets with Mozart on a pink cloud," we can be comfortable in our homes and become very close to the artistry of Gulda on our own "pink cloud," at least mentally and in a very special way.

[Harvested Sorrow]

Having heard his jazz work and some of his Beethoven I must wonder if he can reconcile himself to play in a Mozartian fashion, considering the general intensity of his playing. Has anyone heard this, yet?

[Werner]

Lance, this is an interesting story - but I would like to know how you reacted to this release - apart from some probable limitations on the audio side, how do these performances square with your image of the Mozart sonatas - perhaps in comparison with other performes more active in this repertoire?

[Lance]

Having heard his jazz work and some of his Beethoven I must wonder if he can reconcile himself to play in a Mozartian fashion, considering the general intensity of his playing. Has anyone heard this, yet?

Yes, Gulda could reconile himself. He was a brilliant man and artist in many ways, and like several pianists, could vacillate between classic works and jazz music. In the end, it's my opinion that his heart was actually with the classical repertoire. (What's the saying? Everyone seems to go full-circle.) Every artist goes through periods where they hate the fomality of the concert stage and opt for the other side, where concert dress doesn't matter, people seem happier and less serious. These were all qualities of Gulda's personality. He seemed to be able to handle it all.

[Lance]

Lance, this is an interesting story - but I would like to know how you reacted to this release - apart from some probable limitations on the audio side, how do these performances square with your image of the Mozart sonatas - perhaps in comparison with other performes more active in this repertoire?

I should have included these comments in my initial post. Thank you for asking. First of all, my over all reaction was one of amazement. Gulda's digital execution is impeccable ... he knows exactly what he wants to do. If his piano could become a harpsichord, this is where you will find it, though not in the manner of Glenn Gould in his traversal of the Mozart sonatas. Gulda plays the sonatas I've heard thus far in what may be termed a "dry" manner (but not in a negative sense at all), using pedal sparingly, and he conveys a bright, singing tone where that is required. These are not performed in any Romantic manner whatever, and his sense of timing is incredible; it's as though there was a noiseless metronome on the piano, just blinking a light ... his playing is that precise, yet it "breathes." His evenness of keyboard touch is one of total control.

The remastering of the tapes is a work of art and kudos to Green Light Studios for this. This must have been a major undertaking for them. Back in 1980, cassette recorders were excellent but sometimes didn't convey a "professional" sound but that is not true here. The huge sounds of the Bösendorfer Imperial were transferred from these survinging cassettes meaning the original sound must have been captured very well in the original tapes. For me, the piano sound is a bit too close, almost to the point of yielding "head-in-the-piano" sonics; some of this can be blamed on the close miking. You can actually hear the striking points of the hammers doing their work. The piano is voiced a bit too brightly for my tastes as well, and it is not totally evenly voiced especially in the uppermost range. Fortunately, the piano is in excellent tune.

Attempting to compare them with other versions of the sonatas, complete sets or on an individual basis is difficult. I don't believe I've ever heard them played in this manner. Some may find them unmusical in ways, or performed without much colour or expression, but deeper listening will offer some revelations to the listener, one of which is "excitement," and to me that's an important quality in the art of making music. [Example: first movement (Allegro) of the Sonata in B-flat, K. 333.] Gulda's music-making makes sense more often than not. I had trouble listening to his Bach WTC initially but then grew fond of the performances.

[Harvested Sorrow]

Having heard his jazz work and some of his Beethoven I must wonder if he can reconcile himself to play in a Mozartian fashion, considering the general intensity of his playing. Has anyone heard this, yet?

Yes, Gulda could reconile himself. He was a brilliant man and artist in many ways, and like several pianists, could vacillate between classic works and jazz music. In the end, it's my opinion that his heart was actually with the classical repertoire. (What's the saying? Everyone seems to go full-circle.) Every artist goes through periods where they hate the fomality of the concert stage and opt for the other side, where concert dress doesn't matter, people seem happier and less serious. These were all qualities of Gulda's personality. He seemed to be able to handle it all.

Ah. You seem to have missed my meaning slightly..it seems that his playing in Beethoven is very intense (his jazz happens to be, too). I wasn't focusing that much on the sound of his jazz work. I wasn't sure if he tones down the intensity enough for suitably Mozartian playing or not, considering the takes he's done on all of his Beethoven that I've heard. If he adapts his playing style well as you say this may be interesting to hear.


EDIT: Based on the review I just read, this is certainly worth a listen.

[Lance]

Having heard his jazz work and some of his Beethoven I must wonder if he can reconcile himself to play in a Mozartian fashion, considering the general intensity of his playing. Has anyone heard this, yet?

Yes, Gulda could reconile himself. He was a brilliant man and artist in many ways, and like several pianists, could vacillate between classic works and jazz music. In the end, it's my opinion that his heart was actually with the classical repertoire. (What's the saying? Everyone seems to go full-circle.) Every artist goes through periods where they hate the fomality of the concert stage and opt for the other side, where concert dress doesn't matter, people seem happier and less serious. These were all qualities of Gulda's personality. He seemed to be able to handle it all.

Ah. You seem to have missed my meaning slightly..it seems that his playing in Beethoven is very intense (his jazz happens to be, too). I wasn't focusing that much on the sound of his jazz work. I wasn't sure if he tones down the intensity enough for suitably Mozartian playing or not, considering the takes he's done on all of his Beethoven that I've heard. If he adapts his playing style well as you say this may be interesting to hear.

Thank you for explaining further. Gulda adapts to the style perfectly, but this is anything but toned-down playing! If anything, it is larger-than-life. Still most interesting.

[Harvested Sorrow]

As long as he doesn't take the same 'heroic' approach to Mozart that he does to Beethoven it should be fine, and based on what you've said, he doesn't. I'll have to hear that at some point.