Mozart: The Piano Quartets

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All four musicians here are star soloists in their own rights, but there's no sense of jostling egos in these warmly collegiate performances - just the sense of ideas being exchanged in the moment,... — Katherine Cooper, Presto Music, August 2023 More…

Release Date: 11th Aug 2023
Catalogue No: CHAN20179
Label: Chandos
Length: 68 minutes

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August 2023

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Mozart: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K478

Work length30:22

Album only

Federico Colli (piano), Francesca Dego (violin), Timothy Ridout (viola), Laura van der Heijden (cello)

I. Allegro

Track length15:12

Album only

II. Andante

Track length7:15

$1.60

$1.95

$2.40

III. Rondo

Track length7:55

$1.60

$1.95

$2.40

Mozart: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, K493

Work length37:54

Album only

Federico Colli (piano), Francesca Dego (violin), Timothy Ridout (viola), Laura van der Heijden (cello)

I. Allegro

Track length15:30

Album only

II. Larghetto

Track length13:10

$2.15

$2.60

$3.20

III. Allegretto

Track length9:14

$1.60

$1.95

$2.40

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Following a highly successful series of concerts in the summer of 2022, Francesca Dego, Timothy Ridout, Laura van der Heijden, and Federico Colli headed into the studio to record Mozart’s Piano Quartets. Whilst he may not have been the first composer to add a viola to the popular piano trio, Mozart was certainly the first to do so with such outstanding success. In his piano quartets, the strings become an equal partner to the piano, rather than mere accompaniment – much as in his piano concertos. This link is reinforced by his choice of form – unlike his string quartets, the piano quartets have three movements rather than four: a full-bodied movement in sonata form, a lighter central slow movement in a related key, and a rondo finale. Both works were composed during the three-year period, from February 1784 to December 1786, in which Mozart wrote twelve piano concertos. The first quartet is written in the key of G minor – rarely used by Mozart – and the overall mood is quite dark, almost disturbing. The second quartet, in E flat major, is by contrast much sunnier in atmosphere. Consequently, the two works together make for a very satisfying programme.

Reviews

August 2023

All four musicians here are star soloists in their own rights, but there's no sense of jostling egos in these warmly collegiate performances - just the sense of ideas being exchanged in the moment, and everyone being willing to step aside a little when a colleague is offered a moment to shine. Colli's exuberance and lavish rubato might polarise some listeners, but personally I loved it.

17th August 2023

There’s no real star: this is real chamber music. And yet, first among equals, Colli’s piano is the centre of gravity, setting the tone with quiet grace when he’s foregrounded, and sounding characterful and eloquent even when he’s in the background; he never has to push his way through...this is chamber-music playing that really has something to say, and it’s never complacent.

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