Paul Badura-skoda - Mozart: Piano Works (2014)

When a pianist extraordinaire still has a lot to say far beyond retirement age, he goes on extensive tours in order to move people emotionally with his work and music. But when Paul Badura-Skoda undertakes the exertions of undergoing long recording sessions to record on three CDs sonatas and other piano works by W. A. Mozart on one of the fortepianos in his collection, then that is a completely different thing. For that means that the matter is close to his heart, and we can be curious to hear how ‘his’ Mozart has ‘matured’ with him over the years. This CD features the Sonata No. 15 in F, KV533.494, the famous “Alla Turca” from the Sonata No. 11 in A, KV331 and a small assortment of other Mozartean jewels, recorded in 2013, with an encore selection from 1976. Winning first prize in the Austrian Music Competition in 1947 meant the beginning of Paul Badura-Skoda’s career. Since 1949, he has performed with major conductors such as Wilhelm Furtwängler and Herbert von Karajan. Major tours as a soloist followed. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, he could be heard in all the parts of the world. The focus of his extensive repertoire (he has made more than 200 recordings) is on works by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.