Above: The new recording from Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra is available in physical and digital CD format and streaming platforms including through ABC Classic FM.
An all-Mozart recording is always a thrill to experience, due to the excellence of the composer’s streamlined and effective approach to emotion and drama plus his inimitable legacy across so many genres.
The second self-release CD (ARCOCD-002) from one of the newest and busiest HIP orchestra on the block, Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, continues the excitement and excellence of all live concerts, Voyages of Musical Discovery and mentoring projects with young musicians by this group of interpretative experts.
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 23 K.488 and his Symphony No 41 (‘Jupiter’) have been recorded thousands of times globally over time and with musicological and performance practices various depending on the era. They contain some of the most familiar and treasured sounds in the listening profiles of the general public.
This is all about to change. On just the first listening to this pair of powerhouse works we are supplied with a fantastically fresh new normal of expression. The well-known concerto and symphony are enhanced with new freedoms, a spectacularly new sheen and bristle with the bounce of bold, confident performance practice.
The choices leaping effectively out at us are the result of ARCO’s philosophy of continuous study, sharing and education as they present classic works in an engaging, historically informed style for modern audiences. This CD is evidence of the favourable results to be enjoyed by reaching back to the time of Mozart, his pupils, admirers and performers preserving the essence of the performer-composer in the generation after his death.
Abandon all ideas of metronomic consistency of attack and tempo all ye who listen here. And replace previous attempts at early music presentation which missed some of the key priorities of emotion, colourings and drama so familiar from recent portraits of Mozart.
Above: ARCO perform at City Recital Hall. Photo credit: Robert Catto.
The composer’s personality, exuberance, structural variation, spontaneous inversion and development of any dramatic moment, thematic or textural variaton and scope of expression within the strict structures of his time.
ARCO welcomed collaborator Neal Peres Da Costa, early keyboard expert, writer and Professor of Historical Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music for this recording and its live concert series prior to the recording. The project to re-invent K.488 with reference to the performing styles of Reinecke, Mozart’s pupil Barbara Ployer, and next-gen pianists up to the great Clara Schumann owes much to his research, enthusiasm and experience.
A first hearing of the well-known concerto on this CD release- available in very attractive physical packaging, digitally or via streaming platforms- instantly raises welcome interest at new sounds, melodic and shapes. There is an instant craving to relisten to the interpretation.
From the outset K.488 impresses with a strong orchestral exposition which contains great warmth and directness. The exceptional clarity and colour variation from ARCO’s gut string and early instrument voice bring the familiar music to us with lithe directness. This score is full of wonderful wind choir moments, and clarinet colour. When the piano enters to begin its expressive gesturing, the balance of sounding is on a perfectly sound-engineered level as well as being so well matched for the changing musical dialogue.
There is considerable freedom of tempo employed as sections are slowed to resonate in different hues. Accentuation even of the agogic style to affect timing and addition of notes to create short and longer strings of filigree are mostly the banlieue of the soloist.
Peres Da Costa’s playing is engaging as the harmonic structure is presented through arpeggiations, apoggiaturas and some beautiful tracing of lines across the replica Anton Walter fortepiano. The fully scored cadenza by Mozart has some addition here. It is performed with great dramatic contrast and spaciousness.
Above: Fortepianist Neal Peres Da Costa. Photo credit Anneke Scott.
Included in this recorded K.488 sonic landscape in premiere is an improvised introductory fantasia to help transition from the structural excellence of the first movement and prepare us for the beauty of the F sharp minor meditation in the loved middle movement. This movement make use of elaborations from source material of Barbara Ployer, Mozart’s pupil.
By the time the work reaches the final movement’s brisk mood and built-in filigree, the emphasis on joint expression and common goals of shapes, colour and momentum of line achieved by soloist and orchestra had very strong synergy. Their boldness and synergy brings this fresh sound world triumphantly home.
This CD’s companion piece, as it was in programming for live concerts, is the formidable four movement ‘Jupiter’ Symphony 41. This is an absolute gem in ARCO’s repertoire, as is displays the freshness, dramatic performance possibilities and spontaneous Mozart voice to be achieved from their individual outlook.
ARCO’s recording of it cements the sound achievable with their scholarly, sensible approach to adding period techniques of musical realisation modern performances of such Sturm un Drang classics. The absolute heavenly Mozart moment in this interpretation comes from the orchestras clean delivery of the fugal finale at top speed. It is a breathtaking showcase of playing, conquering the challenges of contrapuntal interpretation whilst preserving momentum and characterisation.
The remainder of this symphony mirrors and extends such well-characterised, colourful playing already heard in K 488. Conductor Rachael Beesley seizes the opportunity for spontaneity and some tempo variation, supplying swathes of juxtaposed heavenly colour throughout. Right from the arresting opening, immediately full of contrast, the orchestra follows Mozart’s genius creativity within strict structure via exciting narration.
The tenderness and range of utterance across all instrumental sections make the ‘Andante Cantabile’ second movement memorable. It enjoys a pleasing forward movement, dramatic approach to nuance or gestural variety and some effective addition of string portamenti. The fortepiano continuo adds a nice layer of colour also. Making its variegated way towards the bounce on the third movement, we experience freshness and interesting storytelling always, delivered with tremendously clean instrumental dexterity. The entire CD with its swoop of both works is best experienced in one sitting, preferably after reading the excellent disc liner notes by Yvonne Frindle and Neal Peres Da Costa.
This recording is a landmark addition to the historical recordings of these works, to the growing ARCO-CD collection and to the modern world of performing eighteenth century music. Don’t miss the chance to listen and relisten to it and to Mozart in a new heavenly light.