BaL 22.10.22 - Mozart: Symphony no. 31 in D "Paris" (K.297)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30 a.m.
Building a Library
Simon Heighes with his pick of recordings of Mozart's sparkling and tuneful Symphony no 31 in D, nicknamed the 'Paris' Symphony

Available versions:-

Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado *
English Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Sir Thomas Beecham *
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham
Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm *
Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm (DVD)
Musikkollegium Winterthur, Douglas Boyd *
Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Brüggen
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Sylvian Camberling *
Nova Filarmonia Portuguesa, Alvaro Cassuto *
Staatskapelle Dresden, Sir Colin Davis *
Danish National Chamber Orchestra, Adam Fischer (SACD)
English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
London Mozart Players, Jane Glover *
Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie, Reinhard Goebel *
Freiburger Barockorchester, Gottfried von der Goltz *
Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Hans Graf *
English Sinfonia, Sir Charles Groves
Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Leopold Hager
Hida-Takayama Virtuoso Orchestra *
Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood *
Mainzer Kammerorchester, Gunter Kehr *
Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman *
London Symphony Orchestra, Josef Krips
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Josef Krips (SACD)
Royal Philharmonic of London, Erich Leinsdorf *
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Ferdinand Leitner
Wiener Philharmoniker, James Levine
Cappella Coloniensis, Ulf Bjorlin, Hans-Martin Linde *
Mozart Akademie Amsterdam, Jaap ter Linden
Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Peter Maag
Prague Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner *
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux, Jean Martinon *
Cologne Chamber Orchestra, Helmut Muller-Bruhl *
Klassische Philharmonie Stuttgar, Karl Münchinger
Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, John Nelson *
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Sir Roger Norrington
New York Philharmonic, Antonio Pappano *
Salzburg Camerata Academica, Bernhard Paumgartner *
English Concert, Trevor Pinnock
Südwestfunk-Orchester Baden-Baden, Hans Rosbaud
Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Ignat Solzhenitsyn *
Dresden Staatskapelle, Otmar Suitner *
English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
Capella Istropolitana, Barry Wordsworth

* = download only

[gradus]

Good to see Beecham's recording listed still.

[smittims]

Yes, in my view no-one has revealed the vitality and charm of this symphony, both qualities I imagine Mozart wanted, so well as Sir Thomas.

His 1938 and 1951 recordings, both made in Studio One at Abbey Road, exhibit these qualities. But inevitably, a 'first choice' will need to be in modern sound. I'd say Abbado is a strong contender.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes, in my view no-one has revealed the vitality and charm of this symphony, both qualities I imagine Mozart wanted, so well as Sir Thomas.

His 1938 and 1951 recordings, both made in Studio One at Abbey Road, exhibit these qualities. But inevitably, a 'first choice' will need to be in modern sound. I'd say Abbado is a strong contender.

Of the recordings I have (Marriner, Bohm, Beecham x 2, Levine), the 1951 RPO/Beecham is me preferred version, though Marriner has many of the same qualities. Bohm, on the other hand, seems very dull indeed in the finale.

The composer's own description of the work's premiere is enlightening: a large orchestra, but with constant interruptions from the audience, even when the music was being played.

[smittims]

Neville Marriner sems to me to have had a remarkable instinct for tempo in Mozart, especially in transitions from one tempo to another. I always feel confident when I hear him conducting.

Yes, that Mozart letter about audience reaction is a useful light on the subject of in-work applause. Yesterday I came across a 'Times' review from 1912 of a 'Hammerklavier' played by Frederic Lamond, then revered as a Beethoven specialist, regretting the applause and even admitting of latecomers between the movements. It seems difficult to find a date when it became unacceptable.

[Mal]

Neville Marriner sems to me to have had a remarkable instinct for tempo in Mozart, especially in transitions from one tempo to another. I always feel confident when I hear him conducting.

Yes, that Mozart letter about audience reaction is a useful light on the subject of in-work applause. Yesterday I came across a 'Times' review from 1912 of a 'Hammerklavier' played by Frederic Lamond, then revered as a Beethoven specialist, regretting the applause and even admitting of latecomers between the movements. It seems difficult to find a date when it became unacceptable.

The Third Ear reviewer says, "this was an important work for Mozart, who was trying to take advantage of the Parisian love for big effects and large ensembles; any recording that shrinks it to chamber size must be ignored..." He points to Marriner as an example to be ignored - but I totally disagreed in the margin! Marriner was my favourite choice, and I dismissed 3Es choice, and "big band exemplar", of Klemperer! Some years since I listened to this piece, I'll try Klemperer & Marriner back to back to see if I still think the same way.

[Mal]

Yes, in my view no-one has revealed the vitality and charm of this symphony, both qualities I imagine Mozart wanted, so well as Sir Thomas.

His 1938 and 1951 recordings, both made in Studio One at Abbey Road, exhibit these qualities. But inevitably, a 'first choice' will need to be in modern sound. I'd say Abbado is a strong contender.

The Third Ear reviewer agree with you about Beecham: "No sense of bloated occasion... uptempo, feisty, and brilliantly executed..." It's been re-mastered by Dutton, who usually do a good job. (Dutton 5008 - the 1930s take...). Third ear is rather critical of Abbado: "like getting clobbered by a teacher who is trying to drill a lesson into you over and over".

[Parry1912]

Hogwood for me

[smittims]

Yes, I shall revisit Hogwood's recording when I can. His records of the early symphonies were a revelation to me and helped me rediscover Mozart when I had stopped listening for years.

[richardfinegold]

I like Hogwood, but the Krips/Concertgebouw radiates geniality.

[smittims]

I think that's the first uncomplimentary remark I've seen about Claudio Abbado in over fifty years! Clearly I need to get out more...

And I now see that there's an alternative slow movement , which Mozart wrote to please Joseph le Gros, the director of the Concerts Spirituels. The plot thickens...

[MickyD]

Yes, I shall revisit Hogwood's recording when I can. His records of the early symphonies were a revelation to me and helped me rediscover Mozart when I had stopped listening for years.

Same for me - I remember the excitement generated when those first boxes of LPs came out, they were being played a lot in record stores in central London. We've got so used to period orchestras now, but at the time, they sounded so very different.

[smittims]

Look at the list of personnel of the Hogwood / Schroeder band circa 1980. It's like a roll-call of the period instrument movement, with several players who went on to lead celebrated ensembles of their own. Pioneers, O Pioneers!

[Bryn]

Look at the list of personnel of the Hogwood / Schroeder band circa 1980. It's like a roll-call of the period instrument movement, with several players who went on to lead celebrated ensembles of their own. Pioneers, O Pioneers!

For early HIPP, the Hogwood/Schroeder is also my premium choice but I would add the later HIPP-inspired SCO/Mackerras. I see that Böhm gets top place in amazon .co.uk average customer reviews. Perhaps I should get that down off the shelf and give it a rare spin.

[MickyD]

Look at the list of personnel of the Hogwood / Schroeder band circa 1980. It's like a roll-call of the period instrument movement, with several players who went on to lead celebrated ensembles of their own. Pioneers, O Pioneers!

Yes indeed, I feel very lucky to have been working in London at that period - I went to nearly every concert small and large given by those players following their progress, often in churches such as St George's Hanover Square and St James' Piccadilly. I was also fortunate in being invited to several of the AAM recording sessions. Happy days!