Search - András Schiff, Camerata Academica Salzburg :: Mozart: Piano Concertos [Australia]

Schiff comes alive under Vegh's baton

Sam | 04/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hungarian violinist Sandor Vegh of the legendary Vegh Quartet was a great conductor as well and here he displays his astute abilities, leading the Camerata Academica des Mozarteums Salzburg (a hand-picked chamber orchestra) in readings that are lean and vigorous and communicate wonderfully with the pianist. Andras Schiff always sounds so much more inspired under ensemble conditions (at least in my opinion) and here he provides dazzling, crystalline playing that is always refreshing and insightful. I'm not sure what type of piano he uses but it almost sounds like a more full-bodied version of a fortepiano, one that isn't completely drowned out by the orchestra like in all those HIP recordings. Schiff and Vegh really make a case for some of the more overlooked concertos, particularly Nos. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 18. There's a passage about half-way through the first movement of No. 12 that is one of the most profoundly tragic passages in all of Mozart's music and the finale of No. 14 is truly one of the composer's most brilliant creations (same for the haunting G-minor slow movement of No. 18). Overall, I vastly prefer this set to the overrated ones of Brendel, Perahia, and Uchida among others."