Mozart Piano Concertos, K107†, K175*; Church Sonata No. 17, K336*; Concerto Mov’t in G major† Robert Levin (harpsichord, organ); Academy of Ancient Music/*Laurence Cummings; †Bojan Čičić (violin) AAM AAM042 62:33 mins
The tenth of 13 releases marking the long-standing collaboration between the Academy of Ancient Music and soloist Robert Levin ventures further into the enchanting milieu of historical keyboards. We hear Levin, not as fortepianist, but on harpsichord and organ. The repertoire affirms Mozart’s musical bonds with his father and sister, and his admiration for JC Bach, whom he first met in London in 1764.
First up, Levin’s reconstruction of No. 51 from Nannerl’s notebook brings a depth to this very early work, which Florian Birsak’s solo version (Decca, 2009) cannot reveal. Levin’s choice of organ (George England’s 1760 instrument, housed in a south London church) for the K175 D major concerto assists his enchanting reimagining of Mozart’s first newly composed keyboard concerto. AAM are on top form with lean string lines and uplifting wind and brass sonorities. For the three K107 concertos Mozart recasts half of JC Bach’s Op. 5 sonatas from 1776. Existing interpretations are equally divided between fortepiano (Bilson, 1993; Brautigam 2015) and harpsichord (Mortensen, 2008; Guglielmi 2014) but Levin’s incisive harpsichord, after Silbermann, and the warmth of AAM’s strings make for a more enriching listening experience. The K336 sonata is a welcome addition to the catalogue, again demonstrating the profundity of the Levin/AAM association. Mention must be made of the generous booklet notes, including fulsome details of instruments, and an insightful contribution from recording engineer Neil Hutchinson.
Ingrid Pearson