by James Leonard
Have you ever noticed how some performers' performances are inextricably linked to their images? How Leonard Bernstein's hyperbolic performances are inextricably linked to his hyperbolic image? How Vladimir Horowitz's flamboyant performances are inextricably linked to his flamboyant image? How Anne-Sophie Mutter's narcissistic performances are inextricably linked to her narcissistic image?
Take as an example Mutter's 2006 recording of Mozart's sonatas for piano and violin. Beyond all argument, Mutter is a truly an amazing violinist. Her tone is lush, polished, and deep. Her technique is impeccable, imperious, and incandescent. Her interpretations are impulsive, passionate, and powerful. But her performances virtually ignore the music and instead focus on selling the sheer physical beauty of her own playing. In an Allegretto grazioso, Mutter is far too forward in her phrasing. In an Andante cantabile, she is much too seductive in her grace notes. In a Tempo di Menuetto, she is way too sensual in her accents. For Mutter, Mozart's music seems to be an ornament to her playing, not the reason for it. There have been many recordings of Mozart's sonatas as beautiful as Mutter's -- Grumiaux's with Klein and Szeryng's with Haebler come first to mind -- but few that are so narcissistic. Deutsche Grammophon's sound and Lambert Orkis' accompaniments are very flattering to the soloist.
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Works on This Recording
1.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in C major, K 296
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1778; Mannheim, Germany
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 15 Minutes 39 Secs.
2.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major, K 301 (293a)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1778; Mannheim, Germany
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 13 Minutes 19 Secs.
3.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in E flat major, K 302 (293b)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Written: 1778
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 12 Minutes 6 Secs.
4.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in C major, K 303 (293c)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Written: 1778
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 9 Minutes 45 Secs.
5.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor, K 304 (300c)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1778; Paris, France
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 12 Minutes 22 Secs.
6.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, K 305 (293d)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1778; Mannheim, Germany
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 14 Minutes 44 Secs.
7.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in D major, K 306 (300l)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1778; Paris, France
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 20 Minutes 20 Secs.
8.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in F major, K 376 (374d)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1781; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 17 Minutes 0 Secs.
9.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in F major, K 377 (374e)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1781; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 18 Minutes 51 Secs.
10.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in B flat major, K 378 (317d)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1779; Salzburg, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 19 Minutes 30 Secs.
11.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major, K 379 (373a)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1781; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 16 Minutes 54 Secs.
12.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in E flat major, K 380 (374f)
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1781; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 20 Minutes 7 Secs.
13.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, K 526
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1787; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 20 Minutes 51 Secs.
14.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in B flat major, K 454
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1784; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 21 Minutes 52 Secs.
15.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in E flat major, K 481
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 22 Minutes 27 Secs.
16.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in F major, K 547
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
■ Period: Classical
■ Written: 1788; Vienna, Austria
■ Date of Recording: 02/2006
■ Venue: Live Philharmonie Gasteig, Munich, Germany
■ Length: 16 Minutes 37 Secs.