Octo_Russ

Mozart - Piano Concerto 20 [Previn-London Symphony Orchestra]

Well Previn conducting the orchestra from the keyboard, when i first saw this disc, i assumed it was Radu Lupu who would be the Pianist in the first work on this disc, so i was somewhat disappointed that it's only Previn, but in listening to it i've changed my mind, Previn is in fact a Pianist of the highest order.

Andre Previn was born in Germany, but later emigrated to the USA, and became a citizen, he is now unbelievably 81, he recorded the Piano Concerto 20 in 1976, visually this is an excellent disc, these 'studio plus' discs are wonderful from EMI, nice colour co-ordination, and great pics of Previn and Lupu, nicely well balanced and sharp, the browns go well with the red.

I bought this disc on Ebay, i forget for how much, it's a disc i have never seen before, and i haven't seen since, if you don't buy / win certain discs, you never seem to get a second bite at the apple, it's a great addition to my library of discs [now roughly 1600].

The first movement of this Concerto is incredible, full of real momentum, plus Mozart uses the D Minor key to the fullest, creating tensions and conflict, which clash in organized ways with a lovely precision and flow!, the opening of the whole thing on droning dark strings is nicely tragic [0:00-0:30],

Here's Mitsuko Uchida conducting and playing the first movement on YouTube, in a truly inspiring video, i hope she records this on disc again with her conducting a small chamber group from the keyboard.