# Mozart Concerto n. 23 in la maggiore K. 488



## HansZimmer (11 mo ago)

How do you rate this Mozart's concerto (see the poll)?

And what about the skills and the stunning beauty of this little boy, Elisey Mysin?

I think that the third part is the best one.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

One of Joseph Stalin's favourite pieces of music. There's a story about him hearing Yudina play it on the radio, and asking for a recording of her performance.

There's a recording with Pollini, coupled with PC 19. For a long long time this was my favourite thing to hear while driving. Like Hans Zimmer I'm very keen on the last movement. 

That kid Elisey Mysin -- he looks about 8. I'd be interested to know what the professional musicians make of getting an 8 year old to do it in front of audience and cameras. And whether the technique is really very demanding for a child of that age -- is he being pushed to hard in terms of technique and in terms of grooming for a concert career?

As it is, it's a bit reductive IMO -- the performance makes the music into a circus act, because the sole interest of it is that he's unfeasibly little.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

It's an excellent concerto in my opinion. I think that it's second movement in particular is poignant and very forward looking, pointing towards the Romantic era.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Very good, at least, but I like it less than Piano Concerti nos. 17, 20-22, 24, 25, 27

For the time being at least.


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

It's neck and neck with No. 20 and No. 27 for my favorite Mozart piano concerto. I love the Richard Goode recording with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

This is of course one of Mozart's most sublime piano concertos. Its popularity doesn't diminish its greatness . I believe it was Schnabel who said we give children Mozart to play because of the [few] notes but artists avoid it because of what lies behind the notes. As it has been recorded by just about every great pianist, and today's standard for kids is so high, There is nothing really remarkable in a young boy playing it.
Just hope he won't be pushed too hard.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Mandryka said:


> There's a recording with Pollini, coupled with PC 19.


This was maybe my third CD of Mozart piano concerti I ever bought (the first was the Gulda/Abbado twofer), not the original issue but some DG Mozart edition around 1990-91. I still like it although it can be a bit like a "marble statue", chilly and smooth, and my favs are by now others.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

I give it 6







s out of 6.

What do you think of the Haffner symphony?


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Mandryka said:


> One of Joseph Stalin's favourite pieces of music. There's a story about him hearing Yudina play it on the radio, and asking for a recording of her performance.
> 
> . . . .







From the film COMEDY _The Death of Stalin_. Yudina is played by a former "Bond girl."


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Ethereality said:


> I give it 6
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There's an uncompromising, paradigm breaking, challenging performance of the Haffner by Harnoncourt with CMV, on a late CD with the post-horn serenade - it's well worth catching if you're open minded about what can be made of this sort of music. Independent voices in the polyphonic music - tough, dramatic, jolting.

This

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Symphony-Haffner-Serenade-Posthorn/dp/B00C5WR6KI


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

jegreenwood said:


> From the film COMEDY _The Death of Stalin_. Yudina is played by a former "Bond girl."


The incident has recorded in the film is basically true but it did happen nine years before Stalin's death. The dictator was so pleased with his recording of Mozart he sent Yudina a gift of money to which Yudina sent him a note saying she would give the money to her church to ask them to pray for his soul for all the crimes he'd committed against the Russian people. Of course the secret servicemen were alert waiting for the order to arrest the pianist but none came. When Stalin was found dead the record was on his turntable. 
Interesting that the most ludicrous things in that movie were actually true!


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## 4chamberedklavier (12 mo ago)

It's good, but I don't find any of the movements find too interesting. I prefer concertos 20 & 24. The first & last movements of those two catch my attention.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Top of the list for me, along with the C minor and D minor.


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## HansZimmer (11 mo ago)

It seems that in this case the poll results are very homogenous.


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## dko22 (Jun 22, 2021)

Mozart's 23,24 and 27 were my favourites at an early age and nothing has happened since to displace them at the top of the classical heap (I like the Beethoven ones a good deal less). Only 20, which I previously disliked, has moved more into contention.


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