Collections of Mozart symphonies

[Ferretfancy]

Well, most of you people here know my views on Mozart. But and this is a big but I came across the recordings by Sir Charles Mackerras and the SCO, asnd i was actually bowled over by them. Not that I am a WAM convert, he is still of an anaethma to me, but these recordings came across quite different to me.

Try to have a listen to Mackerras's earlier recordings with the Prague Chamber Orchestra. I think they are better, and I like the sound more as well. In a very old fashioned way, and probably to the horror of some, I rather enjoy the late Mozart recordings by Bruno Walter. I know they are so wrong in many places, but his love for the music is in every bar.

[Roehre]

....Not that I am a WAM convert, he is still of an anathema to me,....

makes two of us

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I know they are so wrong in many places,

You don't have to feel guilty, just because the few extremists who jump on the HIPP bandwagon tell you it's wrong. It isn't wrong. It's just different.

[Rolmill]

I generally prefer more modern, light-footed performances, but was bowled over by the LPO/Boult performance of no.41 contained in the "From Bach to Wagner" box. I like SCO/Mackerras generally, but thought the first set (nos. 38 - 41) was more successful than its sequel (29, 31, 32, 35, 36). Actually, for 39 and 40 my favourite is Sinfonia Varsovia/Menuhin, with English Sinfonia/Groves my choice for 31 and 38 and SCO/Saraste for 35 and 36. I don't have any of the early (pre-no.29) symphonies, so will keep an eye out for the Pinnock set.

[Ferretfancy]

You don't have to feel guilty, just because the few extremists who jump on the HIPP bandwagon tell you it's wrong. It isn't wrong. It's just different.

Eine Alpensinfonie

I don't feel guilty about Bruno, but I can recognise that some of his tempi are too slow, a bit sentimental, a bit con amore Barbirolli style. Nice just the same.

[Roehre]

You don't have to feel guilty, just because the few extremists who jump on the HIPP bandwagon tell you it's wrong. It isn't wrong. It's just different.

(applies to Mahler 9/Norrington as well, btw )

[richardfinegold]

Nice thread, EA. I'm with you as far as being an "old fogey" and tending to reject the manic tempos and vibratoless playing of HIP performance here. I have the Hogwood recordings and they are tolerable. My preferences for the late symphonies are Wand, Szell, and Klemperer (the AntiChrist of HIP Style).
Also worth checking out is Suitner on Berlin Classics.

[Barbirollians]

I like the Mackerras/SCO records and Menuhin's late symphonies with the Sinfonia Varsova . The 1950s Klemperer performances are superb.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I am still debating whether to plump for Mackerras on Linn, which I've heard via Spotify. Very beefy accounts but perhaps too muscular? Are the brass and timps supposed to overwhelm as they do in these recordings?

Thropplenoggin: for me there's a very big difference in recording quality between the two Linn Mackerras sets. The first one with the later symphonies inc 40/41 does have very strong brass, which I love, but this is not the case to my ears in the other set, which I therefore enjoy a teenzy bit less.

But the speeds and style of all these performances sound very right to me, with a lot of inner-part detail (not just brass!) coming through strongly which I hadn't heard before even in HIPP and chamber orch (Tate) recordings. If you don't like strong brass try first the 2nd set with the earlier symphs, and if that suits take a gamble with the other one. I do hope they do hit the spot!

[richardfinegold]

Thropplenoggin: for me there's a very big difference in recording quality between the two Linn Mackerras sets. The first one with the later symphonies inc 40/41 does have very strong brass, which I love, but this is not the case to my ears in the other set, which I therefore enjoy a teenzy bit less.

But the speeds and style of all these performances sound very right to me, with a lot of inner-part detail (not just brass!) coming through strongly which I hadn't heard before even in HIPP and chamber orch (Tate) recordings. If you don't like strong brass try first






the 2nd set with the earlier symphs, and if that suits take a gamble with the other one. I do hope they do hit the spot!

I am listening to the Mackerras recording of 29 right now, inspired by this thread, and i agree with the above. The balances on this set are just plain odd; strings are recessed, winds pierce, brass is muddy and indistinct but occasionally braying Very surprising for the Linn label, but everyone can have an off day.

[Thropplenoggin]

Thanks, LMP and Richard. I've read such things regarding the difference in sound quality between the two releases on these boards before (perhaps even from yourselves?!) Yet no mention of it in the magazine reviews and elsewhere online (for example, inthe linked review below). How come? I know Mackerras was in his dotage at this time, but the fault lies with Linn and not the conductor, surely? As a potential purchaser, the sonics are very important to me, especially since Linn pride themselves on this!!

--

I don't yet own a copy of 35 'Haffner' and 36 'Linz', as my Pinnock Mozart symphonies were acquired piecemeal s/h via the original releases, not the box set, and these two symphonies were only released on a single disc in Japan.

Earlier in the thread Rolmill mentioned Jukka-Pekka Saraste/Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Virgin Classics), and I'm listening to it now. This is a real bargain: £5.13 new from the 'tax dodgers' for 32, 35, 36, 39, 41. There's a review here: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/...lbum_id=560039

I just wondered if anyone else had 'lived' with these versions for a while and how they hold up?



p.s. Hosts, Mods, FF - is it possible to have "strikethrough" added alongside the Bold/Italics/Underline buttons?

[amateur51]

Thanks, LMP and Richard. I've read such things regarding the difference in sound quality between the two releases on these boards before (perhaps even from yourselves?!) Yet no mention of it in the magazine reviews and elsewhere online (for example, inthe linked review below). How come? I know Mackerras was in his dotage at this time, but the fault lies with Linn and not the conductor, surely?

He may have been elderly but Sir Chas was never in his dotage Throppers - kept working right to the end and achieved great results

[Thropplenoggin]

He may have been elderly but Sir Chas was never in his dotage Throppers - kept working right to the end and achieved great results

A rare lexical misunderstanding on my part, Ams: I had thought it meant 'advanced old age' not 'weakness or infirmity due to old age'.

[amateur51]

A rare lexical misunderstanding on my part, Ams: I had thought it meant 'advanced old age' not 'weakness or infirmity due to old age'.

Verstimmt, Throppers

Sir Chas might have been highly amused

[Stanfordian]

As long as you don't want period instrument performances you can't go wrong with the recording of of the Mozart Symphonies No's 35/41 (without No. 37) with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Karl Böhm on Deutsche Grammophon.

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Symph...4377015&sr=1-1