Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35, 36, 38- 41

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Karl Böhm (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Karl Böhm
• Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Audio CD (January 23, 1996)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000001GQB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,428 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but not as good as the Amazon hype, December 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35, 36, 38- 41 (Audio CD)

I was surprised to see these recordings praised as long and loud as they are at this site. Truth be told Bohm's Mozart symphonies are widely considered to be very good, but are rarely touted as the very best recordings of these works. After listening to them I would have to agree with the general consensus in the music world--very good, but not necessarily the best.

They are indeed beautifully played and recorded (who would guess the recordings date back to the 50s and 60s!), but tempi are sometimes too slow, particularly in the opening allegro of number 39 and throughout number 40, making the music sound too objective and studied. The orchestral textures are also somewhat weighty, which at times makes the music sound at lot like Beethoven (although not as much as Karajan with the same orchestra makes them sound), and repeats are seldom observed.

My opinion (and certainly not everyone will agree) is that Mozart sounds best with a slightly smaller orchestra and at brisker tempi. Under such circumstances the genius of Mozart is more infectious and elegant, and it is easier to let the music carry you along. Marriner with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (on EMI, Phillips, and Decca) and Wordsworth on Naxos are two fine examples of this approach to the symphonies. They both use modern instruments, so the strings sound fuller than recordings using period instruments, but the leaner orchestral textures sound more appropriate for Mozart. Tempi are somewhat brisk but never too fast. Wordsworth's recordings of 36, 38, and 39 are especially nice, while Marriner's versions of 25, 29, 40, and 41 are standouts.

When choosing among the best recordings of the best in classical music, there are usually many fine options from which to choose, and the Mozart symphonies are certainly no exception. Choosing one's favorite recording(s) will essentially be a subjective and personal decision. Bohm is certainly a fine choice, and so are Walter, Abbado, and Bernstein for a slower, weightier approach, while Marriner, Wordsworth, and Britten are excellent from a different perspective. Szell would probably fall somewhere in the middle, but only 35, 40, and 41 are available from him. And if that isn't enough, recordings using period instruments are now all the rage. So don't take the Bohm recordings as the be all and end all of the Mozart symphonies. Sample other great recordings to see which suit you best.

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars STILL THRILLING.... AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, November 14, 2000

By 

Melvyn M. Sobel "Melvyn M. Sobel" (Freeport, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35, 36, 38- 41 (Audio CD)

Having owned Bohm's complete traversal of Mozart's forty-one symphonies (in two separate boxed sets released by DG--- DGG, back then--- over thirty years ago), and having relinquished them during my LP-to-CD changeover, I was delighted by this surprise, mid-price reissue. Frankly, I had forgotten just how Mozartian Bohm is, how clean and clear--- like a breath of spring air--- and as downright refreshing; yet, too, how sensitive he is to the myriad nuances of these works. His is a pure energy, a pure depth that comes from wisdom, not show. Bohm conducts focused, dedicated, immersed--- and these symphonies appear to us miraculously renewed, classically shining. No doubt about it: these are performances borne out of love. So simpatico is Bohm's approach to Mozart, I hesitate to even call them "performances." More likely, each is a devotional.

[Running time--- CD 1: 67:57 CD 2: 78:55]

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the finest recordings of Mozart's greatest symphonies, May 16, 2001

By 

John Kwok (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35, 36, 38- 41 (Audio CD)

After hearing fine interpretations from the likes of Bernstein, Karajan, and Kubelik, Bohm's readings of Mozart's last symphonies remain imposing, worthy of recognition as the best in a crowded field of recordings. No late 20th Century conductor has been as successful as Bohm in conveying the drama as well as lyricism present in Mozart's greatest symphonies. I doubt I have heard the Berlin Philharmonic play these symphonies with such elegance, warmth and technical precision. These recordings are among the highlights in a complete Mozart symphony cycle which Bohm and the Berlin Philharmonic recorded during the 1960's. If I'm not mistaken, this was the first Mozart symphony cycle recorded in stereo. The sound quality is impressive with the latest image bit digital remastering.