Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart, called Nannerl in her family circle, lived to be 78, far surpassing her brother Wolfgang Amadeus. But that was her misfortune, being Mozart's sister. Nannerl was as musically gifted as her genius brother, playing the violin and harpsichord to perfection by the time she was seven years old. So when little Wolfgang was six and already shining as brightly as Nannerl, who was eleven, their father Leopold took the two children on tour to the courts of Paris, Vienna and London, to let the world know about the divine miracle: he had two genius children. However, when they were a little older, Leopold, a man of his time, chose to favor the boy's career, and Nannerl had to stay at home.
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| Maria Anna Mozart (1751 - 1829) |
But Wolfgang never turned a blind eye to his older sister's remarkable talent. If he was on tour, or later, from Vienna, he always sent Nannerl a copy of his keyboard creations, to ask for her opinion, while encouraging her to study them carefully.
The Concerto for two pianos No. 10 is supposedly composed to be performed, at some time, with Nannerl. Mozart completed it in 1779 but there are hints that the first sketches were much earlier, from 1775, while the two teenagers were living in Salzburg. It is his only concerto for two pianos and the last one written before he left Salzburg for Vienna, where he arrived at the age of twenty-three to follow a path of his own, and thus escape the overwhelming but kindly domination of his father Leopold, who, incidentally, never willingly participated in this idea of independence.
Concerto for Two Pianos No. 10 in E-flat, K. 365
A concerto for two pianos differs from the solo piano concerto format because the very nature of the ensemble assumes that there will be a certain amount of dialogue between the two pianos as musical ideas sprout from one and the other, as if they were in competition. With Nannerl in mind, perhaps, Wolfgang had the finesse to give the two soloists equally striking passages, although the concerto is much more than an opportunity for the musical rivalry of two siblings in front of an audience.ts that the first sketches were much earlier, from 1775, while the two teenagers were living in Salzburg. It is his only concerto for two pianos and the last one written before he left Salzburg for Vienna, where he arrived at the age of twenty-three to follow a path of his own, and thus escape the overwhelming but kindly domination of his father Leopold, who, incidentally, never willingly participated in this idea of independence.
Movements:
00:00 Allegro - Vigorous at times and lyrical at others, it presents no particularly relevant musical ideas. Mozart seems to be just having fun, letting his ideas flow freely.
10:16 Andante - A fine, delicate movement. The orchestra, for the most part, remains in the background, allowing the enchantment to emerge from the couple in the solo parts.
17:31 Rondo: Allegro - The finale is energetic to a high degree, full of rhythmic momentum in the rondo's main theme. One of the great moments in Mozart's rondos is the novel way in which Mozart returns to the main theme. This movement is no exception.
The performance is by the extraordinary South American pianists Martha Argerich and Maria Joao Pires.
