PIANO CONCERTOS NO 15 & 21

The Chinese pianist Zhen Chen and the Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim have ventured upon a new interpretation of Mozart's Piano Concertos No. 15 in B-flat major K. 450 and No. 21 in C major K. 467, which were recorded under the direction of Thomas Rösner in the ballroom of the baroque palace in Mannheim. These two piano concertos are thus closely connected with the musical-historical significance of the city, from which even Mozart could not escape. "Mozart's piano works are known for being relentless and played in perfect harmony. My ideal is to master the pieces by heart, but not to become too accustomed to a particular playing style. The high art lies in balancing these components to create a perfect center," says Zhen Chen, while describing his own quality standards when it comes to the incomparable art of "playing Mozart". The two piano concertos No. 15 and No. 21 were written in 1784 and 1785, premiered by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself and reflect the quintessence of his work. When you listen to them, you immediately feel Mozart's intention to continuously challenge performers and audience with his characteristic temperament and refined ingenuity. To further emphasize this aspect in the new recording, Zhen Chen and conductor Thomas Rösner explicitly agreed on lively tempi for this recording. There is a strong will towards musical progress in both concerti. Above all, the solo instrument is no longer the undisputed master of the musical event. For Zhen Chen too, the interaction with the orchestra often feels so equal that he almost feels like "a chamber music partner". The instrumental colors in the two concertos also deserve attention. The genre has finally reached the symphonic format. Especially the wind instruments appear repeatedly as independent melody instruments. The two program items combine what is probably Mozart's most difficult piano work with his most popular solo concerto on one recording. The first of the two lets the soloist "sweat", and not only because of the unconventional fingering and the many fast semiquaver runs. This is exactly what Mozart wanted here, as a quote from the source shows. But there are also beautiful moments of ingenious simplicity, for example in the Andante of the second movement. In Concerto No. 21, the proportions between solo instrument and orchestra shift even further, and Mozart's pure performance joy is taken to the extreme. Here too, it is the second andante movement that makes Zhen Chen think "of a virtuoso soprano singing a soulful aria".