A Revelation
A Minstrel in the Gallery | Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA | 03/02/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Initially, I found it took some time to adjust to unique sound of the authentic repro fortepiano used on this cd, since I am to used hearing Mozart's concertos on a modern concert grand. However, after listening to these insightful and exciting versions, one can get a real sense of what Mozart and his orchestra would have sounded like when he performed these works in Vienna during the 1780s. No. 23 is one of my very favorite concertos, and the andante is among the most tragic that Mozart ever composed. At certain moments, however, perhaps because of the very nature of the instrument, the orchestra drowns out the fortepiano, but at other times the unique accoustics and intimate sound of the instrument add a "new" and breathtaking quality to Mozart's score that cannot be reproduced on a modern piano. Robert Levin and Chris Hogwood have long been recognized as two of the most respected Mozart experts in the world, and it shows on this hard to find but very satisfying disc. If you can find this cd, don't pass it up!"