Mozart - Piano Concerto 21 [Barenboim-Berliner Philharmoniker] Only two days ago i was raving about the other Piano Concerto on this disc [30th January 2011], this Concerto is almost its equal, but the first movement of 20 is so incredibly rhythmic and surging, and dark too, it's just irresistible, so too is the slow movement of 21, it's so charming and moving, they make an ideal coupling, being next to each other in composition, and 21 written a month later.
Daniel Barenboim was born in Argentina in 1942, and recorded this Concerto in 1986.
Well what can i say about the slow movement Andante?, except that it's so beguiling, however i really do feel that Barenboim takes it too slow, it's an Andante not an Adagio, it needs a certain flow to it, he brings out the sweet beauty, but at the expense of the rhythms and surges, at the start the orchestra create an introduction, a lovely sweeping / flowing melody in the high violins, underpinned by a rhythm chugging away on the lower strings, this melody finds a wonderful resolution after a minute [1:17-1:49], with the woodwinds / flute bringing an autumn glow to proceedings, and this resolution returns twice more, each time with piano [3:54+ & 6:53+] with greater effect, when the piano first enters, it does so quietly in the bass [1:48+], creating a background chug for the piano melody in the treble [1:53-2:44], it's such a gorgeous piano melody to boot, another thing i notice is the lovely use of the bassoon in the background in places [4:32+], right at the close the piano bass plays the melody [7:22-7:36], a nice variation from the treble, i really enjoyed so much this soothing music today.
Here's Daniel Barenboim playing the slow movement on YouTube.
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