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The
problem with Mozart's piano sonatas, one presupposes, is the tendency
of pianists to approach them with a fragility one might reserve
for handling Wedgewood china. Like Haydn, Mozart generally wrote
his keyboard music with the implicit option for it to be playable
on either the harpsichord or the piano (which, we have to remember,
was only invented thirty years before Mozart's birth).
In
any case, the piano sonata was a relatively late addition to the
genre in Mozart's output, although most readers will have heard
of his legendary powers of composition: violin sonatas by the age
of six, a symphony by the age of nine, opera and piano concerto
at eleven, and a string quartet at fourteen.
 But
for the piano sonata, the earliest surviving work in the genre is
a Sonata in C, K.279 which dates from his nineteenth year, written
in Munich while he was supervising the production of La finta
giardiniera - and this only after being prompted with a commission.
There are four extant works which predate this one, although they
are lost to us today.
For
the most part, there is considerable flair and technique in these
new performances by Heidi Lowy. Indeed, one should expect no less
for any pianist tackling one of the cornerstones of the classical
piano repertoire. Ms Lowy's direct approach finds a great deal of
musicality, with finely etched details and intelligent playing.
Her technique is faultless, and all the ornaments and "twiddly bits"
are sheer delight.
The
opening Andante of K.282, for example, contains a poetic
hint of Chopin, while the Presto of K.283 sparkles with sheer
champagne-like efferversence. The spirito of the Allegro
in K.311 is certainly not missing, either, and the right-hand fingerwork
and pedal in K.570 is particularly impressive.
However,
as well-prepared as the performance is, there is a slight tendency
towards an idiosyncratic approach: while such an approach will not
necessarily fail (with regards to Mozart), neither does it score
too many points. The rubatos - albeit sparingly applied - are rather
self-conscious (which seems to be the watchword here), even threatening
rhythmic distortion at times.
The
skip-and-hop melodic line in the Rondeau of K.281, for example,
is rather guarded; the famous Andante of K.283 is similarly
restrained whereas an additional nuance or two of pensiveness would
have made it just right. The slow movement of K.330 seems to possess
a touch of wilfulness that needs some getting accustomed to. The
Sonata in C K.545, the so-called "Sonata for Beginners" and
every piano student's bane (or boon), should sparkle like champagne
- yet there are hints and nuances of self-consciousness that mute
the effervescence.
But
that is not to say that all is lost. Of the sonatas in this set
of albums, my personal favourite is the Sonata in C, K.309,
which is played with much élan and character; even so, there
is still much to enjoy in the other works. The Sonata in A,
K.331 also deserves a meritorious mention here. Not many pianists
adopt the quite-literal "walking pace" Andante at which Lowy
takes the first movement, but it works surprisingly well here: contemplative,
without getting too indulgent, and I found myself warming to it
on repeated listening.
 This
recording, made in the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New
York, is crisp and clean. The piano is made to sound very close
to the listener, which definitely adds to the intimacy of the reading
and rather makes one listen very intensely. I for one have
never advocated that one can perfectly reproduce the sound of a
Steinway Grand in one's living room, even with audiophile-grade
equipment, but when I cranked up the volume on my trusty bookshelf
Inifinities, there it was - a concert grand in the veritable
flesh. Amazing.
Above
all, here are engaging performances that convey a sense of emerging
pianism. Heidi Lowy has a good feel for Mozart and delivers a well-considered
account of the works, if at times bordering on the deliberate. Not
that Ms Lowy delivers a pedantic reading - far from it - but perhaps
in trying too hard, for the listener is made acutely aware of the
mental preparation which has gone into it, and sometimes the result
misses something and fails to seduce the listener.
But
what we do have is someone taking her best shot at Mozart, and while
not hitting the bullseye always, at least comes close most of the
time. And when she does hit the spot, it is nigh sublime. One senses
that Ms Lowy would be, in person, quite a fascinating recitalist
to listen to.
In
the meantime, these are definitely performances which do not sink
their hooks into your aural centres from the get-go, but rather
(and somewhat insidiously) grow on you. This is Mozartian pianism
at its most intrepid, and this alone would be reason enough to get
this set. If one's budget does not run to the full set, the Third
Volume (with K.311, 310 and 330; Musicians Showcase
MS1039) has nice enough things on it as sampler.
BENJAMIN
CHEE recently
came into possession of a long-missing recording - and on CD, too
- of Falco's beloved classic, Rock Me Amadeus. The neighbours
don't know whether to laugh or to cry.
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15.11.2000 © Benjamin Chee
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