Your favourite Mozart piano Concerto

[salymap]

I dislike lists and have fought against doing this, BUT if you could only have one CD of a Mozart P.C which one would you choose? I plump for:

no 17 in G, K453.

Two years later I haven't changed my mind. If you posted then, have you changed or not.?

[Richard Tarleton]

You've all got me wondering now - most from 17 onwards are good, and a few of the earlier ones are also worth a listen - e.g the Jeunehomme.

I treasure my CD of Brendel's Jeunehomme at his farewell concert with Mackerras and the VPO, with the added bonus of vocals from the great man. For all sorts of reasons, it has to be that.

[Tony Halstead]

It's a very close thing between K482 in Eb and K503 in C....
DECISION: K482 ( by a whisker)

[EdgeleyRob]

Two years later I haven't changed my mind. If you posted then, have you changed or not.?

I haven't,still no 23 by a country mile.

[aeolium]

A toss-up between K488 (23) and K491 (24) but I think K488 by a whisker - such contrasts in those movements.

Of the earlier ones, I particularly like K271 (9) and K450 (15) - there is a great recording of the latter by Solomon and the Philharmonia.

[Ferretfancy]

I listen to a Mozart Piano Concerto at breakfast time every Sunday, and find them inexhaustible. Christian Zacharias was on R3 this morning in K451, a little too forthright perhaps. I have numerous versions of these concertos, and so they never pall.

I'd find it very difficult to choose a favourite, but one small example comes to mind. During the final rondo of No. 25 in C major K503 Mozart introduces a counter melody, first on the oboe, then the strings. It is simple but heartbreaking, and it would be impossible to say why it has that tug. Needless to say, Mozart being Mozart, after a couple of dozen bars it has gone, as if he knows that there are many more in his store. Wonderful!

[Thropplenoggin]

K.482 is a new discovery for me (No. 22 in E-flat Major)

What a wonderful work! Some beautiful dissonances in the passing notes on the horns in the intro (is any of that right?) in the opening movement, a daringly dark slow movement, then ending in a spritely and joyful manner.

[JFLL]

Can I put in a word for no. 18 K. 456? It’s relatively neglected, but right up to scratch, IMO – full of Mozartean high spirits, delicacy, elegance etc. etc. The theme of the slow movement always reminds me of Barbarina’s ‘pin’ aria in Act IV of Figaro.

(I couldn’t name a favourite – it would have to be between nos 15, 17, 19, 22, 24 and 25, I think, depending on mood).

[Tony Halstead]

I've now changed my mind since 9.12.12, message #18 when I chose K482 ('22') in E flat!
Now it's K503 ('25') in C.
It was a great pleasure and privilege to play the horn on three different recordings of this majestic work, two on the 'modern' piano and one on the fortepiano.

[amateur51]

I've now changed my mind since 9.12.12, message #18 when I chose K482 ('22') in E flat!
Now it's K503 ('25') in C.
It was a great pleasure and privilege to play the horn on three different recordings of this majestic work, two on the 'modern' piano and one on the fortepiano.

I'm so glad that a professional musician changes his mind too, waldhorn - it is pointless my even trying to nominate a favourite - I might as well use a pin

[salymap]

I've now changed my mind since 9.12.12, message #18 when I chose K482 ('22') in E flat!
Now it's K503 ('25') in C.
It was a great pleasure and privilege to play the horn on three different recordings of this majestic work, two on the 'modern' piano and one on the fortepiano.

Waldhorn, silly me -I thought for a moment you were doubling on the horn and keyboard

Still,if anyone could, you could

[Nick Armstrong]

Waldhorn, silly me -I thought for a moment you were doubling on the horn and keyboard

Still,if anyone could, you could

[Stanfordian]

The Mozart piano concerto that I would choose first is No. 20 in D minor, K.466. My favourite recording of it is played by Julius Katchen with the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester under Karl Münchinger recorded in 1966 at the Schloss Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart on Decca.

[Barbirollians]

K 271 - always .

[Roehre]

KV482, especially -but not solely- for its ingenious slow movement.