The Complete Mozart Piano Concertos • Vol. 3

P21 021-N

Volume 3 recorded live in the Grosser Saal of the Mozarteum in Salzburg by Cyprien Katsaris with the Salzburger Kammerphilharmonie conducted by Yoon K. Lee is part of the complete Mozart piano concertos performed in Salzburg and Vienna. It features Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491 and No. 18 in B flat major, K. 456. The decision to put these concertos on one CD was based on the fact that both contain variations, which are very rare in Mozart’s concertos. Another unique feature of this recording is the two cadenzas, compositions in themselves, which Katsaris has created for the first movement of No. 24: whereas the first endeavours to approximate to Mozartian style, the other, freer cadenza, affects an affinity with Beethoven, who indeed was known to have Mozart’s 24^th in mind when he was composing his own 3^rd Piano Concerto, also in C minor. Katsaris renders this idea musically by summoning up Beethoven through highly refined musical devices, such as his allusions to the finale of the Sonata Appassionata.

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 24, K. 491
in C minor • c-Moll • en ut mineur

1 I   Allegro (Cadenza A: Katsaris)

2 II  Larghetto

3 III Allegretto

4 Cadenza B for the 1^st movement: Katsaris

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 18, K. 456
in B flat major • B-Dur • en si bémol majeur

5 I   Allegro vivace (Cadenza A: Mozart)

6 II  Andante un poco sostenuto

7 III Allegro vivace (Cadenza A: Mozart)

8 Cadenza B for the 1^st movement: Mozart

K. 624 (626^a), No. 26 (K⁶.: No. 53)

9 Cadenza C for the 1^st movement: Mozart

K⁶. 624 (626^a), No. 52

10 Cadenza B for the 3^rd movement: Mozart

K⁶. 624 (626^a), No. 56

Reviews

There is much sparkling sensitivity in these live recordings […] and the orchestra accompanies very well […]. I like these performances very much indeed, and what makes these discs particularly interesting for the Mozartian is the “additional” music Katsaris offers. As mentioned, these are live recordings, which adds a greater degree of intensity to the overall readings not always found in spliced studio offerings, but for the deserved “encores” Katsaris plays alternative cadenzas […]. Some will object, but when one considers that these alternative cadenzas are given within a few minutes of the complete performance having taken place, and that the music is still fresh in our minds, to go immediately back a few pages for alternative views in a newly improvised cadenza (if that is the case) is something fascinating, and – as Katsaris is such a good Mozartian – well worth hearing. […] I urge you to hear these discs – there is excellent Mozart playing here, the dedicated musicianship of the artists is self-evident and the chance of hearing very rare additional music is not to be ignored.
International Record Review (United Kingdom)

Katsaris certainly appreciates the pre-Beethovenian drama in the first movement of the Concerto No. 24, just as he draws out the romantic melancholy in the middle movement of the Concerto No. 23; but he never turns either aggressive or precious, making his points with remarkable tact. The often witty interaction between piano and orchestra is impressive, too – these are consistently conversational performances that never treat the orchestra as mere accompaniment.
Fanfare (USA)

[…] un piano très raffiné, au legato très souple, à la sonorité ronde et chaude.
Classica-Répertoire (France)

Zügig, leicht und stringent führt Yoon Kuk Lee seine Musiker durch die Konzerte KV 491 und KV 456. Da gibt es keine Mozart’schen Weichzeichner, keine zu lieblichen Gesten. So kann Katsaris temperamentvoll den Dialog mit dem vollen Klang des Orchesters auskosten. In den langsamen Sätzen horcht er transparent und klar in die Musik hinein. Ein Plädoyer für einen Mozart ohne Experimente – geschmeidig brillant und ganz der Tradition verpflichtet.
Piano News (Germany), www.pianonews.de

Obwohl es eine Unmenge an Aufnahmen der Mozartschen Klavierkonzerte gibt, heben sich diese Einspielungen von Katsaris/Lee wohltuend aus der Masse hervor. Dass dieser Mozart so lebendig ist, liegt wohl an der besonderen Dynamik der Interpretationen. […]. Immer wieder führt [Katsaris] uns mit seinem feinfühligen Spiel zum Wesentlichen, lädt zum Verharren und Sinnieren ein, schenkt uns musikalische Schönheit in ihrer reinsten Form. […]. Viele Verzierungen, aber keine Mäzchen, kammermusikalischer Feinschliff und energisches Vorwärtsdringen, Katsaris und Lee vereinen alle Gegensätze zu einer kongenialen Universalität und bleiben dem Genie Mozarts in jedem Takt verpflichtet.
Pizzicato (Luxembourg)