A “dream world” is how Arthur Hutchings described the Andante of K467. Christian Zacharias begs to differ, the time signature alla breve dictating a fleeter pace than usually heard. Muted strings still underline the harmonic shadows but there is no lingering. Nor is there any in Stefan Vladar’s performance where lightness, also implied by this time signature, pervades, too. And neither conductor/pianist is fazed by the ambiguity of the first movement’s marking, Allegro maestoso. Each ensures a just balance between liveliness and majesty. Zacharias’s recording has the edge on depth though Vladar’s timpanist is much better defined. Both deserve full attention.

No duplication in the couplings. And again Zacharias balances to a nicety the requirements of another alla breve now with the Allegro ma non troppo marking in the finale of K449; and the “tick tock” of the beat is all lightness to complement a powerful first movement and lyrical second. Zacharias weights the wind instruments to reinforce the texture as Mozart expected in this concerto; but not in K450 where oboes and bassoons duly stand out against horns in B flat alto, shedding a warm glow over the outer movements. This performance, too, is excellent, the highlight being the finale, ideally paced and with a delightful surprise. Zacharias slows the theme for 10 bars after the cadenza to emphasise the softly articulated speeding up to a loudly chuckling buffo ending. Imaginative indeed. Pity he didn’t include the alternative Andante middle movement published fairly recently. A most desirable disc none the less.