The pianistic refinement and interpretive imagination Michael Endres brings to his Mozart sonata cycle easily ranks alongside leading modern-day contenders like Mitsuko Uchida, András Schiff, and Klara Wurtz. It would take longer to cite chapter and verse for each elegantly timed phrase, cleverly scaled dynamic game plan, freshly minted bass line, and surprising accent than to listen to all five CDs. Special moments include Endres’ sharply etched, opera buffa approach to K. 279’s finale, the headlong cohesion with which he corrals K. 284’s lengthy variation movement, the impeccably executed treacherous jumps in K. 310’s finale, his no-nonsense brisk tempo for K. 330’s first movement (a kinder, gentler replica of Glenn Gould’s 1970 recording), and the marvelous chamber-like equilibrium between both hands in K. 332 and K. 576.
Endres’ overall excellence is enough to forgive occasional arch moments, such as his mooning over K. 280’s main theme in the finale, or sudden diminuendos that draw attention to the pianist rather than demonstrate any melodic logic. On disc many pianists traditionally preface the C minor K. 457 sonata with the K. 475 Fantasia in the same key. Endres does not. The recordings, produced by WDR in 1998, are demonstration-quality all the way. [5/5/2005]
