MOZART: Piano Pieces
Daniel Höxter-Bayer records 100 318-69 minutes
A program devoted exclusively to short pieces for piano by Mozart is always an excellent idea. Bringing together these scattered jewels and assembling them meticulously in a recital program adds to the great artistry for which Daniel Höxter is already known. Two versions of the Adagio K 540 bring together an anthology of Fantasias, Rondos and other Minuets that juxtapose the young Mozart (Minuet K1) with his later, most avant-garde, self (Gigue K 574). Certain major pieces by the mature Mozart are missing, such as Fantasias K 475 and 497, but of course one recording cannot include everything. Moreover, the early works avoid monotony by bringing an ingenuous freshness that, by contrast, accentuates the visionary qualities of the older Mozart. And yet these pieces do possess an overall homogeneity, since they all were created in the crucible from which Mozart derived his daring innovations, so unthinkable in his time. Viewed from the perspective of our time, these capsules of freedom are still enigmatic. The chromatics and fluctuating tonalities of the Gigue K 574 and Minuet K 355 are as mysterious as the internalized and quasi-romantic murmurs of the Adagio K 540 or Rondo K 511. They seem to be haunted by a voice; they could almost be called "short lyric pieces for piano". Daniel Höxter’s inspired interpretation sins, nevertheless, in this regard. His left hand is capable of playing veritable duets with his right hand but lacks discretion in those harmonic structures whose sole purpose is to bring out the melodic line. It is unfortunate, for instance, that too heavy chords spoil the themes of the Adagio K 540 and Rondo K 511. Covered up this way, the Rondo becomes almost frivolous, although the C minor melody demands serious depth. By the way, this is a common fault in many orchestras that systematically cover the voices of singers.
On the other hand, Daniel Höxter is convincing mostly thanks to his intelligent style that avoids the dryness of most contemporary pianists and the schmaltzy pathos of others. His reading is both intellectual and spiritual, leaving room for emotion. His balanced interpretation reconciles the Kindlich and the Meisterlich so dear to Brendel. Moreover, his tempos are natural and his piano (it would be nice to know its make!), with its rich harmonics, sings out marvelously.
The discography of the separate recordings of these pieces is very large and already has its benchmarks. Compared with volume 18 of the complete Philips set, which offers a similar program, this disc appears as a strong complement insofar as it avoids the somewhat dry interpretation of harpsichordist Ton Koopman that does not do justice to the visionary aspect of these pieces. VILLEMIN
Published in American Record Guide, Vol. 64, N. 7