The Mozart Lynn Harrell loved most
Daily Comfort ZoneI was refreshing my memory of the Clifford Curzon-Rafael Kubelik recording of the last Mozart piano concerto, K595, when my eye drifted to a pair of Youtube comments by the sadly-missed cellist Lynn Harrell.
‘After repeated listenings… I have wept at the intentions , the subtley, the profound understanding of Mozart’s deep and light side ,both. This is a great performance to study!’ said Lynn.
He went on to say: ‘OMG!! Such incredible playing. Go ahead compare with Anybody today: The subtlety is astounding and so singing!’
See what you think.
Curzon’s KV595 is gorgeous! Although so many of Mozart’s piano concerti are wonderful, this is the one – in this performance – that I would take to a desert island.
Curzon was a marvellous player, not only of Mozart but of Schubert, of Brahms… But he was a nervous performer and, especially in his later years, there were some rough evenings. Colin Davis, who revered him, told me that, when things were not going well, the conductor had to contend not only with the wrong notes, but with muttered obscenities emanating from the piano stool.
Who would have thought that a great man like LH would leave rave YT reviews. I miss Mr Harrell – what a fine player he was
Really amazing perfoamance- Curzon recorded it multiple times in the studio with Britten, Szell, Kertesz- never being totally satisfied with the results. But this live performance could probably be the finest, as Harrell described it. Curzon “owned” this concerto in the 60th and 70th, Though I think that the famous GilelsVPOBohm from the same era is also unforgettable.
They were, of course, some great interpreters in the subsequent generations: I heard a magnificant live performances of this concerto Radu Lupu- magical- how sad he did not record it- as well as Murray Perahia and, earlier this year, Paul Lewis- all great interpreters of this masterpiece in their own ways.
This truly sings…both orchestra and piano. What a joy. Thank you!
well, Curzon could play and Kubelik could conduct, plus the orchestra’s on good form, so what’s not to like?
I have to say, it’s not by any means my favourite Mozart Concerto , ( and it rather seems to have fallen out of the repertoire at the moment ) and Clifford Curzon was not a favourite pianist of mine, but it does seem a sensitive performance
Oh for heaven’s sake, who cares what your favourites are? Such a pygmy.