Emil & Elena Gilels, Karl Böhm - Mozart - Piano Concertos No. 27 & No.10 / Schubert - Fantasia D 940 (2001)

This 77+ minute CD includes what must be among the finest recorded versions of each of these 3 compositions. First, a superb Mozart Piano Concerto 27 (K 595), the composer's final--and one of his most popular--concertos. This is probably the best 27 I've heard, with the great Russian pianist Emil Gilels at the pinnacle of his career. Here (and in K 365) the Vienna Philharmonic, led brilliantly by Carl Bohm, provides rich, colorful, authoritative support. In K 365, Mozart's Double Concerto, Elena Gilels, a very talented player in her own right, joins her father. Schubert's Fantasia in F minor (D 940)--a lovely, mood-shifting composition for 2 pianos (Emil and Elena)--is a great way to conclude this magical disc.

These 1970s recordings were superbly engineered, and the digital transfers are warm and vibrant. There's good balance between piano(s) and orchestra, and nice stereo separation of the two pianos. The "Product Details" (above) indicate this is "DDD," but of course it's really ADD (not that this is critical--some audiophiles actually prefer good analogue recordings over digital, even on CDs).