Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Orchestra: Sinfonieorchester des Süddeutschen Rundfunks
Conductor: Antoine-Pierre de Bavier
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: SWR Music
Catalogue: SWR19129CD
Release: 2023
Size: 217 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K450
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Andante
03. III. Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K466
04. I. Allegro
05. II. Romance
06. III. Rondo. Allegro assai
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli’s piano playing is until this day highly praised for its tremendous reflectiveness. He could spend decades immersing himself in a piece in order to get to know it inside out. His art of touch, his wealth of overtones and his highly refined sense of sound are just as praiseworthy qualities that came in especially useful for playing Chopin and Debussy. Michelangeli is, however, less known as a Mozart interpreter which makes these 1956 recordings with the orchestra of Süddeutscher Rundfunk conducted by Anton von Bavier so fascinating. Here, Michelangeli presents a life-affirming, even vigorous Mozart with almost Olympian pride. His manner of playing is always forward-pushing, at times boisterously passionate. In his interpretation there is no exaggerated sensitivity, no fiddling with sound, no over-reflectiveness and, in particular, no sentimentality in the slow movements.