For the specialist in only the most exquisitely beautiful performances, we have these early-'50s recordings of the exquisite Lili Kraus playing a sonata and a pair of concertos by Mozart. In her day, Kraus was beloved for her pearly tone and graceful yet emotional performances, but her day was half a century ago and time marches on. So even though Kraus' Sonata in A major is supremely well-played, extremely well-controlled, and extraordinarily beautiful, only the specialist in the exquisitely beautiful performance will want to hear it. And while Kraus' A major and B flat major concertos are wonderfully modulated, marvelously nuanced, and superbly shaped, and while Pierre Monteux and the Boston Symphony are the most congenial of accompanists, only the specialist in the exquisitely beautiful performance will want to hear it. Urania's sound is antique at best, but the honesty of the sound still conveys the tone, color, and depth of Kraus' playing even if the Boston Symphony sometimes sounds like it was recorded across town.
Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux
Mozart: Concertos for Piano and Orchestra Nos. 12, 18 11
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AllMusic Review by James Leonard
Track Listing
| Sample | Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414 (K. 385p) | |||||||
| 1 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 09:01 | Amazon | ||||
| 2 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 08:26 | Amazon | ||||
| 3 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 06:20 | Amazon | ||||
| Piano Concerto No. 18 in B flat major, K. 456 | |||||||
| 4 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 10:46 | Amazon | ||||
| 5 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 10:51 | Amazon | ||||
| 6 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 06:44 | Amazon | ||||
| Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major ("Alla Turca") K. 331 (K. 300i) | |||||||
| 7 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 06:49 | Amazon | ||||
| 8 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 04:54 | Amazon | ||||
| 9 | Lili Kraus / Pierre Monteux | 03:08 | Amazon | ||||