Piano Concertos Nos. 24 & 25 by Ben Kim

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Ben Kim

Piano Concertos Nos. 24 & 25

Price: € 19.95
Format: CD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917293524
Catnr: CC 72935
Release date: 03 March 2023
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Label
Challenge Classics

UPC
0608917293524

Catalogue number
CC 72935

Release date
03 March 2023

"...the american pianist embraces a subjectivity and an ardour that prick up the ears..."

Classica, 01-10-2023

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

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About the album

If in my previous recording of Mozart Concertos I tried to say something valid and truthful, albeit sincere, with this album I wanted to simply be.

For me, Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 24 and 25 are a testament to the beauty and imperfection of the human experience and about finding joy and meaning in the midst of pain and hardship.

Even though they are considered today to have pushed the boundaries of the genre, the premiere of the 24th concerto in 1786 left listeners puzzled and uneasy. It wasn’t an opera, yet it sounded like one. What was a piece of passionate lament doing in a solo concerto expected to dazzle more than move audiences? By the time he wrote the 25th, unapologetically symphonic in scope, Mozart had lost enough subscribers that he had to postpone his performance by an entire season. The concerto would not be performed again until nearly 150 years later by Arthur Schnabel.

Musicologists have since speculated about the reasons for this abandonment. Perhaps it was the public's fickle taste, or Austria’s economic crisis, or perhaps it was both. But the reason that makes most sense to me: Mozart’s artistic development alienated his listeners.

At the cost of losing his audience Mozart was trying – as we all do – to re-align with himself, and be himself more truthfully, more succinctly, more unapologetically. But finding confidence in vulnerability somehow became the story of this album – not just Mozart’s, but also my own.

In dit tweede album van Ben Kim met pianoconcerten van Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart speelt de virtuoze Amerikaanse pianist de concerten nrs. 24 en 25. Samen met het Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra (CCO), samengesteld uit leden van het Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, weet Kim er een magistrale opname van te maken.

Mozarts Pianoconcerten nrs. 24 en 25 uit 1786 zijn vandaag de dag twee van zijn bekendste en populairste werken die al eeuwenlang gespeeld en bewonderd worden door publiek en musici.

Maar dat was tijdens Mozarts leven wel anders. Nadat hij in 1781 stopte met zijn comfortabele maar saaie baan als concertmeester in Salzburg, ging hij naar Wenen in de hoop naam te maken als concertpianist. In eerste instantie wierp het zijn vruchten af. Mozart componeerde voortdurend nieuwe concerten voor eigen gebruik, niet minder dan elf concerten tussen 1784 en 1786, de laatste twee in deze periode waren de nrs. 24 en 25.

In 1786 kwam er een terugslag. Terwijl de pianoconcerten nrs. 24 en 25 vandaag de dag als grensverleggend worden beschouwd was dat in 1786 bij de première van het 24e concerto wel anders. De luisteraars bleven verbaasd en ongemakkelijk achter. Het was geen opera, maar toch klonk het zo. In zijn eerste jaren in Wenen had Mozart zich bewust voorgenomen om aan de verwachtingen van zijn publiek te voldoen. Maar al snel had de componist steeds minder aandacht voor de behoeften van zijn publiek. De compositorische inspanning werd groter, de toon persoonlijker. En toen Mozart zijn pianoconcert nr. 24, KV. 491 schreef, werd het door muziekcritici in zijn tijd beschouwd als een voorbeeld van een hartstochtelijke klaagzang, een teder smachten. Absoluut geen muziek voor een soloconcert dat het publiek met brille zou moeten vermaken.

Tegen de tijd dat Mozart zijn ongenaakbare en symfonische 25e pianoconcert schreef, had hij al zoveel adepten verloren dat hij zijn uitvoering een heel seizoen moest uitstellen. Het concert zou pas bijna 150 jaar later opnieuw worden uitgevoerd door de Oostenrijkse pianist Arthur Schnabel.

Sindsdien speculeren musicologen over de redenen voor het indertijd niet meer uitvoeren van het pianoconcert. Misschien vanwege de wispelturige smaak van het publiek, of de economische crisis in Oostenrijk, of beide. Voor Ben Kim lijkt de meest logische reden dat Mozarts artistieke ontwikkeling hem deed vervreemden van zijn luisteraars. Ten koste van het verlies van zijn publiek probeerde Mozart, zoals we allemaal doen volgens Kim, zichzelf opnieuw uit te vinden en zichzelf meer trouw te blijven, bondiger en schaamtelozer te zijn. “Het vinden van vertrouwen in kwetsbaarheid werd op de een of andere manier het verhaal van dit album, niet alleen van Mozart, maar ook van mij”, aldus Kim.

Mozarts Klavierkonzerte Nr. 24 und 25 aus dem Jahr 1786 sind heute zwei seiner bekanntesten und beliebtesten Werke. Als eines der letzten Klavierkonzerte, die er schrieb, zeigen sie Mozarts Meisterschaft als Komponist und Pianist und werden seit Jahrhunderten von Publikum und Musikern gleichermaßen gespielt und bewundert.
Doch das war zu Mozarts Lebzeiten nicht immer der Fall. Nachdem Mozart 1781 erfolgreich seine eigene Entlassung aus seinem bequemen, aber langweiligen Konzertmeisterjob in Salzburg eingefädelt hatte, ging er nach Wien, in der Hoffnung, als Konzertpianist groß herauszukommen. Zunächst zahlte sich das aus. Mozart komponierte ständig neue Konzerte für seinen eigenen Gebrauch - nicht weniger als elf Konzerte zwischen 1784 und 1786, die letzten beiden in diesem Zeitraum waren die Nr. 24 und 25.

Doch ab 1786 begann es zu kriseln. In diesen ersten Jahren in Wien hatte sich Mozart bewusst vorgenommen, die Erwartungen seines Publikums zu erfüllen. Bald jedoch nahm Mozart immer weniger Rücksicht auf die Bedürfnisse seines Publikums. Der kompositorische Aufwand wurde größer, der Ton persönlicher - und als Mozart KV 491 schrieb, galt er bei den zeitgenössischen Musikschriftstellern als Tonart der leidenschaftlichen Klage und des zarten Schmachtens - kein Ausdrucksfeld für ein Solokonzert, das das Publikum mit Brillanz unterhalten sollte.

Für mich sind diese beiden Konzerte eine Auseinandersetzung mit dem, was ich als Musiker und als Mensch bin. Dieses Album war nicht nur eine direkte Folge einer weltweiten Pandemie (die Aufnahme wurde viermal verschoben), sondern ich erlebte auch Schwierigkeiten und Selbstzweifel, nicht nur musikalisch, sondern auch persönlich.

Für mich sind Mozarts Klavierkonzerte Nr. 24 und 25 ein Zeugnis für die Schönheit und Unvollkommenheit der menschlichen Erfahrung. Es geht darum, unsere Kämpfe und Ängste loszulassen und unsere Schwächen und Unvollkommenheiten anzunehmen. Es geht darum, inmitten von Schmerz und Not Freude und Sinn zu finden. Sie handeln von der Kraft der Musik, die menschliche Existenz zu überwinden und uns etwas näher zu bringen, das größer ist als wir selbst.
In diesen Konzerten geht es nicht nur um die technische Meisterschaft Mozarts als Komponist und Pianist, obwohl dies sicherlich einen Teil ihres Reizes ausmacht. Es geht auch um die tieferen, umfassenderen Gefühle, die die Musik vermittelt. Es geht um die Art und Weise, in der Mozart in der Lage war, konventionelle musikalische Formen zu nutzen, um etwas wirklich Außergewöhnliches und Schönes über die menschliche Erfahrung zu offenbaren.

Artist(s)

Ben Kim (piano)

American pianist Ben Kim’s performances have been praised by the Süddeutsche Zeitung as “practically euphoric and filled with vitality.“ He has garnered critical acclaim for his performances worldwide, at renowned venues including Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw, Musikverein, Gewandhaus, Suntory Hall, and the Kennedy Center with orchestras such as the Bavarian Radio, German Radio, Baltimore, Seoul Philharmonic, and St Petersburg Hermitage State Symphonies. Ben was the recipient of the Rheingau Musik Festival's 2017 LOTTO Career Development Prize. The international jury panel made its decision upon the following stated reasons: 'His brilliant technique and his incredible flair for interpretive refinement are self-evident....an exceptional phenomenon among pianists his generation - such a natural, sympathetic charisma and pleasant modesty, coupled with great virtuosity, are rarely experienced...

Ben was the recipient of the Rheingau Musik Festival's 2017 LOTTO Career Development Prize. The international jury panel made its decision upon the following stated reasons: "His brilliant technique and his incredible flair for interpretive refinement are self-evident....an exceptional phenomenon among pianists his generation - such a natural, sympathetic charisma and pleasant modesty, coupled with great virtuosity, are rarely experienced with a leading musician.” In 2014 he was one of six recipients selected among a pool of more than 13,000 graduates at the Johns Hopkins University to be awarded an Outstanding Recent Graduate Award for outstanding achievement or service in any professional field.

His career was first launched after having won First Prize at the prestigious ARD Munich International Music Competition for Piano in 2006.

Ben’s first album of Mozart Concertos on Challenge Classics was won over by critics, as an “innovative, inspiring and energetic debut” (Luister), “magical” (Stretto), and an “album to return to regularly” (Nederlands Dagblad). His recording of the Chopin Préludes and Impromptus released on Universal Decca was given an Editor’s Choice selection by Record Geijutsu. “Without nervousness or over-excitement, without boasting technique or exaggeration,” the critic describes of the album, “Kim plays Chopin’s music as if he were breathing it.”

Ben was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he began studying piano at age five with Dorothy Fahlman. He made his solo debut at age eight and his orchestral debut at twelve. At age 20, Ben received his Bachelor’s degree at the Peabody Conservatory as a student of Leon Fleisher. He continued his studies at Peabody with Yong Hi Moon after graduating. In addition Ben was selected to attend the International Piano Academy Lake Como in Italy, a program for seven pianists, headed by Martha Argerich and William Grant Naboré. He finished his studies at the Berlin University of Arts with Klaus Hellwig.

Ben is a longtime member of the German Alpine Society (Deutsche Alpenverein) and resides in Berlin.

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Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra

Founded in 1987, the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra (CCO) is made up of members from the world famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. Each season, the CCO is invited to perform in the leading concert venues in the Netherlands, such as the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht. The CCO also gives regular performances outside the Netherlands. Upcoming travels include tours to Germany, Turkey, Spain and the MESA-region. Prior to 1987, the CCO performed under the name Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra. Founded in 1957, the ACO spent three decades performing in the Netherlands and abroad. They made numerous recordings with conductors such as Andre Rieu Sr., Anton van der Horst and Marinus Voorberg. During the period 1994 – 2012, principal conductor Marco...

Prior to 1987, the CCO performed under the name Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra. Founded in 1957, the ACO spent three decades performing in the Netherlands and abroad. They made numerous recordings with conductors such as Andre Rieu Sr., Anton van der Horst and Marinus Voorberg.

During the period 1994 – 2012, principal conductor Marco Boni led the CCO in many successful performances, tours and recordings. The recordings of Schubert/Mahler and Beethoven/Mahler String Quartets received a 5-star rating from BBC Music Magazine. Other Super Audio Recordings produced by Pentatone feature works by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Haydn and Tchaikovsky.

Famous soloists who have performed with the CCO include Maria João Pires, Sarah Chang, Janine Jansen, Mischa Maisky, Lynn Harrel, Jaap van Zweden, Schlomo Mintz, Eliane Rodriguez and Friedrich Gulda.

In recent years, the CCO has collaborated with such national and international soloists as Liza Ferschtman, Nicolas Altstaedt, Ronald Brautigam, Alexei Ogrinthcouk, Noa Wildschut, Niek Baar, Ben Kim, Stefan Vladar, Harriet Krijgh, Lavinia Meijer, Dominic Seldis, Vesko Eschkenazy, Liviu Prunaru, Tjeerd Top, Emily Beynon and Amihai Grosz.

Due to increasing international interest, recent travels included concerts in Belgium, Spain, Germany, Turkey, Argentina and Brazil.

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Michael Waterman (conductor)

Composer(s)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose actual name is Joannes Chrysotomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a composer, pianist, violinist and conductor from the classical period, born in Salzburg. Mozart was a child prodigy. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. Along with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, Mozart is considered to be one of the most influential composers of all of music's history. Within the classical tradition, he was able to develop new musical concepts which left an everlasting impression on all the composers that came after him. Together with Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven he is part of the First Viennese School. At 17, Mozart was engaged as a musician at the Salzburg court, but grew restless and traveled in search of a better position. From 1763 he traveled with his family through all of Europe for three years and from 1769 he traveled to Italy and France with his father Leopold after which he took residence in Paris. On July 3rd, 1778, his mother passed away and after a short stay in Munich with the Weber family, his father urged him to return to Salzburg, where he was once again hired by the Bishop. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security. During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of his death.

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