K. 41, Piano Concerto No. 4

I thought that some may have gotten sick of my Zaide rants, so I thought I’d get back on the Köchel for a spell. Piano Concerto No. 4. I have already mentioned that the first four were redoings of other works, so what shall I say about K. 41? I thought this would be a fun piece to listen intently to the work in both the harpsichord and piano. I had done that with the others, but maybe I’ll offer a troglodytian analysis on this one.

Clearly, if the work is to be a concerto, I’d say you’d have to use the piano. Harpsichord blends with the orchestra too much. A good concerto needs a quibble. The solo and the orchestra should be separate characters. And, the extra range of emotion you can pump out from the Piano--no wonder they switched after it was invented.   

The first movement was not as impactful between the harpsichord and the piano. In fact, the harpsichord might add the ‘bounding excitingly up a set of architecturally magnificent stairs’ aura. The second movement, however, is where the hammer strikes the emotional strings better than the pluck. Softer emotion needs a softer edge. A sound the harpsichord can’t caress.  The movement sings the song of the spirit that has given up, surrendered to life’s lot.

With the third movement, I don’t know if my tone-deafness just can’t hear the notes, or what. But, the harpsichord seems like as flurry a henish pecks. Whereas a hard piano strike and a softer touch at other times, give the up-paced movement that variety of emotions. It declares triumphantly, “I am going through this battle, but I’m going to win it.”

Listen to the Harpsichord version.
Listen to the Piano version.