Mozart Complete Piano Concertos

Paisiello composed more than 90 operas, he was highly successful and influential in his time. Giovanni Paisiello is more than just another name in the history of classical music. He was loved by Mozart, who used Paisiello's comic opera as a model for his own operas, as can be heard in 'Le Nozze di Figaro', but also later in Rossini's 'Il barbiere di Siviglia'. His instrumental and orchestral works are less well known than his operas. He also composed far fewer of these, with 12 symphonies to his name, 12 string quartets, a set of sonatas and 8 keyboard concertos. His music is fluid, elegant and refined. His concertos are very exuberant works, with moments of great charm and beauty, especially in the slow movements.

In anticipation of Beethoven's 250th birthday in 2020, Jan LIsiecki presents a full cycle of Beethoven's five piano concertos, accompanied by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 has particularly played a significant role in Lisiecki's career. In 2013, he performed the work with Orchestra Mozart under Claudio Abbado in Bologna, an indisposed Martha Argerich at short notice, and he performed the same work at his Carnegie Hall debut.

Six piano concertos in a mere twelve months: in no other year was Mozart as productive in this genre as he was in 1784. Christian Zacharias and his Lausanne Chamber Orchestra have taken considerably more time with their interpretations of Mozart’s piano concertos – and with sensational results. This complete recording even now promises to occupy one of the top ranks on international lists: Zacharias is able perfectly and seamlessly to transfer his inimitable touch and sound culture to the orchestra.

This three-disc set of all of the studio recordings of Mozart's piano concertos and sonatas made by German pianist Edwin Fischer between 1933-1947 may elicit different responses from his fans than from listeners not already persuaded of his greatness.

The start of an important and exciting series: the complete piano concertos of Hummel played on period instruments. Johann Nepomuk Hummel (a contemporary of Beethoven, and highly esteemed by him) while firmly rooted in the Classical Style, became one of the most important composers of the Early Romantic Style. A virtuoso pianist himself, he wrote a substantial oeuvre for his instrument. His piano concertos are written in “Bravura” style, displaying an incredible virtuosity and brilliance, featuring (double) runs of parallel thirds and sixths, intricate arpeggios and thundering octave passages. Even today the technical level of this piano writing proves to be a daunting challenge to many pianists.