Mozart: Piano Concertos #9 & 18 - Leif Ove Andsnes
This record is a total delight: two irresistible Mozart concertos, one famous, one unfamiliar, played with the technical, musical and stylistic perfection that performers never cease to strive for but very rarely achieve. No. 9, written in 1777, was the first of Mozart's large-scale, truly "great" concertos. Innovative in form, it opens not with the usual orchestral exposition, but a brief interchange between soloist and orchestra that sets the stage for its conversational character. In the C minor slow movement, the piano sings a heart-breaking lament of an aria while the orchestra comments with often wrenchingly dissonant sighs. The sprightly, exuberant Finale harbors another surprise. Its middle section is a Minuet of beguiling beauty and wistful grace. No. 18, written in 1784, is basically conventional, but also full of surprises, notably in its daring modulations to distant tonalities. The slow movement in G minor is another mournful operatic aria, while the Finale is a set of increasingly ornate variations. Andsnes' playing is quite extraordinary. He follows Mozart through all his swiftly changing moods and emotions, bringing out the music's stately nobility, gracious courtliness, ironic humor, drama and tragedy without a trace of artificiality or exaggeration. He uses Mozart's own wonderfully inventive, sparkling cadenzas, which adds to the feeling of authenticity. The piano tone is light, crisp and clear, but so variable in touch, articulation and nuance that it never sounds dry. The transitions and changes of tempo and character are poised and natural, the rhythms buoyant and supple. The phrasing is impeccable and has the spontaneous flow of human speech. The orchestra plays with sparing vibrato but lots of color and expression; its tone blends with the piano's admirably, cushioning and vitalizing the solo part. One can easily imagine Mozart sitting at the keyboard in close rapport with the musicians, basking in the audiences' enjoyment and smiling with pure pleasure.--Edith Eisler