Anne-Marie McDermott performs Mozart with exuberance and precision
Volume two of Anne-Marie McDermott’s Mozart series builds on the success of volume one. McDermott’s playing is as beautiful as ever. There’s apparent chemistry between her and the Odense Symphony Orchestra.
Though each of the three concertos on this release has a different conductor, there’s a remarkable consistency in the interpretations.
Piano Concerto No. 15 in B-flat major and No. 16 in D major date from 1784. Mozart wrote them for a Viennese concert series. Mozart considered them “both to be concertos which make one sweat.”
The B-flat concerto is especially challenging for its intricate scale passages and rapid arpeggios. And that’s where McDermott shines. She plays with deft precision. Each note is perfectly articulated, her runs astonishingly precise.
McDermott isn’t just a technician. Her playing is wonderfully expressive, each phrase carefully shaped for maximum effect. These are elegant performances with an undercurrent of high-spirited energy.
The program ends with the Piano Concerto No. 5 in D major, K. 175. Mozart wrote it when he was 17, and it was one of his favorite works. The concerto remained in his repertoire throughout his life.
McDermott captures the exuberance of the teenage composer. Her performance seems to be delivered with an audible smile. The concerto just sounds like it was fun to play. It certainly was to listen to.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 2
Piano Concertos K.175, K. 450, K. 451
Anne-Marie McDermott, piano
Odense Symphony Orchestra; Kenneth Montgomery, Gilbert Varga, Andress Delfs, conductors
Bridge Records 9523
