These radio recordings with Curzon date from two different periods. The two concertos, helped by the warm Royal Albert Hall acoustic, are from a Prom concert in 1979, with Barenboim directing from the keyboard in the Double Concerto and conducting for Curzon in Mozart's last piano concerto, K595, a favourite of his. This is Mozart-playing at its most joyous, Curzon shrugging off the inhibitions that dogged him in the studio, and enjoying the warm support of his younger colleague in both roles. Speeds in outer movements are broad enough to allow the most elegant pointing, not least in the jaunty finales. The slow movements are warmly expressive at broad speeds, concentrated and sustained, while the central Larghetto of K595 inspires Curzon to an almost Beethovenian gravity.
The closeness of the full-bodied stereo sound, set against the hall acoustic, allows for sharp dramatic contrasts, in playing that is compellingly individual. The Duo Sonata finds Curzon in 1960 in a partnership with Britten at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh. Though the mono sound is far drier, it is firm and immediate, allowing one to appreciate another exuberant performance, this time with the outer movements challengingly fast but still carefree, and the middle movement broadly expressive, bringing throughout delectable interplay between the players.R1 '0006030'