Customer Reviews

Mozart Symphonies 38 Through 41

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How many times have these works been recorded ? Far too many to easily count is the answer. Yet here, in beautiful SACD Stereo (apologies, I am a self-confessed stereophile), are invigorating new performances of works that have been recorded by all the best orchestras and conductors over the last 50 years.

There are three striking things about this release:

1. The magnificent playing of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra,
2. The inspired and thrilling conducting of Sir Charles Mackerras,and
3. The suburb Linn recording.

Linn, in a amazingly clever marketing move, issue all new releases on multi-format discs, so it doesn't matter what sort of equipment you have, you can play them and have them sound excellent. They are Direct Stream Digital recordings in both multi-channel and stereo SACD format, and HDCD as well. I know of no other record label being so generous (and clever). They are also very competitively priced.

Ultimately, it is the fresh interpretations of these works that will make you want to not only buy this set, but play these Symphonies again and again, with a new ear. Mackerras is truly one of the greatest conductors of Mozart. Here is a wonderful example of inspired partnership between orchestra, conductor and record company.

Thoroughly recommended.

What a great treasure Mozart has left us with these four symphonies. Bruno Walter's Columbia recording with the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York of symphony 41 has been a favorite since the fifties. Now I can also enjoy Mackerras' leading wonderful performances of four symphonies in detailed and spacious sound recordings. As an amateur instrumental play I must not comment above my pay grade, but these tempos seem just right. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra plays with great precision and musical feeling. Wonderful detail from all sections of the orchestra is brought out appropriately to contribute to the whole.
A particular pleasure in these performances is the great delicacy of playing from the musicians without loss of any dynamic range or emphasis required by the composer or the conductor. Heartily recommended.

Forget reading the reviews - get these CDs. All the superlatives in the language can't express the exquisite music that awaits you when you play these recordings. Superb musicians led by an astute conductor whose heart is in it, that is a given. No cerebral Mozart here. The size of the orchestra is just right to clearly display the color and instrumental lines to perfection. If one could hear what Mozart heard in his head when he composed these symphonies, this surely must be it. As to the recording, Telarc move over; there is a new company exceeding the quality of your product in spades. These are the best recordings I have ever heard, and I have heard a lot. I pray that Linn continues to produce these CDs. I am going to keep this short because I want to settle in and listen to these beautiful symphonies again. And again.

Such a wonderful recording! Mozart's symphonies, each of them its own jewel, must be handled lightly by modern orchestras. I don't know whether this orchestra is using authentic instruments from the era, or simply playing modern instruments in a more traditional, eighteenth-century manner, but the effect is so light and lyrical that I find myself falling in love with what I have always considered one of the least interesting musical eras.

I've never doubted Mozart's genius for a second, nor have I ever doubted Mackerras's interpretive ability, but the Classical era as a whole has never held my attention for long. Perhaps the thinner texture of the strings and the punctuation of the brass on this recording were enough to arouse my curiosity.

Here, Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra demonstrate a finely-rendered mastery of the last of Mozart's symphonies. These performances aren't just faithful and technically sound. The music is revitalized and transcendent. You can hear the composer working out the whole of the work from start to finish in his head, as he supposedly actually did. The musicians deserve high praise for what they've accomplished here, and this recording deserves to be in your collection.

Mackerras recorded all Mozart's symphonies for TELARC a few years back. That recording is still a prime recommendation for all those who want the full cycle of this works. More recently, he recorded again some of them for the Linn label and again he produced a very significant set of recordings. The approach Mackerras uses, compared to his TELARC recordings is basically the same, brisk tempos (without losing any clarity) and a lot of energy. The main difference, when comparing this last recordings to the previous ones, is the sound engineering. The TELARC recordings, good as they are, have certain limitations probably due to the advance in digital technology at that time. In this recording, we have the same interpretative goodies plus a much more clear sound. In fact, if you already own Mackerras previous recordings, I would strongly recommend to buy this one anyway. This "Jupiter" symphony goes straight to the top of my list for this work, finally someone managed to surpass Bernstein's recording with the VPO. In short, a disc not to be missed.

I've enjoyed Mackerras' mozart for a while now, having owned and enjoyed his Mozart symphony cycle with the Prague Chamber Orchestra for some time. One of my problems with that set was the somewhat disappointing, bottom-heavy sound, which I found robbed the music of its inherently songful quality. Still, I liked his interpretations, which offered a fresh, historically-informed view on Mozart using modern instruments. Here Mackerras has revised his approach, still using modern strings and winds, but period brass. Intriguing. So when I finally acquired an SACD player, I looked forward to hearing him again in improved sound. I was not disappointed.

I'd largely say Mackerras has improved upon his earlier versions of these symphonies, benefitting from superior recorded sound and execution from his Scottish forces. Tempi are still quick - this is driven Mozart that in many ways harkens back to Leinsdorf and Szell, while simultaneously looking forward - but he's learned to take a breath now and then. He still takes the slow introduction of No. 39 a little fast for my taste, but I find just about everything else here to be very musical and idiomatic. I would add that the period brass is a bit more forward mic'd, and it often adds excitement. Quite simply, there's not a dud in the bunch. I wouldn't say they're the best of the best - I've heard versions by conductors as varied as Bohm, Kubelik, Szell, Walter, Maag, Fricsay, Reiner and Klemperer which I'd rate higher, but everything here is consistently good across the board, and is superior sonically to any of the aforementioned recordings. Mackerras also takes all of the repeats, for those that care.

But onto the item that made this disc a real winner for me: the sound. If you happen to have an SACD player, this disc is an absolute must-have. In multichannel surround, it will quite literally knock your socks off. The double-basses, kettle drums, all that stuff that gets muddy on CDs? It's up front and in your face, prominent and defined like I've never heard before outside of a concert hall. You are unlikely to hear greater detail in the fugal finale of the Jupiter anywhere else, and the format really allows one to fully appreciate Mozart's total mastery of harmony and counterpoint in these, the crown jewels of his symphonic output. I've also listened to the standard CD layer, and I'm happy to report that the sound is still outstanding. I'll be keeping my eye out for Linn discs in the future, as this is one of the very best sounding SACDs I own. I'd also add that the packaging is fine, no crummy paper sleeves, and includes detailed and informative liner notes.

In short: this is a great disc, deserving of the many awards and accolades heaped on it. A strong recommendation from me, especially folks who have an SACD player at their disposal.

Excellent performances of Mozart symphonies abound. Bohm with the Berlin Philharmonic, Marriner with the smaller Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and Walter with the Columbia Symphony are just three examples, each with its own special appeal. These performances by Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (and the more recent ones of symphonies 29, 31, 32, 35, and 36) are certainly superb as well. Those of us accustomed to collecting several different perspectives on music we love will want to have the Linn versions, too. The SACD sound is glorious, and in these recordings it is also an example of the true benefit of SACD: the far greater sampling rate provides detail, clarity, and "air" around the music. To me, whether sound effects are coming from all directions is irrelevant. Give me pure, clear, defined two-channel, and I'm happy.

After reading the ecstatic reviews this set has received I decided to buy it so I could play it on my new SACD player. The reviews were accurate, and this set has immediately become my standard for these great works. It seems pointless to repeat all the praise concerning the excellence of the conducting, the orchestral work, and the superlative recorded sound. So I'll address a couple of issues raised by P. Hope, who quite correctly points out the fact that Mackerras makes all the repeats and that the brass sometimes swamps the rest of the orchestra. I noticed this second point primarily in the first movement of the Prague, but I didn't find it an issue elsewhere. I believe that when Mozart introduces the brass at full blast he means the music to sound somewhat raucus (like, say, the brass in Bach's third orchestral suite). If Mackerras overdoes it a bit, I still say that's better than overly timid brass. As to the first point, about repeats, these are the somewhat controversial repeats M makes, with a few comments.
1, the development and recapitulation repeats in the first movement of the Prague. OK, I could do without this one, but it's so splendidly done it just registers as "more Mozart," which is always a good thing. Listen, for example, to the wonderful shading of dynamics just before the recapitulation. One of my reasons for buying this set, by the way, was to get the sound of Rene Jacobs' hideous rendition out of my mind. Jacobs also makes the repeat; I quickly reached for the remote to move to the next, ludicrously fast, movement. I'm perfectly happy to hear M and his wonderful orchestra do it again.
2. Both repeats in the second movement of #40. Same as above.
3. Both repeats in the reprise of the minuet. This adds about a minute to the minuets. These are the finest minuets I know. I want all I can get.
4. Both repeats in the finale. Here I draw the line. These repeats are absolutely necessary if only to balance the weight of the opening movements. The repeat in #39 is absolutely essential because without it we miss the connection between the seven-note phrase that ends the symphony and the seven-note phrase that responds to it at the beginning of the development. I grew up with Bruno Walter's mono recording with the NY Phil. Walter, as usual, makes no repeats at all. The first time I heard the second section repeated I knew what I'd been missing.
I don't buy the argument about how in the old days the repeats were necessary because listeners were unfamiliar with the music, but now listeners are, so the repeats aren't necessary. To carry that atgument to its absurd extreme (I realize I'm not being fair), listeners are already familar with the music so they don't have to listen to it at all! After all, what's the difference between one or two hearings when you already know the music? So don't let repeats deter you. Just buy these wonderful discs.

These performances of Mozart's last four symphonies compare with the very best previous recordings. If you like your Mozart bracing with clear brass and woodwinds and breezy tempos, these discs should give immense satisfaction. If, however, your preference is for more traditional, Romantically inclined interpretations that emphasize heavier string sound with vibrato, you may want to look elsewhere. Note also that Mackerras takes all the repeats which makes some of the movements nearly double their familiar length. FYI, these discs were recently awarded BBC Music Magazine's Recording of the Year Award as well as the award for best orchestral performance.

You can find many recordings of theses symphonies, but the SCO and Mackerras is outstanding.
The sound of SCO is something different; fresh and new. Also is very different to BP, LSO and other big orchestras, but for Mozart is perfect.

About the Linn sound for SACD is amazing.

I will keep an eye on the Linn catalog.