Mozart: The Symphonies (Nos 1-41, plus 27 other symphonic works) /AAM * Schroder * Hogwood [Box set]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Artist), The Academy of Ancient Music (Artist), Christopher Hogwood (Artist), Jaap Schroder (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 19
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000004CYS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #138,268 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A milestone set, and worthy of all praise, April 28, 2004

By 

R. Lane (Tracy, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mozart: The Symphonies (Nos 1-41, plus 27 other symphonic works) /AAM * Schroder * Hogwood (Audio CD)

In the 1970s, the Hungarian conductor Antal Dorati recorded all of the 104 symphonies of Franz Joseph Haydn (Amazon asin # B0000042DP). The era of "epic" integral collections was ignited. Many thought the vast majority of Haydn's symphonies would be boring, cookie-cutter works rolled out in almost assembly-line fashion. But Dorati, with excellent help from the Haydn scholar H. C. Robbins Landon, would disprove all of that, and show that there is not a dud in the whole collection. And Dorati's readings have stood the test of time.

Dorati's achievement marked the beginning of an ea that in the next 2 decades would see complete integral sets of the works of every major composer, culminating ultimately in the 1980s with Phiips complete Mozart Edition.

Shortly after Dorati finished his massive project, the Academy of Ancient Music embarked on a complete traversal of all of the "symphonies" of Mozart on period instruments, the currently reviewed item. Not just the traditional 41, but also many lesser know works. More fascinating music was unearthed. But, the milestone of this set is not the discovery of forgotten masterpieces. That had become a common daily occurence. It was the period instrument movement instead that was set free by Hogwood's achievement. With this project, Hogwood did for period instruments what Dorati did for integral cycles of lesser known works. The period instrument movement had been around for a long time. But it never quite could hit "mainstream" until Hogwood made these recordings. And ever since, period instruments have flourished.

There are better recordings of many of the works in this set, both on period instruments and conventional instruments. But the consistency that runs through the set brings an appreciation for Mozart's Symphonies that is unparallelled.

The set is competitively priced, the sound is very good throughout, there is decent documentation.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fiery Precision, December 26, 2000

By 

carlca (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart: The Symphonies (Nos 1-41, plus 27 other symphonic works) /AAM * Schroder * Hogwood (Audio CD)

Typical for this ensemble, it doesn't get any better than this. these players clearly show their love for this music. They exhibit their hearts, souls and minds by making music that is crisp and exiting. They have a wonderful precision, yet they manage to bring out the real fire present in all of Mozart's symphonies, (even the earliest). And they manage to maintain this high quality consistently through ALL of those 40+ symphonies, (as they indeed do with all the composers I've heard them tackle, including Haydn and Beethoven). And, as if that weren't enough, they make a wondrous thing even better by taking ALL of Mozart's REPEATS!

Also--this single-box packaging and pricing is unbelievable....

One additional note: If you are generally turned off by "original instruments" groups, please know that they come in all qualities, good and bad--and that this is one of the very best, so give it a try!

Yes, I'm empassioned. I've been listeing to this set for 16 years, and, while I own and greatly enjoy other performances of these works, I always have to come back to these.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars stunning sound, superb attention to detail, December 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Mozart: The Symphonies (Nos 1-41, plus 27 other symphonic works) /AAM * Schroder * Hogwood (Audio CD)

This box set is an extraordinary addition to a person's collection. The AAM and Hogwood make every effort to recreate these works as Mozart would have heard them. The period instruments create a balance which is frequently lost in performances by larger "modern" symphony orchestras. The sound is superb (no scratchy, harsh sound which is sometimes heard on other "period" recordings). The AAM closely follow the original scores, and what surfaces is a true 18th century interpretation of the symphony. Yes, Mozart's final symphonies were more "serious" in nature and musical complexity. But as the excellent liner notes remind us, symphonies during Mozart's lifetime had not yet reached the epic proportions (both in orchestra size and weight of material) they would shortly attain during the Romantic period. Many of the symphonies here are shorter pieces designed to open and close concerts, not the weighty compositions many listeners associate with symphonies. The AAM's approach to this music is near perfect. I give this set the highest of recommendations!