Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 9 & 21

Album review

Among the many popular Columbia recordings reissued in the Masterworks Expanded Edition, Murray Perahia's exceptional performances of Mozart's piano concertos surely merit the renewed attention. Over the 1970s Perahia recorded the entire cycle of concertos, and these have been favored by many for almost three decades for their consistent clarity, sincere expression, and abundant excitement. Conducted and played with a refined Classical sensibility, Perahia's readings with the English Chamber Orchestra are all bright and energetic, and these performances of the richly expressive Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major, K. 271, and the majestic Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467, are representative of the wonders to be found in the complete set. Recorded in 1976, the original analog sound was decent for its time, but Sony has remastered and enhanced it with Direct Stream Digital and SBM Direct to simulate an all-digital sound. This almost works, except for the boosting of Perahia's piano and extremely clear separation from the orchestra, which feels a little unnatural. This 2004 reissue also offers bonus tracks, digitally recorded in 1983, of the Rondo in D major, K. 382, and the Rondo in A major, K. 386, and both are played with the same intelligence and feeling lavished on the concertos.

© TiVo