Mozart: The Piano Concertos

The piano concertos of W.A. Mozart (1756-1791) stand as a lonely and magnificent peak in the history of music. Every one of his concertos is unique, a foray on unexplored musical territory pressing forward to new understandings of form and content.

Matthias Kirschnereit is one of the leading German pianists of his generation. His international solo career has taken him to five continents. He has very close links to the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, with whom he is recording Mozart's collected piano concertos for Arte Nova. Kirschnereit's fascination with Mozart's piano concertos dates back to his youth. His first public appearance with an orchestra, at the age of twelve, was with a movement from a Mozart concerto. Many years later, on a concert tour through various East African states, a Mozart concerto left Kirschnereit with one of his most unforgettable memories, as the audience of mostly young people leapt to their feet with spontaneous ovations after each piano solo.