Mozart Piano Concerto in D Minor, K. 466

Mozart Piano Concerto in D Minor, K. 466

H.C. Robbins Landon, the great musicologist, once wrote about Mozart that his music was "an excuse for mankind's existence and a small hope for our ultimate survival." I couldn't agree more, especially when it comes to a piece like the one we're going to talk about today, Mozart's Piano Concerto in D minor, NO. 20, or K. 466. These days, Mozart is still one of the most popular composers in the world, one of two composers almost anyone on the street could name off the top of their head. But it might surprise you to know that Mozart was not always so popular. During the 19th century, Mozart's music was seen as too light, graceful, and even superficial by the stormy Romantics who wanted to probe the deepest and darkest feelings of humanity and the natural world, by extreme means if necessary. Only a few of Mozart's works were played regularly during this time period, and this concerto was one of them. It's easy to say why - it is one of only two Mozart Piano Concertos in a minor key, and its stormy and dramatic character allowed the Romantics to create fantastical stories to go along with the piece, and to connect it to the one Mozart opera that remained popular throughout the 19th century, Don Giovanni. Strangely enough, I see a similar thing happening today, among young lovers of classical music. I often see Mozart's music being criticized on social media by younger musicians as being too light and superficial, and sometimes I even see this criticism from musicians who seem to gravitate to works that have more extroverted dramatic intentions. But to me, Mozart is just as, if not more dramatic that many of the Romantic era composers. It's all just done in a very different way. This concerto might be the perfect example of all of this! It has all the drama you could ever want for you thrill seekers, and it also has all of the masterful subtlety that for me makes Mozart's music so endlessly touching. This is a concerto of remarkable breadth of emotion, character, and feeling, and it'll be a joy to take you through it this week. Join us! Performance is Mitsuko Uchida with Camerata Salzburg. Assorted first movement cadenzas are performed by Michael Rische.

Jaksot(283)

The Life and Music of Lili Boulanger

The Life and Music of Lili Boulanger

The history of classical music is littered with the stories of great composers who tragically died young. The composer I've been talking about for the last two episodes, Franz Schubert, died at 31. Mo...

4 Heinä 202447min

Schubert Sonata in B Flat, D. 960 (Part 2)

Schubert Sonata in B Flat, D. 960 (Part 2)

There are a few tropes when it comes to Schubert's late music. The pieces are very long. They have four movements. The first two movemnts are expansive, magisterial explorations of the human psyche, ...

20 Kesä 202454min

Schubert Sonata in B Flat, D. 960 (Part 1)

Schubert Sonata in B Flat, D. 960 (Part 1)

For a long time I've received emails and messages from people asking, and sometimes demanding, that I explore the solo piano repertoire. Other than a look at the Goldberg Variations of Bach, I've basi...

6 Kesä 202440min

What is a Mode?

What is a Mode?

My first interaction with the musical term modes was Leonard Bernstein's brilliant Young People's Concert, also called What is a Mode? In that show, Bernstein showed how modes are an essential part of...

9 Touko 202444min

Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1

Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1

In 1857, Brahms wrote to his friend Joseph Joachim about his first Piano Concerto, saying, " "I have no judgment about this piece anymore, nor any control over it." Brahms first began sketching his f...

25 Huhti 20241h 3min

Fast, Furious, Fortissimo

Fast, Furious, Fortissimo

Very often, when I tell people that I'm a classical musician, I am told, "wow, I love classical music! It's so relaxing!" I think almost all classical musicians have heard that before, and you know wh...

12 Huhti 202446min

Copland Symphony No. 3

Copland Symphony No. 3

There has always been a debate about "The Great American Symphony." By the time most prominent American composers got around to writing large scale symphonic works, the symphony had very nearly gone o...

28 Maalis 20241h 1min

Suosittua kategoriassa Viihde

anni-jaajo
tuplakaak
grekovit
hei-baby-3
terveisia-perheesta
the-harlin-show
antin-palautepalvelu
dear-shirly
bella-table
antin-elokuvakerho
nonsensepodi
dear-shirly-ja-arttu
verhon-takaa
get-jassud
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
tahtitehdas
hollywood-love-stories-2
everypodi
tervo-halme
rss-wivolinin-viisukevat