MOZART: Piano Concertos No. 12 in A, K 414; No. 13 in C, K 415; No. 14 in E-flat, K 449 – Anne-Marie McDermott, piano/ Calder Quartet/ David J. Grossman, bass – Bridge 9403, 75:54 [Distr. by Albany] ****:
Mozart’s first piano concertos from Vienna were written in the winter of 1782-83. Two of those, Nos. 12 and 13 are given here. At the same time No. 14, though quite an advance in complexity and drama over the others here was also started during this time period even though the composer delayed its completion until 1784. But as the alert reader will notice, these recordings are sans orchestra and instead involve a string quartet, and the addition of a bass player in K 449.
Usually I balk at these type of recordings, with reduced, or in this case, decimated, accompaniment. There is always going to be the argument that no matter whether any particular arrangement has composer approval or not, equal credence should not be applied to each except in extreme cases. Sometimes you can’t get the forces needed for a performance of, say, Stravinsky’s History of a Soldier, so you go with a piano trio or something like that. In this case, though these versions are indeed the result of Mozart’s approbation, it is legitimate to ask whether they should be given like this now. He had a reason; he was afraid that some places might not have wind players at its disposal or for the practical consideration of finding a performance if an orchestra was not available. Composers, after all, do like having their music performed, and they like the resulting remuneration as well. These works have had umpteen performances on record, so I am not convinced as to the need for this release, which smacks a little bit of musical archeology.
Having gone into the listening experience with such a bad attitude, I must say I was overwhelmed by the exquisite and crystalline beauty of Anne-Marie McDermott’s playing. Thoughts of the tiny accompanying forces dissolve into mist as I intently listen and with great, gripping emotion to her navigation of these sometimes deceptively easy pieces—except of course K 449, which takes us into a different world. Here McDermott floods the Academy of Arts and Letters in New York with a sympathetic and eminently gracious reading that is breathtaking in its linear perfection. The sound too is wonderful, perfectly balanced and well set on the stage. She wins me over, and she will win you also.
I still want a full orchestra, and want McDermott with them. But for now this is what we get, and it’s well worth the time.
—Steven Ritter
