Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra :: Mozart: Piano Concertos No. 21, K.467 & No. 25, K.503

Lisa C. from MANASSAS, VA
Reviewed on 8/7/2006...

Great classical music

Best Mozart recording of all time?

P. SIMPSON | North Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 04/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For many years successive Penguin guides awarded this disc a Rosette. Its current unavailability is tragic but my advice is ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES. Kovacevich and co. make you hear that famous slow, second movement from no. 21 - which in the hands of lesser artists can seem hackneyed and sacchirine - as the piece of magical tenderness it is, with no associations other than with classical beauty. But it is no. 25 which is the revelation. No-one else has come even close to Kovacevich's magical way with the central slow moment within the third movement (and it is only a minute long, - but what a minute!!) and Davis and the LSO excel themselves with an oboe and strings accompaniment as magical as K's solo. Its as if Mozart has said, amidst the ceremonialism of the concerto, "hang on, lets just see what a moment of true illumination and quiet joy is like before we get back to the day job". Of course there are many wonderful Mozart Piano Concerto recordings but none, not Perahia or Uchida or Serkin in 25 nor Casadesus, Bilson or Brendel in 21 are so thoughtful or so intense, so "right". And of course, there are many other wonderful Mozart recordings but none, not even the Stern/Zukerman Sinf. Concertante (on DG) are as revelatory of hidden depth. And yes, of course its as silly to have a favourite cd as it is to have a favourite composer,- but if there is a perfect disc, for me, this is it."

My Favorite Mozart Recording

phil | Pennsylvania, USA | 08/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of the many fine recordings of the Mozart piano concertos that I own, Kovacevich's performance of no. 21 is my favorite. I am not a musician, so I can just say that whatever he and Colin Davis do, they do it right. Colin Davis is my favorite conductor of Mozart and Haydn. I wonder why Kovacevich has not recorded more Mozart?"