Piano Concertos

Mozart (Artist), Keith Jarrett (Artist), Davies (Artist), Stuttgart Orch. (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 15, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Ecm Records
• ASIN: B0000031ZE
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,385 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488: Allegro

2. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488: Adagio

3. Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488: Allegro assai

4. Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595: Allegro

5. Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595: Larghetto

6. Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595: Allegro

Disc: 2

1. Maurerische Trauermusik (Masonic Funeral Music), for orchestra in C minor, K. 477 (K. 479a)

2. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major ('Elvira Madigan') K. 467: Allegro maestoso

3. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major ('Elvira Madigan') K. 467: Andante

4. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major ('Elvira Madigan') K. 467: Allegro vivace assai

5. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: Molto allegro

6. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: Andante

7. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: Menuetto (Allegretto) - Trio

8. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: Allegro assai

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fresh thoughts on Mozart, February 18, 2004

By 

Bill Parker "billcito" (Saint Paul, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piano Concertos (Audio CD)

The German label ECM offers some provoking thoughts on Mozart's music, especially his piano concertos, on a double album featuring pianist Keith Jarrett, with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra conducted by Dennis Russell Davies. I almost said "jazz pianist" Keith Jarrett, for that is what he was invariably called for years until he began to explore the classics out in the open. His best-known previous classical recording was Bach's Goldberg Variations in which he exhibited some similarities to the legendary Glenn Gould in terms of digital clarity and freedom of expression. Critics were divided over whether this was a welcome return to a style once considered utterly unique, or a reprehensible form of imitation.

Now Jarrett has brought his clean, no-nonsense sound to Mozart, who can probably survive it just as well as Bach. A caution up front: if you think a jazz artist playing classical means he's "jazzing it up," forget about it. But neither is he trying to be somebody entirely different just to prove he's not "inferior." I don't hear anything defensive in Jarrett's approach to this music. Neither is he trying to veer wildly from the norms of Mozart interpretation just to be cute. He seems to have thought this music through by the lights of a professional musician, not with some extra-musical agenda in mind. He deserves to be given the respect due a master who on this occasion happens to be playing the music of a dead white composer instead of a living black one. Whatever you think of his artistry, don't judge him by preconceptions or stereotypes.

The album offers three of Mozart's greatest piano concertos, Nos. 21 (whose slow movement was so famously used in the film Elvira Madigan), 23, and 27. As a bonus, the set includes one of Mozart's greatest symphonies, No. 40 in G Minor, and the Masonic Funeral Music, K.477-not the most cheerful piece, naturally, but a shatteringly moving one, especially considering its brevity (under six minutes).

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Light and heavy, May 31, 2009

By 

IRate - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piano Concertos (Audio CD)

With the exception of Masonic Funeral Music and Syn 40, noted jazz pianist Jarrett contributes to articulate some of Mozart's typical bubbly beauties, effectively mixing 1/3 sadness to 2/3's joy.