Géza Anda, Vienna Philharmonic & Karl Böhm - Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 18 in B-Flat Major, K. 456 (Live 1974) (2024)

"Bravo Mozart!" exclaimed Emperor Joseph II as he stood up and tipped his hat at the end of the first performance of Piano Concerto No. 18 KV 456 , played by Mozart himself on 30 September 1784.

For years, historical speculation was that Mozart had written this concerto for Maria Theresia von Paradis, based on a letter written around that time by Leopold Mozart to his daughter Nannerl. However, Hermann Ullrich has discounted this theory, based on the date of entry in Mozart's catalogue and the fact that von Paradis had left Paris at the start of October 1784, which indicated that there was not sufficient time to send her the concerto for performance. Richard Maunder has countered with the idea that Mozart could still have sent the concerto to Paris and that it would have been forwarded to von Paradis in London, where it was possible that she performed the work in March 1785.

Géza Anda, piano
Vienna Philharmonic
Karl Böhm, conductor

Digitally remastered.

Tracklist
01 - Original Austrian Radio Announcement (Live at the Salzburg Festival, 1974)
02 - Piano Concerto No. 18 in B-Flat Major, K. 456_ I. Allegro vivace (Live at the Salzburg Festival, 1974)
03 - Piano Concerto No. 18 in B-Flat Major, K. 456_ II. Andante un poco sostenuto (Live at the Salzburg Festival, 1974)
04 - Piano Concerto No. 18 in B-Flat Major, K. 456_ III. Allegro vivace (Live at the Salzburg Festival, 1974)