Mozart: Complete Piano Concertos, Vol. 7 (1991)

Discovering The Mozart Piano Concertos: K503, 451

Between February, 1784 and December, 1786, Mozart wrote twelve piano concertos which brought this form to a level seldom equaled and which constitute, in the words of Alfred Einstein, the "high-point of Mozart's instrumental composition." These twelve concertos were written for subscription concerts in which Mozart usually was the soloist. They have been recorded, together with the remaining fifteen Mozart piano concertos, by the Concentus Hungaricus conducted by Maityas Antal with Jeno Jando at the piano. These disks are available at a budget price on Naxos. Jando has recorded many works for Naxos and reminds me of Alfred Brendel and his early career recording for Vox. He focuses on the classical Vienese school -- Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert.

This CD features the final concerto in Mozart's great group of 12, the concerto no. 25 in C Major, K.503, written in December, 1786. This concerto is probably the masterwork of the entire series, yet it remains comparatively little known. The work is very elevated in character with a tone that is both self-assured and serene. Virtuosic writing for the piano is integrated tightly with symphonic writing for the orchestra.

The opening movement, allegro maestoso, is the longest opening allegro Mozart composed. It has a magisterial orchestral introduction in which the heroic opening theme alternates with passages for the winds in the minor key. The extensive piano part develops its own themes in passages that at times rival the orchestral writing in majesty and that at times are quiet and moving in their lyricism and introspection. The second movement, andante, is basically in two parts. It opens with a reserved theme stated in the orchestra which is expanded in detail by the piano. There is a brief, highly eloquent middle section, in which the piano plays alone a lyrical, innocent theme over chords in the left hand. The final movement is a rondo based on a theme Mozart borrowed from his opera, Idomeneo. The theme is developed alternately in the orchestra and the piano and features an extensive development section for the piano in combination with the winds. This is a great piano concerto similar in tone and style to Mozart's Jupiter symphony.

This CD also includes an earlier work from the series of twelve concertos -- the concerto no. 16 in D. Major, K. 451, written in March, 1784. In his early study of the Mozart piano concertos, "Mozart and his Piano Concertos" (1948), Cuthbert Girdlestone described the first movement of this work as "the most powerful and most complex that Mozart has written hitherto, and one of the most powerful and complex in all his orchestral work."(p. 213) He also offered a detailed discussion of the rondo finale to this concerto (pp. 51-52) The first movement, allegro assai, opens with a lively march theme in the orchestra followed by brilliant and extended piano writing. It could be viewed almost as a predecessor for the K. 503 concerto. The second movement, andante, is a winding, sinuous theme stated first in the orchestra and repeated and embellished in the piano. It is in the form of a slow rondo and features Mozart's characteristic interplay between the piano and the winds. The third movement is a lively rondo, introduced by the orchestra with extensive development of the theme as the movement proceeds.

This CD also includes Mozart's rondo in A major for orchestra and piano, K. 386. The refrain -- the rondo theme -- in the work is unusually long and lyrical. Mozart initially wrote this work as the finale for his piano concerto in A major K. 414. He then substituted another conclusion and published this work separately.

I found the C major concerto here, K. 503 particularly well done. It is a work which does not have the popular appeal of many of the other Mozart concertos, but it shows the composer at the height of his powers. This disk, together with its companions, will introduce the listener to the beauties of Mozart's piano concertos.

Robin Friedman