Mozart: Piano Concertos No. 25 & 26

On Mozart: Piano Concertos No. 25 & 26, a ‘stellar Mozartian’ Francesco Piemontesi finds a perfect partner in the Scottish Chamber Orchestra whose impeccable Mozartian credentials are widely acknowledged. Piemontesi has performed Mozart extensively over the last year, including a critically acclaimed 2015 BBC Prom, a Mozart cycle at London’s Wigmore Hall which commenced in January and Mozart concertos with the SCO which The Herald awarded five stars. The Swiss pianist enjoys particular insight into Mozart gaining a useful ‘love of detail’ from his teacher Alfred Brendel, who was himself renowned for his masterly interpretations of Mozart. This recording couples consecutive yet contrasting works from Mozart’s Vienna period: K. 503 represents the longest and most substantial of his concert masterpieces and K. 537 provides the soloist with an audience-pleasing cadenza. Conductor Andrew Manze, well known as a hip pioneer, shares Piemontesi’s approach to creating an authentic performance, making this somewhat of a Mozart dream team. Francesco Piemontesi is a pianist of exceptional refinement of expression, which is allied to a consummate technical skill. Piemontesi is widely renowned for his interpretation of Mozart and the early Romantic repertoire. Andrew Manze has rapidly emerged as one of the most stimulating and inspirational conductors of his generation. Manze’s extensive and scholarly knowledge of the repertoire, together with his rare skill as a communicator and his boundless energy, mark him out. The SCO is a world-renowned orchestra with an outstanding reputation for Mozart; its extensive discography features Robin Ticciati, Charles Mackerras, Elizabeth Watts and Ingrid Fliter.

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Francesco Piemontesi, Piano Scottish Chamber Orchestra Andrew Manze, Conductor