Prima Facie Records

Trefor Smith plays Mozart (PFDL019)

Trefor Smith, piano

Available on Amazon Music | Apple Music | Spotify

1-3 Mozart Sonata kv284

I Allegro [5:40]
II Rondeau en polonaise - Andante [5:19]
III Theme and variations [18:50]

4-6 Mozart Sonata kv309

I Allegro con spirito [6:06]
II Andante un poco adagio [7:36]
III Rondo - Allegretto grazioso [6:55]

About this Album

This is the first of a series of recordings made by Trefor Smith for Prima Facie with producer Steve Plews.

“These two inexplicably rarely performed piano sonatas by Mozart were composed in 1775 (D Major) and 1777 (C major). The C major’s Köchel number is occasionally quoted as K 284b, i.e. coupled to the D major. They both belong to the “Mannheimer” sonatas, which Mozart composed there after a lengthy concert tour to Paris. An small curiosity: the D major sonata was originally dedicated to one Herr von “Dürnitz”. Mozart, however, later withdrew the dedication.” (Trefor Smith)

Credits

Recorded by Steve Plews at Holy Trinity Church, Hereford, on a Steinway D piano
Edited and mastered by Phillip Schulz
Piano tuned and maintained by Philip Kennedy

Trefor Smith was born and grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, of half-Scots, half-Welsh heritage. He received his first piano lessons at the age of 6 and later started to compose, wishing to become a composer. From 1966-71 he studied music and composition at Aberdeen and Liverpool Universities where his leaning towards piano rather than composition became apparent. At the same time he pursued piano studies with Prof. George Hadjinikos in Manchester. He continued these studies until 1973 in his class at the Royal Manchester College of Music where he received his Performer’s diploma. In the same year he moved to Hamburg in Germany to continue piano studies under Prof. Eliza Hansen at the Musikhochschule in Hamburg and concluded his time there with the prestigious Konzertexamen. In 1979 he was invited to the demanding Beethoven course given by Wilhelm Kempff in Positano/Italien. He also studied for a time with Paul Badura-Skoda in Essen, Hans Leygraf in Salzburg and with Vlado Perlemuter in Paris. Trefor Smith has appeared in almost all Western European countries, as well as in Poland, Russia, India, and Turkey, and for several years has performed regularly in many parts of the USA. He has made numerous recordings for radio as well as for CDs.