Imogen Cooper plays Mozart
You’ve had a close relationship with Royal Northern Sinfonia for many years. What are some of your highlights?
I have a longstanding and very cherished link with Royal Northern Sinfonia – in my mid twenties we played a concert in Kendal Parish Church with a 20-year-old Simon Rattle conducting. We had not met before, and Mozart K450 (Concerto No. 15) is not the easiest concerto. Long after, we both agreed that it was not our finest hour – but I remember the musicians being lovely, and tolerant of our slightly green efforts…!
Much more recently, my proudest memory is of making live recordings of six of the late Mozart concerti, with Bradley Creswick leading. His was such an invaluable presence, such a good energy and so focused and attentive. It is so vital to have an inspirational and popular leader, it is impossible for the keyboard soloist to take care of everything, and with Bradley I felt safe, and I think we all took wings – I listened recently to the great K482 in E flat (Concerto No. 22), and, if I may be immodest on all our behalfs, I was really thrilled.
You picked the piano we still use today in Sage One. What was that like?
While The Glasshouse, then The Sage, was being built, I was kept closely in the picture by Simon Clugston, and on more than one occasion went round the site in a hard hat with him as it took shape – it was very exciting. I was thrilled to choose a piano, and although very occasionally this can be hit-and-miss, as you choose an instrument in a different venue and in different conditions to where it is going to live, we definitely struck lucky here – the first notes I played on it, in the new Hall One, were special ones indeed for me.
What are you most looking forward to for this concert?
In our June 13 concert, I greatly look forward to renewing my musical friendship with Dinis Sousa, and also to having fun with Paul Lewis in the lovely Double Concerto (K365). The fact that the last great concerto, No. 27 (K595), follows after the interval is not exactly a hardship either! But above all I look forward to the fine and invigorating energy of the musicians around me!
