Mozart: Piano Concerto 18 & 19

 

With Mozart's Piano Concertos 18 & 19, I leave Sir Neville behind, as this was Zacharias' final collaboration with Marriner in Mozart's concertos, at least chronologically speaking.

The opening of K. 453 finds the two chugging along beautifully. I like their buoyancy and charm here; there is a lovely horn moment, although light and background-ish, yet this recording anoints it as something rather special.

A moody middle-movement theme and variations follows, set in g minor. Performers could really dig deep into this; here I find Marriner and Zacharias come into their own moreso as the movement rolls on, rather than strapping in at the outset.

I love when Mozart sets the piano going off at the very opening of a movement instead of the orchestra. This attribute allows the pianist to set the stakes of the movement for themselves, and Zacharias does so in the finale of Piano Concerto no. 18 with great joy, not to mention the fine filigree finger-work, which follows in a dashing manner. The winds also get a vote of support from me in the conclusion, beautifully played by Stuttgart.

A very fine recording, even if the concerto as a whole may be bettered by Geza Anda, Barenboim with the ECO, and Marriner may get more mileage in his partnership with Alfred Brendel.

In Piano Concerto no. 19, Mozart holds stakes in the opening movement as the longest portion of the work. Indeed, in the last third or quarter, the work begins to test my patience in its length.

Helpfully, the opening melody of K. 459 is both martial and graceful, and immediately captures the imagination. There are a wealth of top-notch musical ideas passed around the strings, winds, and piano, allowing everyone to have their share.

The middle movement smiles at me more as the movement bears on. Initially, its sleepily rocking orchestral prelude doesn't do too much for me, but as ever, Mozart lures me in through his development. Indeed, when the piano enters, I am completely on board, where the use of simple imitation and minor-keyed explorations enchants.

As with the K. 453 predecessor, the piano takes hold of the closing movement by itself, repeated back by the winds. This recording might allow the bassoon a little too forward of a presence, but at least that flavor is present as opposed to its sonic absence.

Again, this recording from Zacharias is very good. I might again prefer Marriner with Brendel; however, even better is Maurizio Pollini with Karl Böhm, Rudolf Serkin, and Barenboim again with the ECO.

 

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Works
Piano Concerto 18 in B-flat Major, K. 456 (29.29)
Piano Concerto 19 in F Major, K. 459 (26.47)

Soloists
Christian Zacharias, piano

Performers
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
Sir Neville Marriner, conductor

Label: EMI
Year: 1988-90

 

 

 

 

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