Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K491

“Bax and Over play the opening 'Allegro' burdened with darkness, something that is intensified by a recording that is heavy in its textures...As he shows in his deft handling of the Variations on 'Come un agnello', Bax is more than capable of wit.” International Record Review, May 2013

“These early recordings suggest a tendency to exaggeration: their dynamic spectrum is too wide and they lack naturalness. But they are exciting.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2012 ***

“Among some predictable new Mozart piano concerto recordings in 2011, this one stands out for its freshness and originality. Brautigam is one of the finest players of the 18th-century fortepiano, incisive yet lyrical, and the Cologne period-instrument band provides a glassy, transparent accompaniment.” The Observer, 18th December 2011

“Characterised by lively tempos, crisp articulation, taut rhythms and the ability to convey to the listener the joy of music-making, Brautigam's playing strips away the varnish to let you hear, as near as dammit, what Mozart's audiences woudl have heard...Even if you prefer, as I do, your Mozart on a modern concert grand, it's hard to resist Brautigam's period advocacy.” Classic FM Magazine, February 2012 ****

“Playing on a fine, un-jangly modern copy of an Anton Walter instrument, with its silvery, singing treble and clear, percussive bass, Ronald Brautigam gives bold, invigorating performances of these contrasting concertos...this is exhilarating, often thought-provoking Mozart-playing” Gramophone Magazine, January 2012

“it would be a strange person indeed who did not submit to such warm-hearted, unmannered Mozart....Larrocha's pearly toned, lightly pedalled touch and the way she can taper a phrase ending to resemble musical speech (try the opening of K491) make these accounts ones to live with.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2011

“…here is sublime Mozart-playing whether in C minor turbulence or A major radiance. In K491… Uchida conveys an ineffable sadness with sudden withdrawals of such subtlety that all the shades of autumn seem with us… in K488, while nothing is plain sailing, everything is as natural as it is revelatory. When have you heard the central F sharp minor Siciliano more gently or lovingly confided, or the opera buffa finale more joyfully spun off? ...the Cleveland Orchestra are entirely at one with their inspired soloist. ...even a few bars will convince you that you are listening to one of the truly great artists of our time.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2009

“In the great C minor Concerto, K491, the opening tutti rages with all the ferocity of middle-period Beethoven, and when the piano enters it is pleading, fragile. …I found the last [movement] that series of mainly tormented and ever more convoluted variations, as powerful as any performance I have heard... The much sunnier A major Concerto, K488, is perhaps a less problematic piece to play. Uchida...in the slow movement rises to heights of eloquent grief that are demanded, but seldom risked. The last movement is gloriously abandoned.” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2009 *****

“every phrase is elegantly tooled, every texture perfectly weighted. The Cleveland Orchestra is currently one of the finest in the world, and it is fascinating to hear it scaling down its usually opulent sound to the almost chamber-music transparency that Uchida obviously expects.” The Guardian, 2nd October 2009 ****