Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Murray Perahia, English Chamber Orchestra :: Mozart: Concertos Nos. 17 & 18

One of Mozart's greatest concertos and a sublime performance

David J. Friedlander | Columbus, Ohio United States | 09/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote more than 20 piano concertos and every one has at least one great movement. In the 17th, all three are great. As in his greatest symphonies and opera overtures, the music is full of great themes and ideas and the transitions between them are seamless. The first movement has melody, drama and surprise modulations, all showing the mastery Mozart had of his craft. The middle movement is sweet pathos as only Mozart can deliver. It's the last movement that puts the game right in the middle of the most charming opera buffa style. I can not listen to this movement without smiling and feeling the wonderful helpings of playful joy. This concerto is not one of the more highly touted, like the 9th, and every one from the 19th to the 25th. Yet Mozart was squarely into his mature period as a composer and was still the toast of Vienna when this concerto was first performed.
Murray Perahia is one of the very few who have total command of the piano. He is also the consummate artist, never showy or self conscious. One of his greatest atributes is his ability to let the music speak in a most profound manner, tempos always right on and orchestra direction at its most colorful.
Of all the Mozart concertos, the 17th is one of my absolute favorites and I never tire of all the invention, fun, and all that great heavenly music. The 18th is harder to approach, not being as memorable melodically. The idioms are all there, and the logic is inscrutable, but it isn't at the same level of inspiration as the great concertos mentioned earlier. Nevertheless, Mozart never wrote any bad music and Perahia never fails to bring out the essential musicality of the score. This is a first class disc all the way even though it was originally recorded before today's more perfect digital environment. The only question for me is if this would be one of my 10 "desert island" discs. I do know it would be in my top 25 and should be in every Mozart lover's collection."

Very fine music and an outstanding performance.

S. Whyplasche | Grovers Corners, PA USA | 07/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The one negative review of this recording is misleading indeed. Although I am not the great conductor that this prior reviewer must be, I had to write this short comment to simply offset what I thought was an unfairly critical review. The performance quality of this cd is of the top notch variety, as much of Perahia's work proves to be. The recording quality, though not up to today's standards, is nevertheless very good and in no way hinders pianistic impression. The key significance of this recording, and the measure by which it should be judged, is how it has held up as the most popular and critically acclaimed recording of these two concertos for the decades since it was recorded. Recommended with enthusiasm by a serious music lover and nearly obsessive Mozart fan."