Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Chamber Orchestra Europe, Murray Perahia :: Mozart: Piano Concerti 21 & 27

One of the best versions of one of the best pieces of music

Alessandro Bruno | Toronto, Canada | 11/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Given that the Mozart Concerto K 467 is probably my favorite piece of music I do not judge its interpretations lightly. I find the version to be sublime. Mind you my measuring stick is the Andante which must have a good balance between the bass of the orchestra and the piano melody. I like the Concero No. 27 but I don't think it's in the same league as the no. 21., but it's still a beautiful piece of music. Moreover, Perahia is one of the very best Mozart pianists and this version is excellent.
I recommend Mozart's piano concerto no. 9,15, 17, 25, 20, 24 for thsoe whoc can appreciate the intricate contrast of melancholy and more 'optimistic' melodies that Mozart was so good at weaving. I believ that the piano concertos represent Mozart's best work and provide the most accurate glimpse of the man's character. Gregarious and playful but also introverted, contemplative and melancholy. He was truly human. Yet, somehow, these human qualities inspire the divine. if there is a god he is to be found in this music. I'm not exagerating, Listen.. and I challenge you to find an adequate way to describe the music. Goethe, Stendhal, Chopin and countless others tried, but......"

The best piano ensemble performance I have heard in years

Leslie Kusz | Spokane, WA USA | 10/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I happened to catch the first half of this CD, piano concerto no. 21, on public radio just now. I had frozen food sitting in my car beside me, but I couldn't leave because I didn't want to miss a note. I sat there for half an hour, not caring that my groceries for the next few days will probably suffer from freezer burn. Every five minutes, I said to myself, "Who *are* you?"This is truly an amazing performance. So many pianists, being bound to an instrument that cannot be tuned "on the fly" as it were, don't seem to be aware that it is possible to affect tone on the piano, and so their playing sounds 2-dimensional (I would say "flat," but don't want to be misunderstood). Perahia is one of the only performers I have ever heard who does not suffer from this failing. Each note is perfectly executed, and rings like a bell; his playing so fluid, there are no obvious stops and starts between phrases--it is like listening to a bubbling fountain. His blending is perfection; when his part requires a soloist's flair, the notes sing out beautifully without overwhelming the orchestra; when he is supposed to be "part of the group," i.e., not the soloist, he blends so well that he almost sounds like one of the other instruments. At times I could almost swear he had taken up the flute or oboe for part of the performance. In lauding Perahia, though, let me not neglect to mention the beautiful sound of the orchestra (Chamber Orchestra of Europe). They, too, seem divinely inspired, never overwhelming, perfectly in tune (which is rather rare these days). They, too, are perfectly blended: not a single note sounding either superfluous or harsh. Truly, you cannot separate the orchestra from the soloist in this performance. I cannot say enough about this recording; on the basis of hearing the first part of it alone, I am giving it 5 stars."

Mozart for royalty

Alessandro Bruno | 10/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a pleasure it is to listen to Perahia's performance of the 21st Concerto after becoming accustomed to a recording on period instruments. Much as I enjoy period performance in its own way, there is just no substitute for the polish and regal finesse of modern instruments. And who better than Murray Perahia to demonstrate the assets of the modern piano, such as its rich but pure tone and the way it permits even scales? The Chamber Orchestra of Europe sounds full-bodied of tone, too, in this excellent recording but they never overwhelm the soloist and always remain stylishly within scale. The performance of the 27th Concerto is no less understanding and clean-lined although I seem to recall that the Serkin/Szell recording for CBS brought out more of its valedictory qualities. These are not the only recordings you will want of these works but they certainly are centrally recommendable."