Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos 21 & 22

Featuring

Jonathan Biss
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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Recording & Production

This album was recorded in concert on March 15-16, 2008, at Lefrak Concert Hall, Queens College, Flushing, New York.

Compositional Technique

A key characteristic of Mozart's concertos from this period is their theatricality, with the piano often acting as a "brilliant, quixotic protagonist" that is mercurial in its mood changes.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Mozart's music is described as "reality, in all its mess, vitality and beauty," expressing not only his feelings but also those of the listener, making his personal vision universal.

Performer Biography

The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1972 by cellist Julian Fifer and other musicians, performs without a conductor and rotates musical leadership roles for each work.

Compositional Technique

Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat, K482, features clarinets instead of the more standard oboes, creating a darker woodwind sound and a "generosity of sound" that reflects the music's richness.

Composition History

Mozart composed 23 piano concertos, with the two on this disc, K467 and K482, written only months apart in 1786 during a prolific two-year period that saw the creation of 11 such concertos.