Larrocha in Mozart, whether the sonatas or concertos, has always attracted high praise. But even by her high standards, this particular coupling which made its first appearance in 1983, must be counted among her most successful concerto recordings. One distinguished reviewer wrote at the time that her captivating performance of the Piano Concerto in F major, KV 459 brought out ‘to perfection the tenderness, the wit, the sheer contrapuntal wizardry of that lovable work’, placing her account alongside those of Serkin and Brendel ‘to give some idea of the stature of her performance’. This is helped in no small measure by Uri Segal and the Vienna players with their sensitive and sympathetic support.
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, KV 459
Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major, KV 482
Alicia de Larrocha, piano
Wiener Symphoniker
Uri Segal
Recording Producer: Michael Haas
Recording Engineer: Simon Eadon
Recording Location: Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria, 4–5 October 1981
‘an instinctive Mozartian … Her playing is both poetic and highly musical … The sound is warm and beautiful … the treble of the piano is clear and pellucid’ Gramophone