Album insights
About twenty years ago, Alfred Brendel remarked that Mozart was not made of porcelain, marble, or sugar. It is important to remember this when considering his piano music today. While the achievements of his piano concertos have long been acknowledged for elevating sheer grace and charm to new levels of profundity and virtuosity, some still tend to view his solo piano pieces as lesser creations. The Fantasias, admired as documents of his remarkable improvisational skills, showcase experimental boldness that can be as wild as Beethoven's, yet is less celebrated.
Triumphantly demonstrating this, the Fantasia in C minor, K475, shows exceptional originality and daring by beginning with a resounding empty octave followed by a motif that creeps rather than sings, propelled by diminished chords one after the other—likely leaving Mozart's audience utterly bewildered. Dated May 1785, this work is frequently performed alongside the C minor Sonata K457, partly because they were published together and dedicated to Therese von Trattner. Both pieces are so effective and filled with despair—C minor being Mozart's darkest key—that their combination can only weaken their individual impact. Noted Mozart scholar Alfred Einstein greatly admired the Fantasia, praising Mozart's ability to enjoy the greatest freedom and boldness of imagination, as well as unbridled lyricism and virtuosity, while maintaining structural logic.
The entire composition exudes a sense of restlessness and constantly shifting moods, with bold modulations and the full utilization of the contemporary piano's range, often with hands in widely spaced registers—a particularly colorful effect on an instrument of the time. Despite this, as Einstein emphasizes, it remains structurally coherent, falling into several clear sections, with the second Adagio reminiscent of the first.
While the sense of distinctly delineated sections in C.P.E. Bach's fantasies may have influenced these works, Mozart's compositions anticipate future developments, possibly even foreshadowing Liszt and Busoni. Towards the beginning of the 19th century, at least three orchestral versions of K475 were arranged due to its striking, effective color palette.
The Fantasia in C minor, K396/K385f by Mozart, left incomplete by the composer in 1782 and later completed by Maximilian Stadler (1748–1833), also showcases a somber mood with a turbulent rising arpeggio. Flourishing with jarring dissonances, diminished chords, lack of harmonic resolution, abundant chromaticism, and unexpected harmonic turns, it possesses a greater pathos compared to K475. While K475 ends in a defiant mood, this Fantasia gently dissipates into nothingness after reprising its initial material.
Maximilian Stadler, a proficient composer himself, gained posthumous acclaim mainly for his role as a music advisor to Mozart's widow, organizing and cataloguing the composer's manuscripts, and completing several of Mozart's works besides K396. Known for his keen ear and light editorial touch, Stadler was a fascinating figure, delving into chance music of the 18th century and creating adaptations of the swirling Derwish chants of the Mevlevi Order.
Mozart's Piano Sonata in B-flat major, K333, composed in 1783 reflects a sunny tonality, lighter texture, and an abundance of irresistible melodies. However, beneath this facade lies a piece that defies conventions, with a seductive opening yielding to a dramatic second theme generating tension through a seventh interval, thus turning the conventional sonata form upside down.
Continuing the exploration of Mozart's music, this piece transports us through time, from an intimate contemporary tribute to Mozart up to modern interpretations by the likes of Stephen Hough.