This is a magnificent
achievement and illustrates firstly
how much there is in Mozart’s piano
sonatas and secondly what a very fine
pianist is Leon McCawley. We now live
in a world where musicians tackle
complete cycles with skill and individuality
that would have been alien to many
fine players of the past. Of course
Beethoven’s piano sonatas have been
produced in a steady stream since
Schnabel’s pioneering set in 1930s
but are Mozart’s sonatas worthy of
such treatment. There are several
that are always in the repertoire,
but for example we have only one by
Lipatti and there are two versions
of K330; similarly Horowitz had favourites.
For complete sets of Mozart sonatas
there are far fewer than Beethoven
or possibly even Schubert. There was
the pioneering Walter Klien now on
VOX whose Turnabout LPs were much
played by my Dad. Barenboim EMI and
Eschenbach DG are both excellent and
the standout in the past twenty years
has been Uchida on Philips. This set,
competitively priced and in a slim-line
box, should be regarded as of the
top rank.
Here in Mozart’s
250th. Anniversary year
McCawley has set down all these works
- plus some extras – in two sessions
in a few months. I first heard him
as a BBC Young Musician of the Year.
He gave two memorable concerts at
Lake District Summer Music in 1997;
firstly as a soloist memorable in
Prokofiev and the next night accompanying
the Chilingirian Quartet in one of
Dvorak’s piano quartets. McCawley
is clearly a musician; much more than
just a pianist. I’ve seen him
at the Proms and he’s recorded works
as varied as Beethoven
and Hans
Gal.
Leon McCawley has
clearly studied these Mozart works
and despite recording them in a relatively
short time is right inside them. Playing
the five discs has been a sheer joy
and I can’t imagine anybody being
anything but blown away with his playing
and understanding of Mozart’s development
as a composer-pianist. Whilst listening
to the sonatas - here presented in
chronological order - I found the
excellent concise and informative
notes by Malcolm Macdonald very useful.
They certainly aided my listening
pleasure.
Going back to my
original comments there are problems
inherent in a "complete cycle".
Firstly to go through all the sonatas
one after another in a short time
is an odd thing to do. The danger
can be that otherwise some discs in
a multi-set remain unplayed. Reviewing
this set has meant that I started
at the beginning and proceeded to
the end; something my long-suffering
wife - do you really need 25 sets
of the Brahms Symphonies? - will testify
is unusual. However seated in a French
gite in Brittany over half-term gave
me an opportunity to do so. I came
to appreciate the special joys of
these still underrated works. Leon
McCawley also has a satisfying skill
in neither embracing the "Dresden
China" approach nor giving these
late eighteenth century pieces the
veneer and patina of late nineteenth!
To go through each
work in minute detail would be tedious
and unnecessary although I wrote copious
notes whilst listening to this marvellous
journey develop. These will be useful
when I get around to a comparative
survey of the Mozart sonatas which
I’d love to do! I hope that by making
some key observations you will get
a flavour of the delight I had in
listening to these performances and
will continue to do so in the coming
years, God willing. The sublime K570
is playing as I write. This is such
a great work which I certainly have
not paid enough credit to previously!
Placing the sonatas
in chronological order was revelatory
and I realized on Disc One that I
didn’t know these early pieces at
all well; back to the multi disc problem!
Quickly we see development from K
279 to maturity in the slow movement
of K280. This latter work was a joyful
discovery with two more serious movements
followed by a cheerful presto contrasting
with the sadness of the adagio. In
K281 McCawley shows he understands
its origins in the forte piano; I
notice this was a comment on Alicia
De Larrocha’s complete set which was
so
well received last year. Also
the notes point out that Beethoven
was influenced by the finale of K
282 when he wrote the "Moonlight".
K284, which commences
the second disc was another undiscovered
gem. It’s wonderful with a wistful
Rondo and Polonaise followed by a
Theme and Variations in Mozart’s longest
piano movement. Many may start with
K309 and K311, both full of Mozartian
wit and I must mention Schnabel’s
comment that "Mozart is too easy
for children and too difficult for
adults". This came to me strongly
during the "allegro con spirito"
of K309. What spirit McCawley conveys
in a strong and not inappropriate
manner. By this stage I was totally
won over but I was intrigued how I’d
compare his renditions of sonatas
I’ve known and loved for over 35 years.
Watchers of that
splendid film "A room with a
view" will recall Helena Bonham-Carter
firing away at the beginning of K310’s
"Allegro maestoso". My definitive
version has always been Lipatti’s
recording from 1950, but McCawley
is so very good and brings his own
character to this marvellous work
aided by the splendid sound; not the
first fine record to emanate from
Potton Hall! I’m sure if you hear
this one movement you will want to
get this great value collection. Comparing
De Larrocha shows almost identical
timings but it’s interesting how McCawley
is forceful from the off whereas the
older artist presents a slightly more
restrained account; good though it
is and also deserving of a detailed
listen. This sonata is a good riposte
to those who question why one wants
more than one version of the same
piece. Playing these two side by side
illustrates why! However the comfort
is that, apart from the time-to-listen
factor, both sets will give you differing
insights into Mozart and take up little
room on your shelf nor remove much
from your wallet!
Disc Three will probably
be played first by many as it sees
very familiar pieces loved and performed
by pianists both professional and
amateur. I love McCawley’s way with
K330 where he stays true to the music
whilst adding his own felicities to
the score. I’m always reminded of
Horowitz playing this piece on his
return to Moscow in 1986 but this
is a version of the top rank to be
enjoyed differently but at the same
level. K331 begins with the sublime
variations which were later "over-done
"by Max Reger as an orchestral
piece. I reviewed Wilhelm Kempff earlier
this year in this piece and found
that this superb pianist seemed to
be viewing Mozart from a late nineteenth
century viewpoint. This is not the
case here. The playing is staggering
but the youthful quality of the Salzburg
genius is all-present. K331 and K332
are also on this disc which makes
a wonderful recital of its own.
The later works are
sometimes overlooked by some but on
Disc Four we have the more contemplative
K333 which is given a most moving
rendition. The so-called "easy"
sonata K545 is another pearl. On the
final disc the later sonatas come
through as masterpieces of the genre
but I found no longueurs throughout
the five discs. My regret is that
I have only had time to skim the surface
of the delights of this set. I must
leave you to discover how great an
achievement it is.
In the time available
although I haven’t been able to do
full comparisons, I did have Karl
Engel’s recordings to hand; part of
a 12 disc Warner set I’m working through
for future review. Compared with McCawley
I found Engel dull and perfunctory
and not in the same class. The Klara
Wurzt set on Brilliant Classics is
a very good bargain and fine on its
own terms but again during the comparisons
of K311 and K330 I found she lacked
the "extra" that McCawley
brings.
Listening to this
collection has been an immense privilege
and I strongly recommend the set to
all lovers of great music. It has
been one of the most enjoyable experiences
listening to McCawley and this box
is bound to end up in my "Records
of the Year".
David R Dunsmore
Details
CD 1 [63.59]
Sonatas in C, K279 (1775) [13.55]; F, K280 (1775) [12.41]; B Flat, K281 (1775)
[13.20]; E flat, K282 (1775) [11.06]; G, K283 (1775) [12.10]
CD 2 [78.10]
Sonatas in D, K284 (1777) [25.14]; D, K311 (1777) [15.48]; C, K309 (1777) [17.33];
A, K310 (1778) [18.58]
CD 3 [71.01]
Sonatas in C, K330 (1783) [18.28]; A, K331 (1783) [23.32]; F, K332 (1783) [17.58];
Rondo in A minor, K511 (1787) [10.29]
CD 4 [61.22]
Sonatas in B flat, K333 (1783) [21.33]; C minor, K457 (1784) [17.34]; C, K545
(1788) [10.33]; Fantasia in C minor, K475 (1785) [11.08]
CD 5 [70.32]
Sonatas in F, K533 (1788) [23.34]; B flat, K570 (1789) [17.42]; D, K576 (1789)
[14.43]; Eine Kleine Gigue, K574 (1789) [1.39]; Menuetto in D, K355 (c.1789)
[3.08]; Adagio in B minor, K540 (1788) [9.00]
Leon McCawley (piano) 
