Mozart Bicentennial Program

Track Listings

1. Allegro

2. Menuetto-Trio: Allegretto

3. Adagio ma non troppo

4. Adagio; Allegro

5. Adagio

6. Allegro

7. Andante

8. Allegretto; Finale (Presto)

Editorial Reviews
John Wiser in the February 1993 issue of Fanfare
"...assured, with that added heating of impulse which betokens long thought and experience" (Quintet); "well organized and distinctly feeling"

Bernard D. Sherman in the Fall, 1997 Schwann
"..[Levin is] wonderful. [He] improvises the continuo, cadenzas, and embellishments on a Steinway grand. Recorded live in first-rate sound."

Album Description
The program takes the listener across a very wide spectrum of Mozart's genius for sound and for instrumental variety. It opens with his next to last string quintet in the rarely used (by him) key of G minor. It is followed by the seldom-performed Masonic Funeral Music in C minor, written to memorialize two esteemed brothers of his lodge. The last piece is the first recorded instance of the renowned Robert Levin performing a Mozart Concerto on the modern grand piano, in the Concerto No. 17 in G major.

This live recording was made during the New York Philomusica's performance of its Mozart Bicentennial Program on December 3, 1991. The performance used a copy of the autograph manuscript and incorporated many facets of authentic 18th century practice, such as the arrangement of instruments on the stage and the improvisations of the pianist.

Robert Levin, a distinguished fortepianist, "plays a modern piano in a fleet, full-dynamics, long-lined account of superb coherence and spirit. Neither spirit nor coherence is the surprise, but the modernity of the whole event, saying a good deal of Levin's active but always pointed improvised embellishments..." says John Wiser of Fanfare Magazine.

Indeed, words cannot describe the joy of knowing the genius of Mozart through the music he composed during his busy, profound, and short visit through mortality. Between the brilliant interpretation and improvisation of Robert Levin and the inspired musicianship of the New York Philomusica ensemble, this recording is one not to miss.

Mozart Bicentennial Program

Tracks:

Allegro
Menuetto-Trio: Allegretto
Adagio ma non troppo
Adagio; Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Andante
Allegretto; Finale (Presto)

Album Description

The program takes the listener across a very wide spectrum of Mozart's genius for sound and for instrumental variety. It opens with his next to last string quintet in the rarely used (by him) key of G minor. It is followed by the seldom-performed Masonic Funeral Music in C minor, written to memorialize two esteemed brothers of his lodge. The last piece is the first recorded instance of the renowned Robert Levin performing a Mozart Concerto on the modern grand piano, in the Concerto No. 17 in G major.

Customer Reviews:

An affecting tombeau.......2005-08-28

Though Robert Levin is best known for his period instrument performances, I actually prefer to hear him playing a modern grand piano, judging from this disc and his Brahms Piano Quartet and Trio, also on Philomusica. These live performances commemorated the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death. If you are worried that the sound may be less than ideal or that the playing may be slightly shaggy, don't be. Everything here is top-drawer. Levin recorded this same concerto (No. 17 in G Major, K453) for Decca on a fortepiano. That's fine, but I prefer this. There's more life. Hogwood's orchestral contribution to the Decca disc is a little stolid. Here it all bursts into life. The result is my favorite version of this elusive concerto. Equally compelling is the G Minor String Quintet, K516. In my view it was a great day for chamber music when Todd Phillips decided to bypass most of the violin concerto repertoire in deference to music for smaller ensembles. He and his colleagues fully rise to the challenge of this most demanding and rewarding piece. Lastly, a neglected masterpiece, the Adagio and Fugue in C Minor, K546, makes an appropriately sombre contribution to this affecting tombeau.

-Frank W. Barham

Average customer rating:

Mozart Bicentennial Program
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Paige Brook , Robert Ingliss, Alicia Chapman , David Krakauer , Paul Gallo, Frank Perowsky, David Satz , Michael Finn, Jeffrey Marchand , Robert Johnson, Lawrence Di Bello , Todd Phillips, Adela Pena, Ellen Payne, Peter Sacco , Philipp Naegele , Ah Ling Neu, Leslie Tomkins , Melissa Meell , Gail Kruvand Robert Levin , and Robert Johnson, Artistic Director New York Philomusica Chamber Ensemble
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000JI2W
Release Date: 1992-11-19

Tracks:

Allegro
Masonic Funeral Music in C minor,K.477 for winds & strings
Concerto No. 17 in G, K.453 for piano and orchestra
Adagio; Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Andante
Allegretto

Album Description

The program takes the listener across a very wide spectrum of Mozart's genius for sound and for instrumental variety. It opens with his next to last string quintet in the rarely used (by him) key of G minor. It is followed by the seldom performed Masonic Funeral Music in C minor, written to memorialize two esteemed brothers of his lodge. The last piece is the first recorded instance of the renowned Robert Levin performing a Mozart Concerto on the modern grand piano, in the Concerto No. 17 in G major.

Music Review: