Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
, a mercurial and elusive figure, was known less for
Mozart
than for virtuoso 19th century repertory, in which he had an appealingly spontaneous and unpredictable streak that brought to mind the great pianists of yore. In this 1956 recording, made live for broadcast on the South German Radio network, he brings those qualities to
with highly distinctive results. His style might seem better suited to the Beethovenian
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466
, and indeed, his performance of that work is rich and poetic, but if anything, he is even better in the less-common
Piano Concerto in B flat major, K. 450
. He is helped by the little-known conductor
Antoine-Pierre von Bavier
, who sets up quick, rigid tempos -- hear the opening movement -- off which
Michelangeli
can bounce. His performance has a particularly ebullient flavor as he executes the ornamentation with enthusiasm. The 1956 radio sound can't be called great; the speed of the tape varies at a few points, and overall, the ambiance has a boxy quality. Yet the feel of the live performance comes through, and this is particularly important for this combination of music and performer. A must for
fans, this recording has the whiff of greatness. ~ James Manheim