With this disc of three related concertos, Daniel Barenboim fills in the remaining gap in his Teldec survey of all the solo concertos from K271 in E flat (No. 9) to the final K595. Almost unbelievably it is 30 years since he made his first recordings of the whole cycle for EMI, directing the ECO from the keyboard. This time – with two of the three works recorded live – there is the same concentration, freshness and sense of spontaneity as before, though nowadays – largely a question of recording balance – the results are a shade heavier and more muscular, with fewer pianissimos.
Interpretatively, the big difference this time is that Barenboim has moved with the general trend, and slow movements flow more easily, in a lighter, less romantically expressive style. In theory that is a positive move, but I confess that Barenboim’s earlier versions for me bring even more magic, not least in those slow movements, often through the interplay with the inspired wind soloists of the ECO. The Berlin Philharmonic members, playing immaculately, are yet less inclined to assert their individuality, instead being very much part of a team under their soloist-conductor. The recordings, made in the Philharmonie in Berlin on three different occasions, are commendably consistent, but the need for consistency may account for the fact that balance is rather close. That is so not just for the soloist, but for the modest-sized orchestra which sounds rather beefy in tuttis. None the less a welcome disc to complete the main sequence of concertos.'