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Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 11 on CD

This 11th volume completes the juvenile concertos with these three concertos from 1771/2, all re-writes of sonatas by J.C. Bach. Bach had been something of a mentor to Mozart whilst they were living in London (1764-65) and these three concertos not only draw on Bach's thematic material, but are very much in the gallant style of which Bach was a leading proponent. Making these sonatas into concertos presented Mozart with numerous challenges, as both forms had relatively strict conventions that were markedly different. Mozart overcomes these challenges with great imagination and lightness of touch. The Overture to Mitridate was composed for the Duke of Lombardy in 1770 when Mozart was 14, and just a year before the concertos. The opera was a great hit, and consequently Mozart was commissioned by Empress Maria Theresa to write a serenata for the wedding of her son Archduke Ferdinand. Ascanio in Alba was the result. Mozart started the comedy Lo sposo deluso in 1785, but only composed 5 numbers including the Overture heard here. The five pieces written for Thamos, Konig in agypten represent the only set of incidental music that Mozart composed for the theatre.