Piano Concertos.18, 19: Staier(Fp)concerto Koln

Of the twenty-seven piano concertos that Mozart wrote, only the last half dozen have captured a permanent place in the basic repertoire. This is unfortunate, because many of Mozart's piano concertos glow with the boundless melodic gifts and genial spirit that make all his music so enduring. This recording, featuring the fortepianist Andreas Staier and period instrument ensemble Concerto K ln, makes a very strong case for two early works, the Piano Concertos nos. 18 and 19.
Staier plays a copy of a 1785 Anton Walter fortepiano on this disc. The instrument's pungent tonal color, coupled with Staier's virtuosity, make this an eye-opening recording. The boisterous Concerto No. 19 in F major flows along with an infectious jaunty spirit. Staier is wit personified in the work's bubbly Allegro assai finale, and impressive in the Concerto No. 18 in B-flat major, a work that boasts a beautiful slow middle movement. Concerto K ln is a perfect foil to Staier, as is Lorenzo Alpert's charming bassoon solo in the rollicking finale of the B-flat major concerto.