Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concertos No. 11, K. 413, No. 12, K. 414 & No. 13, K. 415 "A Quattro" Slávka Vernerová Pěchočová, Prazak Quartet, Pavel Nejtek

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791): Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414/385p:
• 1 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414/385p: I. Allegro 10:29
• 2 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414/385p: II. Andante 08:11
• 3 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414/385p: III. Rondo. Allegretto 06:32
• Piano Concerto No. 11 in F Major, K. 413/387a:
• 4 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 11 in F Major, K. 413/387a: I. Allegro 09:39
• 5 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 11 in F Major, K. 413/387a: II. Larghetto 07:58
• 6 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 11 in F Major, K. 413/387a: III. Tempo di minuetto 05:25
• Piano Concerto No. 13 in C Major, K. 415/387b:
• 7 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 13 in C Major, K. 415/387b: I. Allegro 10:56
• 8 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 13 in C Major, K. 415/387b: II. Andante 07:53
• 9 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 13 in C Major, K. 415/387b: III. Allegro - Adagio - Allegro 08:52
• Total Runtime 01:15:55

Info for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concertos No. 11, K. 413, No. 12, K. 414 & No. 13, K. 415 "A Quattro"

This Viennese trilogy was neglected in the Romantic era then reduced to pianoforte chamber music under the Baroque revival. Often only KV 415 is played by C. Haskil, R. Serkin, A-B Michelangeli, M. Perahia, A. Schiff and M-J Pirès. Mozart produced scores with variable accompaniment back in 1781 to satisfy the Austrian Emperor’s court and private salons. The Pražák quartet plays here with a remarkable Czech pianist reminiscent of Ivan Moravec, proving its contemporary relevance.

"Mozart's piano concertos were undoubtedly sometimes performed by piano and string quartet, or, as here, by piano and string quintet with double bass. The domestic market was coming into its own in Vienna at the end of the 18th century, and Mozart would have catered to it and recognized a performance like this. Indeed, the subtitle "a quattro" for this kind of arrangement was Mozart's own, even though it might more logically have been "a cinque" or even "a sei." Performances of the concertos in this way certainly help the listener understand Mozart's musical world, even if at some point he/she is making a virtue of what was necessity for Mozart's admirers. There are several versions available, and this one, by a sextet of Czech musicians led by pianist Slávka Pechocová-Vernerová, fills the bill even if it doesn't do much more than than that. Pechocová-Vernerová's playing is a bit mechanical but clean and careful, and in general the balances among the instruments are right; Pechocová-Vernerová is especially apt at blending into the larger ensemble even though the piano is not at all underpowered. The double bass of Pavel Nejtek is a bit loud, but that may be due to the big, close-up sound that seems to be intended to make the ensemble sound larger than it really is. It comes off well enough, but one is likely eventually to ask, "what's the point?" (James Manheim, AMG)

Slavka Pechokova, piano
Pavel Nejtek, double bass
Prazak Quartet

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Booklet for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concertos No. 11, K. 413, No. 12, K. 414 & No. 13, K. 415 "A Quattro"