Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24 | Víkingur Ólafsson, Paavo Järvi & Concertgebouw Orchestra

A work that looked to the future. In his Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart broke away from classical conventions. Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson delivers the solo part with brilliant precision, while Paavo Järvi conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in this 2021 recording from the orchestra’s famous Concertgebouw venue in Amsterdam. (00:00) I. Allegro (14:12) II. Larghetto (22:31) III. Allegretto As minor keys are rare in Mozart’s output, this concerto is a noteworthy exploration. The debate over its character—whether it is dark and brooding or bright and spirited—reflects the dual moods of Mozart’s life in 1786, when he was composing the Prague Symphony and the opera *The Marriage of Figaro* while enjoying lively parties and late‑night composition sessions. The concerto is often described as symphonic, featuring a large orchestral setting with a rich palette of winds—flutes, oboes, bassoons, and clarinets. For Ólafsson, the work feels like a collaboration rather than a solo showcase: “You don’t feel like a guest performer or an outsider but as part of the orchestra, on equal footing. One moment you’re playing in a quintet with the winds or strings, and the next you’re suddenly the heroic soloist again.” In the second movement, Mozart firmly roots the work in Classicism; the third, with its fugato, nods to Johann Sebastian Bach; and the first movement looks ahead musically to the 19th century. The opening Allegro introduces not just two orchestral themes, as was customary, but adds a third with the piano—and later even a fourth and fifth—while chromatic passages heighten the drama, giving the piece a sense of darkness and fate that foreshadows Romanticism. Born in Reykjavík in 1984, Ólafsson has earned international acclaim for his interpretations of Bach and Philip Glass and serves as an ambassador for Icelandic music. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, founded in 1888, is celebrated for its unique acoustics and distinctive sound, and Paavo Järvi, known for his precision and deep engagement with composers, brings a meticulous approach to this recording.