Kristian Bezuidenhout, the fortepiano performer, won first prize and the audience award at the international fortepiano competition in Bruges at the age of 21.
Instruments
Mozart admired the fortepianos of Johann Andreas Stein, whose light action allowed for crisp articulation, and even composed a sonata (K.309) in response to them.
Instruments
The fortepiano, an 18th-century instrument, was undergoing significant development during Mozart's time, leading to variations in its sound.
Performer Biography
Kristian Bezuidenhout studied modern piano, then specialized in historical keyboards including harpsichord with Arthur Haas and fortepiano with Malcolm Bilson.
Instruments
Mozart later purchased a fortepiano by Gabriel Anton Walter, which produced a more robust tone and allowed for a more 'orchestral' style of playing than Stein's instruments.
Compositional Technique
The Walter fortepiano's hammers are covered with thin leather strips, causing the sound to start immediately but decay quickly, unlike modern pianos with felt hammers.
Recording & Production
This recording uses a copy of a Gabriel Anton Walter fortepiano, made by Derek Adlam in 1987, from the collection of Christopher Hogwood.
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