CityLife

Piano 2006 @ Bridgewater Hall

THE festivalés devotion to Mozart, with the rare (possibly unique) opportunity of hearing all his original piano concertos played in a week, provided an unforgettable experience.

Thursdayés performances were by Michael Roll, Anne Queffelec and Martin Roscoe, with the BBC Philharmonic.

Rollés virtuosity in concerto no. 18 (K456) was apparently effortless, and the orchestral playing equally suave. Queffelec, in no. 21 (K467), was poetic, calm and sparklingly brilliant.

Martin Roscoe had no. 23 (K488) é my personal favourite. His purity of style, and sensitivity and control in the slow movement, were a winning combination, followed by a swift, uplifting and masterly finale.

Friday night was Manchester Camerataés. Noriko Ogawa and Kathryn Stott each played a solo concerto, with Douglas Boyd on the box, and they were joined by Finghin Collins for the concerto for three pianos, K242.

Delightful

Ogawaés éJeunehommeé concerto (no. 9, K271) was delightful, with the deft charm we know to be her hallmark. Kathryn Stottés D minor, no. 20 (K466) had fireworks in the many a passage and an electric atmosphere in the finale.

In the triple concerto the cadenzas were the test, almost without blemish.

Barry Douglas returned to the platform on Saturday with his own Camerata Ireland. In no. 22 (K482), he returned to player-conductor role, and John OéConor played no. 24 (K491) with clarity.

But before that came Matthias Kirschnereit in no. 17 (K453) é a self-effacing, thoughtful and superbly stylish soloist.

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