MOZART. Piano Concertos—No. 24 in C minor, * K491; No. 27 in B flat major, K595. Christian Zacharias (pf); North German Radio Sym- phony Orchestra / Giinter Wand. EMI (D (D

CDC7 47432-2 (62 minutes). From EL270415-1 (2/87).

Concerto No. 24—selected CD comparison: Philh, Ashkenazy (5/86) 414 433-2DH Concerto No. 27—selected CD comparisons: Serkin, LSO, Abbado (12/84) 410 035-2GH Curzon, ECO, Britten (10/86) 417 288-2DH

ECO, Barenboim (4/87) C DC7 47269-2

The sound here is very little different from that which I heard on LP. Perhaps the middle range has a little more warmth, but quality and balance are good in both formats, though there is occasional faint background clicking suggesting woodwind keywork. The playing is both intelligent and attractive and my only reservation is the perhaps overdone emphasis on a fierce/gentle mood contrast between orchestra and soloist in the first movement of K491. Ashkenazy on Decca is disappointingly unelectric in this movement, and rather staid in the Larghetto also, while his own cadenza for the first movement seems heavy compared to that of the younger pianist. Zacharias is perhaps over-relaxed in the first two movements of K595, but otherwise convincing and elegant, and the finale is a delight. Barenboim (EMI) sounds a trifle obese in this concerto, with ponderous sound and delivery, and I find his finale prettified to some extent. Curzon on Decca too is rather solemn, for all the individual beauties of his account, while Serkin and Abbado on DO are awkwardly stiff and indeed admirers of this fine pianist may be disappointed by this performance, which also has various murmurs and other sounds along with the music. C.H.