5 minutes with Stefan Cassomenos
- Meet the Artists
Pianist Stefan Cassomenos performs Mozart’s classical masterpiece Piano Concerto No.14 in Classical Inspirations – Matinee Series 3, Wed 28 Jul, 11.30am & 2pm Elder Hall
He divulges to the ASO a little about this masterpiece…
Tell us about the piece you’ll be performing – Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.14
Mozart composed an incredible total of six piano concertos in 1784, and wrote to his father saying he “couldn’t choose between them” but that this particular one “does not belong at all to the same category. It is one of a quite peculiar kind…” I think he was right, it’s a very special work – magnificently constructed, concise in its expression, and yet simultaneously full of imagination and vivid character.
What do you love about performing the piece?
I love the infectious 3/4 swing of the opening, the swooning lyricism of the second movement, and the cheeky humour of the finale. It’s an enormous pleasure to have an opportunity to bring all this to life – together with an entire symphony orchestra!
What do you find challenging about performing the piece?
I think the challenge for all pianists, when performing Mozart, is for his music to really sing. What I find most compelling about Mozart’s musical vernacular is that it takes the beauty of the singable melodic line as it’s truest essence, and while a singer can sustain a phrase naturally with their breath, a pianist is always searching for the best way to achieve this with keys, strings, and hammers. It brings me great joy to rise to this challenge, if my performance may successfully convey Mozart’s expressive meaning to the audience.
