No. 1 In C Major, K.279 / No. 2 In F Major, K.280 / No. 3 In B Flat Major, K.281 / No. 4 In E Flat Major, K.282

Released in 1956 on the Westminster label, this recording features French pianist Reine Gianoli performing the first four of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piano sonatas. The sessions were part of a larger project documenting Gianoli’s interpretation of the complete Mozart sonata cycle, a significant undertaking for the Westminster label during a period when high-fidelity recordings of the classical repertoire were becoming a central focus for audiophile listeners.

Reine Gianoli was a distinguished student of Alfred Cortot and Edwin Fischer, and her approach to these sonatas reflects the delicate, nuanced tradition of the French school. Her performances are often lauded for their clarity and unpretentious phrasing, steering away from the heavy romanticism that colored some mid-century interpretations in favor of a more balanced, historically informed elegance that resonated well with critics of the era.