Mozart - Piano Concertos Nos. 12 & 13: Karin Kei Nagano/Cecilia String Quartet

Immaculate playing from a young prodigy. Classic FM Drive Featured Album, 10 March 2014.

Fifteen year old pianist Karin Kei Nagano - daughter of conductor Kent Nagano - has already won several international prizes, including first prize and special jury prize at the International Scriabin Competition in 2007, and first prize at the Anton Rubinstein International Competition, 2009-2010.

For her debut recording, she is joined by the renowned Cecilia String Quartet in a programme featuring two of Mozart’s early piano concertos, Nos. 12 and 13. The composer himself wrote these soon after moving to Vienna and specified that the pieces could be performed either with a large orchestra or a quattro - with a string quartet. 

Without an orchestra to compete with, the subtlety and precision of Mozart's writing is exposed. Nagano explores it with great maturity and refinement while the supporting quartet sounds expressive and full-bodied.