Album Review: Khatia Buniatishvili – Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 23

For her tenth album on Sony Classical, the formidable Khatia Buniatishvili turns her attention to Mozart, delivering a spellbinding interpretation of his Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 23 – her first full-length dedication to the composer. Set for release on October 4, 2024, this recording sees her join forces with the legendary Academy of St Martin in the Fields, an orchestra steeped in Mozartian tradition.

Buniatishvili, known for her bold reinventions of classical repertoire, here embraces the sublime balance of drama and elegance that defines Mozart’s late concertos. No. 20 in D minor – Mozart’s first minor-key concerto – unfolds with smoldering intensity, its brooding opening foreshadowing the operatic grandeur of Don Giovanni. The Georgian pianist describes D minor as embodying “the unbearable heaviness of pain transformed into a sigh of relief”, drawing a poignant parallel to Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

In contrast, No. 23 in A major radiates the effervescent wit of Le nozze di Figaro, its playful dialogues between piano and orchestra showcasing Buniatishvili’s unmatched sensitivity and spontaneity. The slow movement, in the haunting key of F-sharp minor, stands as one of Mozart’s most transcendent creations.

The album also includes Mozart’s deceptively simple Sonata in C major, K. 545 – a gem of deceptive depth, written in the composer’s final years. Recorded at London’s Air Studios, this project benefits from the Academy’s golden-age Mozart pedigree, honed under Sir Neville Marriner.

Buniatishvili, a BBC New Generation Artist and protégée of Martha Argerich, has long been celebrated for her daring musical vision and lyrical precision. Here, she channels that artistry into Mozart’s divine humanity, proving once again why she remains one of classical music’s most compelling storytellers.

Worldwide performances of these concertos will follow, including a December 2024 residency at London’s Barbican Centre with the Academy. A must-listen for Mozart devotees and newcomers alike.

Release Date: October 4, 2024
Label: Sony Classical

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