A fortepiano aesthetic governs much of Christian Zacharias’ Mozart playing on the modern concert grand. His variety of touch and inflection throughout the C major K. 330 sonata approximates the registral differentiation and piquant timbres characterizing the pianos of Mozart’s time. Zacharias applies the sustain pedal in strategic, discreet, and gorgeously lit dabs (the first-movement development particularly ravishes). The slow movement is briskly dispatched and a little cool in relation to warmer, vocally informed performances by Mitsuko Uchida, Lili Kraus, and Klara Wurtz.
You can apply the same observations to the F major K. 332’s middle movement, as well as to the pianist’s clipped, slightly brusque way with the first movement. However, his coy ornaments in the dazzling finale contribute to his basic tempo slowing down as the music progresses (granted, not by much, but Zacharias still doesn’t match the rhythmic firmness and sparkle of Earl Wild’s 88-year-old fingers in this movement). Zacharias gathers strength over the course of the “Turkish March” sonata’s outer movements. In the famous Turkish Rondo, a cymbal player contributes to the clamor near the movement’s end. Perhaps this is not the most vital, red-blooded Mozart pianism around, but it offers enough beauty and intelligence to warrant a serious listen.
