Classical Music: Mozart Piano Concertos 20 & 23

Mozart Piano Concertos

Piano Concertos No 20 K466 and No 23 K488; Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K545 'Facile'

Khatia Buniatishvili (piano)
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

Sony 19802809282

The concertos—No. 20 in D minor, K.466, and No. 23 in A major, K.488—represent Mozart at his most sophisticated, and Buniatishvili proves herself more than equal to their considerable demands. Conducting from the piano, she draws exemplary support from the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Where this recording truly excels is in the slow movements. Buniatishvili's handling of the adagios reveals a profound understanding of Mozartian line, allowing the melodies to unfold with natural grace and disarming simplicity. Her phrasing throughout both concertos demonstrates a mature interpreter at work, one who knows when to let the music speak for itself.

The A major concerto (K.488) receives a particularly compelling reading, crowned by a finale of infectious vivacity.

To conclude, Buniatishvili offers Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K.545—the misleadingly nicknamed 'sonata facile.' This late work (1788) may have been intended as a teaching piece, but in Buniatishvili's hands, its apparent simplicity reveals Mozart's consummate craft. She brings both technical brilliance and witty characterisation to this deceptively straightforward score.

This recording, while not definitive, offers a fresh perspective on these familiar works.