Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 8, 11 & 13 – Ronald Brautigam

   in Piano International (Jan, 2016)
Captured in stunning, vital sound, Ronald Brautigam gives stylish, involved performances of three Mozart piano concertos that deserve more frequent airings. The instrument used is a Paul McNulty 2013 fortepiano, after a c1802 Walter und Sohn. Presenting the concertos in reverse numerical order means that K415, possibly the best known of the three here, comes first. Fresh as a daisy, contrasts are visceral: fortes can be buzzily punchy; contrasting passages are the height of gentillesse. Here, as throughout, the orchestra offers constant delight. Brautigam’s use of agogic accents is kept just within Mozartian boundaries, yet he remains freely expressive. He finds unexpected depths in the finale of K246, while the central …