Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Overture to Così fan tutte, K458 (1789-90)
Overture to Die Zauberflöte, K620 (1791)
Overture to La clemenza di Tito, K621 (1791)
Piano Concerto No. 26 in D, K537, Coronation (1788)
Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat, K595 (1790-91)
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)
Manchester Camerata/Gábor Takács-Nagy
rec. 2022, The Stoller Hall, Hunts Bank, Manchester, UK
Cadenzas: K537/1 by Paul Badura-Skoda; K595/1, 3 by Mozart
Piano Concertos Volume 8
Chandos CHAN20246 [75]
In Piano Concerto 26, a first theme steals in softly, introductory to its second part (tr. 4, 0:22), a full-blooded tutti military blaze but introductory to the personal, perky happiness of the second theme (1:09). How well the Manchester Camerata play and Gábor Takács-Nagy directs, wonderfully contrasting vibrant tuttis and sweetly intimate violins. The second part of the second theme (1:49) is relaxed and demure. The opening piano solo offers dainty variations on the first theme, Bavouzet’s playing chatty and mercurially nimble. He introduces a third theme of extravagant leaps and chromaticism (3:50). The second part of the first theme returns, Takács-Nagy’s tutti now giving it a more edgily heroic quality whose emphatic close is then the basis of the piano starting the development (7:03). This Bavouzet shows tightly argued, encompassing both strained and equable experiences. Bavouzet plays Paul Badura-Skoda’s cadenza (12:24), supercharged from the start but calming to gaze with affection, playfulness and nostalgia at the second theme.
I compare Francisco Piemontesi with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Andrew Manze recorded in 2016 (review). Manze’s larger orchestra provides greater dynamic contrasts: strings alone often sleek but tuttis raucous and brutal. Piemontesi provides neat, crisp glitter, very precise, in overall effect more reflective and cerebral than Bavouzet’s flamboyant dazzle. Piemontesi’s development is of cooler analysis and objectivity. He also plays Badura-Skoda’s cadenza, his start more brooding, his treatment of the second theme more reflective but tender.
The slow movement is of bright, playful simplicity. Bavouzet and Takács-Nagy make this cheerful and fresh. The second part (tr. 5, 0:48) finds Bavouzet progressing to a feast of semiquavers before repeating the first part. Bavouzet introduces some attractive melodic variation on his repeat of the latter (1:28). His next solo (2:05) has Mozart offering another variant of the opening. Bavouzet stylishly ornaments the repeated phrases and adds eingangs (mini-cadenzas) at 3:20 and 3:33, the latter ending in a trill. Now he extends trills at the opening reprise, for me OTT, as is adding graces to the theme when doubling the violins. Piemontesi/Manze, taking 5:11 against Bavouzet/Takács-Nagy’s 5:39, bring a lighter, more springing approach with more innocence and decorum to the shaping of the line within which Piemontesi’s added ornamentation thereby seems more integrated.
The rondo finale is garrulous, frothy, stimulating, Takács-Nagy’s contributions crisp, Bavouzet’s of bubbling virtuosity. The piano solo of new material is the first episode (1:12). The orchestra introduces the second episode (2:15), a mature reminiscence the soloist converts back to the major key. After the return of the second episode the orchestra brings a major key rescue. Bavouzet supplies effective eingangs at 3:48 and 7:48, the latter lyrical then frisky, as is Bavouzet’s added rising scale at the end of his rondo theme solo. The tutti coda is powerfully joyous. Piemontesi/Manze’s episode 1 is more eager and you quietly appreciate Piemontesi’s nimbleness rather than be amazed at Bavouzet’s virtuosity. Piemontesi/Manze’s episode 2 flows trippingly more naturally and inevitably in its gossamer shimmering.
In Piano Concerto 27 Mozart’s orchestra is trimmed of dazzle: no trumpets and timpani, but what’s striking from Bavouzet/Takács-Nagy is how more integrated the soloist and orchestra are. The introduction employs one theme of great breadth. A lady contentedly rests in the first violins with the male’s woodwind trying to energise her. In phase 2 (tr. 7, 0:30) she complies, leading the man on, and in phase 3 (0:54) introduces the sweetest descending theme, reposeful again but with quipping fast appoggiaturas a sting in the tail. The solo piano repeats the first theme opening but once introducing the second theme (3:30) a world of sorrow and caring appears, resolved by the return of the introduction’s phases 2 and 3. The luminescent development (6:14) brings the opening theme momentarily in the minor before variations on its opening motif eloquently supported by solo woodwind suggestions, the recap radiantly anticipated by the first oboe’s harmonic shifts from 7:37. Mozart’s cadenza (11:34) is a masterly lesson in dividing the music between the hands for combination of brilliance and clarity Bavouzet stunningly reveals. Grinningly vivacious, the right hand responds to its own phase 2 melody from 12:03.
The Larghetto slow movement matches simplicity with elegance in focussing on just one theme in two parts, the first lucid simplicity, the second (tr. 8. 0:56), the striving vision underpinning that. The piano embarks on an extended arioso (tr. 8, 2:39), in Bavouzet’s hands an appreciative revelation of the depth of feeling underlying the movement’s opening melody. Bavouzet adds judicious, tasteful ornamentation.
The Allegro finale is a cheerful rondo skippingly begun by Bavouzet who also starts the first episode (tr. 9, 1:10), still fizzing. Its second part (1:25) casts the opening of the rondo theme in the minor, goaded by responding woodwind, whereas the jolly resolution of the third part (1:58) incorporates a giggling trill of 6 semiquavers. Bavouzet now provides a spectacular, quite expansive eingang (2:24) travelling thunderously down to rise in charming conciliation. The second episode (3:12) develops the second phrase of the rondo theme, terminated by a second eingang (3:52), Bavouzet breezy. The third episode (4:04) further develops the rondo theme’s second phrase with woodwind intertwined. The fourth episode (4:21) develops the third part of the first. Mozart’s cadenza (5:41) brings more variations on the theme’s first five notes and the second phrase’s first six. Bavouzet plays it as written with all the expressive pauses. At the tutti return he adds two cheeky, gingering up appoggiaturas (7:35).
Since Volume 4 this series has included an overture. On this CD come three. I select the Die Zauberflöte overture as the most musically and psychologically varied. An Adagio introduction, the tutti including 3 trombones, establishes solemnity, mystery and challenge. Allegro strings (tr. 2, 1:02) counter with the attraction of magic: the flute allowing escape (2:01) and companionship of the oboe, then the strings’ tremolando crescendo (2:30) make surmounting the challenge seem possible. The Adagio return reinforces uncertainty, but the escaping woodwind console a sustained oboe leads like a promised helping hand. All this vividly present under Takács-Nagy’s direction.
Michael Greenhalgh
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