Mozart: Concerto No. 20 for pianoforte K. 466 Concert No. 20, K. 466, made in a few days to the February 10, 1785, contends in his score pianoforte flute, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and string ensemble, this large orchestration, the persistent tone in D minor, tragic flavor and dark, ominous chromaticism, stormy expressions contrast with passages of great delicacy and pathos. Keynote by the interrelation between its different elements global unity and pride, its technical difficulties, especially for woodwind, are immense. In his hands, carefully balancing features of grandeur (sections orchestral tutti), brightness (virtuosity of the soloist) and inner sense (single-orchestra dialogue), transcending the rigidity inherited from Bach and opening a new perspective in the aesthetic evolution of the composer dialogue instruments, rhythms vary, subjects walk in continuous transformation. Each musical idea Happy contains all the sad sadness and carry a breath of hope.
The first movement (which opens with mysterious syncopated and fast groups of four notes ascending by cellos and basses, all of which conveys a sense of foreboding and unease energy) combines the old ritornello ( tutti / solo ) with a structure close to that of the sonata, developing and exchanging themes, harmonies and rhythms. The first orchestral tutti (Sturm und Drang genuine ) offers material that is subsequently used in the first section alone, so it becomes a major feature of development. Clearly the relationship with the Don Giovanni (hue, harrowing subject matter, dark colors, chromatic progressions in parallel thirds, asymmetric periods, acceleration). Exhausted, the band ends tenderly.
The miracle of intimacy of expression that is the second movement is a ballad composed of 5 sections headed by a quiet melody in the right hand of the keyboard are accompanied by throbbing repeated quavers in the strings is broken his composure in the fourth section ( a sort of trio schumanniano) by emergence of tonality in G minor, which produces a sharp contrast, dramatic breakup.
The stormy attack part of a formula rondo piano arpeggio followed by the furious reply of the full orchestra. The orchestra and piano alternating sections from a subject in F major, rhythmic female, ironic and malicious, preparing for a strangely triumphant coda, after which the work reveals its final surprise from the D major in a banal melody .
The impressive, authoritative, hurricane scale the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra under the command of Wilhelm Furtwängler contrasts with the intimacy, conviction, intensity relentless staccato, but also a shortage of inventive Yvonne Lefebure (note, croons to Gould). Concert recordings (EMI, May 15, 1954) with an unusual proportion of respiratory problems among the public.
The duality between light and darkness to offer this concert is powered by Sviatoslav Richter speculate on a cosmic scale: intense but contained, varied tones, brilliant colors in the transmutation, relentless, overwhelming power in the press (that whispers when necessary to hear the wind allow.) Glazing cadences with which enriched the concert Beethoven (missed the original, perhaps even written, as Mozart was the greatest improviser of his time). Stanislaw Wislocki (DG, 1959) includes the unusual approach of Ukrainian and accompanying willful, the crude orchestra (especially the wood, just presentable) in Warsaw. Tempi moderate, but restless and uneasy way. The sound quality is weak in the bright piano and orchestra, with differentiation of rings and flat.
Clara Haskil repeatedly recorded this concert in the company of such illustrious names as Klemperer, Fricsay, Schuricht, Paumgartner and Swoboda (with sound varies between the bad and the infamous). For the sake of not overloading my dear listeners write down here only the strong version recorded with Igor Markevitch conducting the Lamoureux Concert Orchestra (Philips, 1960), which fully reflects the mature Mozart, without bitterness or angst melodrama, but with the softest touch sadness and doubt in the joy and celebration. Stylistic purity and sobriety, neatness, elegance, combining lightness of touch and deeper meaning, fluency in slow motion, rail firmly in rhythm and structure. Decent sound with distinct timbres and localized, although the strings show little body and brilliance.
Arthur Rubinstein proposes a ucronia: How Liszt had played Mozart? Hypnotic, fascinating, restless and stormy (phrasing and rubato in plan roller coaster), tonal beauty and ornaments out of style (such trills). The symphony orchestra conducted by Alfred Wallenstein RCA (RCA, 1961) attempts to effectively mitigate sound chamber music, differing instrumental groups (above all the massive string). Clear and well balanced recording, with minimal background hiss, and with some distortion and noise of the musicians!
Rudolf Serkin is firm and solid, ascetic in its expressiveness, cool in the joint, abundant use of the pedal and scarce in the dynamic range and warm sparkling incisors attacks at the end of the concert performer's breathing sound. The exchange chamber music with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Sony, 1961) is carried by George Szell to a strong rhythmic accents and push heroic, logical, dramatic without being excessive, intense vibrato in the strings mellow lyrical passages (violas magic just before andante middle section) penosamentearrastrado tempo in the first movement (to another dramatic intervention seems). Takes sound stale, bright and clear, but the woods are perfectly inaudible (as in almost all recordings of this work, this is because (among other things) to the intrinsic composition of the modern orchestra. Later we will expose this issue.)
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Daniel Barenboim modeled from the keyboard perfect balance of sound Inglés Chamber Orchestra (EMI, 1967). The phrasing is appropriate curve, the stress is accommodated in a natural, fierce and volatile start, with explosives arpeggios in the final, desperate in the coda, the athletic staccato in the left hand: all this is based on an interpretation brilliantly simple, sensual charm of beauty, grace and lyricism. The retention rate, fainting at the sound, dense textures ... heard today can be anachronistically romantic (beethovennianos). The recording, warm and detailed, binds to the cluster of delicacies. The later (1988) record for the Philharmonic Teldec Berlin is less impulsive and does not displace it.
Under the strong leadership of staff and Benjamin Britten's Inglés Chamber Orchestra turns enlightening, magical, fortified, pounding on the bass strings. Clifford Curzon is particularly eloquent in the hormonal rhythms and the romance, where homegrown ornaments added. Elegant, innocent and tragic. Making sound by Decca in 1970 broadly reflects the beauty and clarity of the instrument singing soloist.
Despite the bright and inspiring companion (Neville Marriner in front of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Philips, 1974), Alfred Brendel offers forensic scrutiny of the score: intellectual cleansing, inevitability, emotional severity, of course that all the notes (cadences of their own) are immaculately articulated cantabile sound delicious in the lyrical passages, but the undercurrent beneath them emerges not ever (low dynamic range, modest opening). The band navigates between the freshness and accuracy, between strength and transparency, among the non-involvement and irony, between seclusion and privacy, between freedom and the guidelines established between the passion and grace, between the abandonment and style. Good balance of the recording, clear and cold as the interpretation.
The miraculous was Vienna Philharmonic led by Claudio Abbado in 1975 (DG) with natural sense of music tempo constant in the first movement, fickle in the past. Friedrich Gulda appears modest, even introspective, maybe something is missing most of the impetuosity which reserves for the shameless and wicked youth Beethoven cadence. Making sound is clear, though shifted to low.
Murray Perahia made in 1978 for CBS (now Sony) excellent sound making the front of the Inglés Chamber Orchestra. Remember undeniable style Mozart (interpretation of the cadenzas), light and poetic spontaneity, the combination of instinct, intellect and sensibility, classical restraint (in the slow movement contrasts the clarity of the peripheral sections and the concern of the section G minor), but in the end the feeling is one of softness and safety, that leads to sentimentality caramel tragedy of too much light for a dramatic and passionate music (which itself was able to instill self Barenboim ECO).
The Philharmonia Orchestra (thick texture and dull as could be) is allowed to drive, docile, for the control of Vladimir Ashkenazy (Decca, 1986). Nudity, brightness, concreteness, description, superficiality, aseptic sound material without psychological abyss with no history ... No big dynamic contrasts, the approach is traditionally romantic (broad phrasing, legato abundant, moderation in tempi). Its greatest value appears in the recording, which restores a sound velvety and rich in harmonics (with reverb artificial and distant microphones very close to the strings).
The fresh flows morbid Mitsuko Uchida, the details are scrupulously observed, but the range of expression (emotional delivery) is more wistful than dramatic for a work as demonic (as nineteenth-century conception). Excellent control dynamics (the lovely pianissimo ). Therefore, the slow movement of exquisitely adapted to its quiet eloquence. The Inglés Chamber Orchestra (pride, to the podium the brilliant Jeffrey Tate, Philips, 1986) absorbs the piano as a more integral, almost as a continuum. Making sound is somewhat distant.
In general, the orchestra for the practice has a distinctive sound historicist modern sets with less bright strings (using the gut and tuning lower) and a sound balance restored to the section of the woods. Even more crucial is the use of the fortepiano, with its delicate sound, the unmistakable texture of modest grave, the rapid fall sound (which requires a specific joint). Of course you can not make legato line as a modern instrument, but is that Mozart never wrote any great legato, but small groups of notes linked and linking them all is lost inflection, parlando , whispers and faint ... Taken together, all produce a different relationship with the orchestra. The effervescent John Eliot Gardiner in the booklet says its interesting concept as K.466 " a great symphony with piano continuous" and the recording made in 1986 DG Archiv perfectly restores the balance of the fragile sound of the fortepiano: physical placement between first and second violins enables integration within the lean alignment (6/6/4/4/2) of Inglés Baroque Soloists. The textures appear lighter, winning over all the woods in significance (darker sound reinforcing the dramatic sense). I think the fiery unbeaten start attacking concert instruments to the limit. Malcolm Bilson plays a replica of a fortepiano of Mozart (as only as continuous throughout the concert) allowing unearth a legato dancer, the diversity of color in the immense scale, his cadenzas are discrete with a certain improvisatory character. Delivered to the reflection in slow motion, so free decorates (magical effect on the compass 40 in the romance). In short, a cool (and nostalgic) perspective full of grace and energy. An essential knowledge.
http://rapidshare.com/files/257123262/Mozart_466_Bilson.rar Jos van Immerseel (Channel Classics, 1992) also used a copy of Walter's Mozart but their sound is much more coarse, vigorous and immediate. The orchestra Anima Eterna is also more acidic in its tone and approach more direct and robust, although less colorful and dynamic, contained in its conception, which can also be interpreted (treacherously) and lack of imagination.
Even with modern instrument orchestras historicist principles (known in the Anglo world with HIP stands Historically Informed Permorfance ) have been widely accepted today. Thus, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra (MDG, 2008) contains a moderate size, without a shadow of that large and continuous vibrato applied to all notes, in addition to the delicious wood dialogues (whining at the beginning) are clearly audible. Christian Zacharias talks from the piano with her, perhaps too restrained in the conclusion of the first movement, transfers its tension to the central section of the romance, and closes the final rondo contrasted and muscular. Economic use of pedal, clean fingering, discreet rubato, phrasing and tone funny singing not exempt from the required delicacy, agile and safe in the attack, giving way to outbursts of expression, but avoiding mannerisms Beethoven. Sheds new light on the left hand line, if the first cadence smells Chopin Fantasy in the evil prophesied rondo in D minor chord from Don Giovanni, looking for that something more in this peculiar way of interpretation little Orthodox. The recording is an attraction in itself, impressive clarity and depth, integrating a solo perfectly balanced.
