Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414:
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Rondeau. Allegretto

Dmitri Shostakovich:
Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and String Orchestra Op. 35:
I. Allegro moderato
II. Lento
III. Moderato
IV. Allegro con brio
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B Minor, Op. 61:
I. Allegretto
II. Largo
III. Moderato

In this captivating album, pianist Saskia Giorgini explores the porous boundaries between chamber music and concerto, weaving a nuanced narrative that connects Mozart’s lyrical elegance with Shostakovich’s biting wit. Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major, KV 414, originally conceived for both orchestra and string quartet, reveals its intimate side in this chamber setting its melodic grace and quiet complexity enriched by subtle interplay. In contrast, Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 1 for Piano, Trumpet, and Strings bursts with irony and theatrical flair, shifting from parody to poignancy in a flash. The album closes with Shostakovich’s Piano Sonata No. 2, a work of stark introspection and formal ingenuity. Written in 1943 and dedicated to his late teacher Leonid Nikolayev, the Sonata carries a subtle, tragic undercurrent as it moves between baroque clarity, melancholic lyricism, and quietly defiant modernism offering a deeply personal counterpoint to the extroverted brilliance of the concerto. Together, these works trace a lineage of innovation, where form, function, and emotion collide delivering music that is as emotionally compelling as it is stylistically daring. A pianist of exceptional depth and imagination, Saskia Giorgini, brings her signature refinement to every phrase. Her acclaimed discography with PENTATONE includes Liszt’s Harmonies poétiques et religieuses (Diapason d’or, 2021) and Consolations (Gramophone Critics’ Choice 2023), both hailed for their poetic insight and technical brilliance. She has also collaborated with tenor Ian Bostridge on celebrated recordings of Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin (2020), Respighi Songs (2021), and Twilight Schumann Songs (2025). This release also marks the PENTATONE debut of trumpeter Per Ivarsson, while the Trondheim Soloists return to the label following two previous recordings: Transfigured Night – Haydn/Schoenberg (2018) with Alisa Weilerstein, and Haydn & Stamitz (2020) with Ana de la Vega and Ramón Ortega Quero. With this new album, Giorgini once again confirms her status as one of today’s most compelling and versatile pianists.

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This album was recorded live at Stormen Konserthus in Bodo, Norway, between 28-31 May 2025.