At age 22, Mozart wrote two concertos on commission from Ferdinand DeJean, a wealthy Dutchman. One of those was the Flute Concerto, K313, arguably one of the finest flute concerto ever written. This release features that piece, along with two other concertos performed by the Bavarian Radio Symphony. The 1981 recording of the Flute Concerto K. 313 with Slovenian soloist Irena Grafenauer is one of the few recordings with the great Günter Wand on the conductor’s podium. Oboe soloist François Leleux is featured in a 2001 recording of Mozart’s Oboe Concerto accompanied by “his” orchestra, in which he held the position of principal oboist until 2005, with Sir Colin Davis, the long-standing Chief Conductor of the orchestra.

[This CD] contains markedly significant historical material that does credit to all the artists involved, especially Bruno Walter. The two concertos played by Myra Hess (both drawn in two releases from the same, generally good—though cough-ridden—tapes of FM broadcasts of New York Philharmonic concerts) are a study in contrasts. K. 449 (January 17, 1954), if more relaxed and less vibrant than, say, the magnificent Rudolf Serkin-Alexander Schneider collaboration, has an elegance, bubbly buoyancy, touching lyricism, and impish humor found in all too few performances of the work. Listen, for example, to Hess's projection of the finale and discover a pianist who understands the sublimity of Mozartean comedy. On the other hand, K. 466 is rather labored and excessively brooding, in many respects an echo of the studio recording of the work made by Walter in 1936 as pianist and conductor.

-- Mortimer H. Frank, FANFARE [3/1990]

MOZART ON THE 1793 FORTEPIANO

This release has been sourced from the Richard Itter archive of 'live' BBC recordings. The collection is very important for collectors because it has never been on the market before. Following the archive's launch in October 2017 with successive releases featuring Beecham, Bohm, Cantelli, Casadesus, Karajan, Menuhin, Monteux, du Pre, Klemperer, Rostropovich and Walter, it has received universal praise from both the classical media and record collectors for the excellent sound and performances. Carlo Maria Giulini's celebrated studio recording of Le nozze di Figaro was recorded in September 1959 following a live performance at the Royal Festival Hall a few days earlier. Nearly 18 months later there was another performance but with a substantially different cast. Harold Rosenthal in Opera magazine wrote of the concert performance: "Giulini's reading of this miraculous score has deepened since the studio recording... The spark that was suddenly kindled between conductor and Teresa Berganza in 'Voi che sapete' was a moment to treasure. Indeed all Miss Berganza's singing was outstanding."

Late in 2014, part of Mozart's manuscript of the Sonata, K. 331 was found in Budapest. The manuscript, with the exception of the last page of the last movement, Rondo alla turca, had so far been considered missing under mysterious circumstances. The new Urtext, according to the pianist's statement, not only contains alterations in the phrase markings, articulation, rhythm and dynamics, but there are some different notes as well. The opening of the second movement is particularly interesting for William Youn: "With the new phrase indication and new note (A instead of C-sharp) in the third bar, I play the entire phrase with a completely different quality, which lends it a different character as well. Bars 24-26 of the same movement have always been played in the minor key up until now - and they are now suddenly in major!"

Classical Music

Santiago Mantas leads the European Union Chamber Orchestra Wind Octect on this release of Mozart's Wind Serenades. These Serenades are among Mozart's most joyful and melodious compositions and this fine performance by the young musicians of the EUCO Wind Octet certainly displays the exuberance and high spirits of the young composer. Santiago Mantas has toured over thirty countries as both conductor and concert pianist and is also a successful composer of music for feature films and documentaries.

Seen from a musical and historical point, Mozart´s concertos for piano and orchestra are the veritable beginning of this genre and at the same time climax. With his great concertos, Mozart achieved works which represent to a large extent the quintessence of what is possible in this genre. Rightly so, music researcher Alfred Einstein ascertains that Mozart´s piano concertos are “the culmination and acme of his instrumental creativity, at least in the area of orchestral music.” Twenty-three concertos for piano and orchestra have been preserved, among which is one for two pianos (No. 7 K.365 and 316a respectively) and one for three pianos and orchestra (No. 10, K.242). Haiou Zhang has already received widespread recognition by critics and audiences in Europe, North and South America, and the Far East. He has performed in esteemed concert venues and at renowned festivals, and has been given several awards for his performances. Besides his concert career, he is also the founder and music director of International Music Festival Buxtehude, Altes Land & Harburg in Northern Germany.

Classical Music

“The young pianist glows with enthusiasm…but then proves that for all this vigor and exuberance, she also has a keen sense of what lies between the notes and a sensitive awareness of tempo.” remarked the press. From surveying the complete works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, it can be established that of the more than 600 compositions he left for posterity, about a sixth were dedicated to the piano. In contrast to the other two masters of Viennese classical music, Haydn and Beethoven, Mozart’s music for solo piano was less of a field for formal experimentation or for expression of individual musical soliloquy. Mozart wrote his piano sonatas mostly for quite specific practical purposes, whether for performance on his travels, for musical events among a smaller circle of people, or as exercise material for his students.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music