Mozart: Adagio in B minor, K540

Fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout continues his multi-disc survey of Mozart’s music for solo keyboard. Volume 2 features an instrument by Paul McNulty, modelled on a Viennese original by Anton Walter & Sohn (c.1802).

Kristian Bezuidenhout was born in South Africa in 1979. He first gained international recognition at the age of 21 after winning the prestigious first prize as well as the audience prize in the Bruges Fortepiano Competition after studying harpsichord with Arthur Haas, fortepiano with Malcolm Bilson and continuo playing and performance practice with Paul O’Dette. During this time he gained experience as a continuo player in Baroque opera productions in the USA and Europe. He is a frequent guest artist with the Freiburger Barockorchester, the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, Les Arts Florissants, Concerto Köln and Collegium Vocale Gent, in many instances assuming the role of guest director. He has performed with celebrated artists including Philippe Herreweghe, Christopher Hogwood, Daniel Hope and Viktoria Mullova, and he regularly gives Lied recitals with, among others, Carolyn Sampson, Mark Padmore and Jan Kobow.

“Bezuidenhout is a prince of the fortepiano, making it sing in melodic phrases as no other practitioner of this intractable instrument has done in my experience.” The Times

"2006 will surely be full of celebratory concerts and recordings dedicated to a man born 250 years ago… The recital on this disc includes Mozart's structurally more 'free' music for piano: Rondos, Fantasies, and Preludes. He inherited these forms from Johann Sebastian Bach and, perhaps more importantly, through his sons Carl Philipp and Johann Christian.

The brooding opening of the great Fantasie in D minor, K397, gives way to a more light-hearted air. This piece has acquired a nineteenth-century editorial ending with no Mozartian provenance - the manuscript is incomplete. I offer an

'egarrtorial' option for the close of this little gem. Mozart originally intended the Fantasie in C minor, K396, to include a part for violin. Too little of this survives to make an adequate reconstruction. However, Abbé Maximilian Stadler (a close friend of Mozart, and a fine and interesting musician in his own right) made an admirable completion of this work for piano solo.

Although the second part gives way to fantasy of perhaps a more Schubertian nature, it is an extremely fine working of Mozart's material. The more structured pieces on the disc - the Rondos, Adagios, Marches, Minuett, and Gigue - demonstrate no less imagination and depth of character.

I end the programme with the Adagio in C major, K356, originally written for the Glass harmonika. I believe that using a fine original early piano can help us discover a multitude of colours in his music and bring us into Mozart's sound-world. I am very thankful he is still in our world at 250. Happy birthday!" Richard Egarr

Gottlieb Wallisch, who has captivated audiences from many of the world’s major concert platforms, impressed the critics with his superb interpretations of Mozart’s Viennese repertoire.

This, his second solo album on Linn, further explores Mozart’s rich piano repertoire of works associated with Paris and Vienna, many of which raised the standard for technical virtuosity.

Gottlieb displays a profound understanding of the music of his fellow Austrian, as well as his impressive technical and interpretative skills.

Born into a family of Viennese musicians, Gottlieb Wallisch is a competition prizewinner and a respected artist in the Viennese piano tradition.

Gottlieb Wallisch has performed with many leading orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the Stuttgart Chamber and the Zagreb Philharmonic.

Gottlieb participated in the international cycle "Rising Stars" and gave solo recitals in Musikverein Vienna, Konzerthus-Stockholm, Societé Philharmonique in Brussels, the Athens Concert Hall and the Carnegie Hall, New York. Numerous concert tours have also led him to Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Spain, Germany and Switzerland.

The Austrian ORF, Radio France International and BBC London have recorded numerous radio and television performances with him.

Continuing MDG’s successful survey of Mozart’s Complete Piano Works performed on fortepiano.

German pianist Gesa Lucker made her concert debut aged 12. She has been a prize winner in national and international competitions and has performed at leading venues including the Carnegie Hall and the Wigmore Hall. This is her debut disc on Genuin Classics.

An absolute must as a coupling as no other quintets have been written for this combination of instruments as such a high level.

Schuch brings a sense of drama to his programming and performances. He brings a new outlook to well-known works and provides the opportunity for an encounter with pieces seldom performed.