Mozart Piano Concertos Nos. 17 & 25—Cleveland Orchestra/Mitsuko Uchida (Decca 4830716)
These recordings were made live in Severance Hall last February and document another concert in the cycle of Mozart Piano Concertos that have been mainstays in the great pianist’s relationship with The Cleveland Orchestra since she was artist-in-residence from 2002 to 2007. There she was, on a snowy winter evening in Severance, center stage, piano lid removed, first violins to her left, seconds to her right, playing Mozart as no other keyboardist can. And conducting with that unorthodox—yet effective—style of hers. The official release date was October 28, so critics have not yet weighed in, but previous releases in this series have been compared to the very finest Mozart concerto recordings of the past, like those from Brendel, Schiff and Barenboim.
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