Full product information for this item, together with my review, my ranking of the product, and any reader comments, can be found at http://www.amazon.com.
In the entire repertoire of concerto performance, there may be no more memorable solo entrance than that of the piano approximately 2’20” into Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 1. It is an exceptional moment in musical history, the piano asserting its melodic personality over against the brooding of the lower strings. Mozart could be forgiven for having penned it and then promptly expiring.
Fortunately, he did not.
Jenö Jandó and the Concentus Hungaricus, under the baton of András Ligeti, give us a thoughtful, restrained, and yet somehow buoyant reading of these two masterful exemplars of the concerto craft.
Only the sound guys leave us wanting more. I am a fan of Naxos and its low-budget model for bringing exceptional performance within range of the average wallet. Before I trusted myself to say anything negative about the product, I listened to this recording multiple times on two different sound systems.
It’s undeniable: the musicians are superb. The recording lacks the clarity, crispness, and precision that we have come to rely on from the Naxos catalogue. One hears all the instruments only at an uncomfortably high volume.
This is very sad and, I trust, something that has been corrected elsewhere, given Naxos’ intention to record the full cycle of Mozart piano concerti with these same artists.
Having said all this in the interest of truth in journalism or something comparably noble, let me add that many listeners are not going to be perturbed by this technical deficiency. This CD—and more so the Naxos product in general—are a worthy purchase. It would be heartless and unfair to leave any other impression.
Canter Bridge 
Leave a comment