Customer Reviews

Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41 "Jupiter"

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As I have posted in my review of the 11 disc symphonies set, no's 40 and 41 seem very thin to my ear. In fact, the timpani sound like someone "plumping a pillow" off stage. I do not equate clear sound with well balanced sound if the proper dynamic range does not acompany it. Really wish the sound was better for these excellent performances.

Follow-on Aug 11, 2005: To be fair to this single disc, I have assumed above that this version has not been remastered over that presented in the boxed set.

This disc Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41 "Jupiter" is widely recommended in the various review guides-and rightly so. I am not a great fan of the later Mozart symphonies, but this disc might make me change my mind.
The Archiv engineers have produced great sound here, but the honours go to Pinnock and his orchestra for what must be the finest performances of these works. Well worth the outlay.

When I ordered this Pinnock CD, it was after reading reviews in Gramophone and on these pages. What I didnt pay attention to was that it referred to a lone CD (the only one released separately) of the 11 disk set of Mozart Symphonies. Gramophone's choice, was in fact, to a more restricted set of Symphonies Nos. 31 -41 on Archiv (now out of print?). That there are 18 reviews of the 11-disk set in Amazon.com and only two (previous to this) on this disk should be saying something. What is the mistake? -the quality of the recording/remastering although it is a 1995 performance recorded DDD. It has a poor scratchy sound. No. 40 is difficult to get through but No.41 sounds much better. The recordings are on original instruments and it is unbelievable that the royal courts had tin ears if this CD is a representative of that sound. Perhaps it was not remastered. This recording - or that of the full set - is not for a starter. After Bohm, Gardiner, Marriner and Abbado have been digested, perhaps one should attempt the Pinnock set.

Without a doubt this fine CD is an excellent example from Trevor Pinnock's 1990's Mozart symphony cycle with the English Consort. The sound quality is absolutely first rate, especially for the fine, rich tone of the strings and winds. Although it won't replace my beloved recordings of these symphonies conducted by the likes of Bernstein and especially, Bohm, Pinnock demonstrates that he is also a first-rate interpreter of Mozart. Not surprisingly, the tempi tend to be a bit brisk, and the inclusion of the harpsichord is most definitely an intriguing addition to Pinnock's period instrument ensemble. For those wishing to forego Deutsche Grammophon's 11 CD set compilation of Pinnock's Mozart symphony cycle, then this CD will be an attractive, inexpensive alternative.