Glowing and sublime
pspa | Boston, MA USA | 03/13/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nos. 20 and 27 are two of the greatest five piano concerti ever written by Mozart, and both are given glowing, unsurpassable performances here by Murray Perahia and the ECO. Perahia is at his best in the melting slow movements, stamping the themes forever into your consciousness, but he is fine too in the allegros, technically perfect but emotional, never going over the top for the sake of virtuosity, letting the music speak for itself. Great rapport between soloist and orchestra throughout. You cannot possibly go wrong with Perahia here or in any of the other Mozart concerti."
Melodious marvels
Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 12/11/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These two concertos are glorious, with melodies to sweep you off your feet and fall in love with them.
Concerto # 20 is powerful, and has an exquisite second movement "Romance". One of the two most frequently performed of Mozart's piano concertos (the other being # 21, with its "Elvira Madigan" slow movement), it is what the liner notes call "the most Beethovenian" of the concertos, pointing the way to 19th cent. music.
Mozart did not write any cadenzas for this piece, and Perahia plays one written by Beethoven in the opening Allegro, and dazzles us with one he composed himself in the third movement.Concerto # 27 was completed in the year of Mozart's death, and despite his ill health and much sadness, wrote an intensely spiritual concerto, with an uplifiting, beautiful finale; of the two, I think this one might be my favorite.Perahia's interpretations are masterful. With flawless technique and fluidity, there is a purity and simplicity to these performances, both as pianist and conductor of the excellent English Chamber Orchestra. Recorded in '77 and '79, the sound is good, liner notes minimal, and total time 61'32. A truly wonderful CD of two of the loveliest pieces ever written for the piano."
Genuine conviction, superb lyricism !
Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 04/09/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Murray Perahia is one of these few examples of a pianist deeply compromised with the meaning and transcendence of the music. His vision and approach about Mozart is worthy to carve in relief, because against all the odds, he is always searching for a sound, a new expression supported by that superb conviction and bulletproof artistic honesty.
More than a musician, he is an artist, a man who really worries by the formal structure, and the importance of the color tonal, so important in Mozart.
So, you should to keep all these factors in mind at the moment to make this wosdom choice. Recommended without hesitation.
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