Customer Reviews

Sinfonia Concertante K.297b & K.364

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Karl Bohm is regarded as one of the finest Mozart interpreters of the 20th century, and DG's remastered re-release of many of his 60s recordings has been a pleasure to listen to. He is known for his great love of Mozart, and he always treats these works with a wonderful combination of enthusiasm and reverence. Here for K. 364, the clear centerpiece of this CD, we see the same virtues on display, with moderate tempi, a bouyancy to the strings (the VPO was born to play Mozart with that golden string section), and the proper balance of stately air and lightness that is so important when playing these well-worn classics. As always, Bohm presents us with a wonderfully compliant and responsive accompaniment, and with a certain spaciousness which serves to underscore the simple complexity of Mozart's compositions. Bohm also has the benefit of soloists in both works who numbered among the VPO's first chairs, and this quickly becomes clear when one realizes the conductor, orchestral forces and soloists all share the same vision of the work. The performers and conductor can be said to be in complete service of Mozart's music, playing these works idiomatically and allowing Mozart's music to shine through. This is quite simply one of the finest renditions of this mature Mozart work. K. 297 is an interesting piece I'm not all that familiar with, and it isn't bad but to my mind lacks character, but then the solo instruments here really place a limit on the orchestral framework that can be presented. I think I'll need to listen to it a few more times before I get a real understanding of it. Nevertheless it is well-played and interesting enough. This disc gets 5-stars however because of the radiant account of the Sinfonia Concertante. As an alternative I would also recommend looking at the Zukerman/Perlman/Mehta/IPO recording of K.364, also on DG and available in digital sound. There is also a fine recording of the work with Grumiaux/Pelliccia/Davis/LSO available as part of a Philips Duo release featuring Mozart's Violin Concertos. But really for me, Bohm is the epitome of what a Mozart interpreter should be. I would recommend any seasoned Mozart listener to give this a listen, as well as any of Bohm's other Mozart recordings you can get your hands on, including his complete Symphonies package (which is a great bargain), his 2fer with Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and serenades, his release with the Clarinet Concerto & other wind concerti, his disc of famous Overtures, his rendition of Piano Concertos 10 & 27 with Emil Gilels, and 19 & 23 with Pollini. All of these discs save the last have been re-mastered using DGs Original Image Bit Processing, and sound better than they have in any other CD incarnation. Highest recommendation.

Bohm demonstrates on this recording just what a masterful Mozart interpreter he was. With the Berlin Philharmonic in superb form & excellent recording this is one not to miss. Go for it!

This is real essential recording for every Mozart collector. Those are the best heavenly played performances of those two mozart works. Bravo Maestro Böhm!!

How many definitive performances are there in Mozart discography? There's fewer than one would have thought: Brain in Mozart: Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4; Gilels in Mozart: Piano Concerto No.27; Concerto For Two Pianos K.365; Schubert: Fantasie D. 940 [Germany]; Giulini in Mozart: Don Giovanni (Great Recordings of the Century); Bohm in Mozart: Così fan tutte ~ Bohm; Grumiaux in the String Quintets and the great Divertimento Mozart: Complete String Quintets and arguably Uchida in Mozart: The Piano Sonatas [Box Set].

Mister Perahia, please stay in your seat!

But there is one more.

There are better K 364s around (for instance, hunt down the Oistrakh x 2 BPO recording on EMI Brahms: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia) but this disc is cherishable for the February 1966 recording of the Sinfonia Concertante, K 297b - which is definitive.

This work has a problematic history. While it has long been attributed to Mozart, over the last 50 years or so scholars have rightly questioned the link. To my mind, yep, someone tinkered with it structurally, not least in the first movement where there are some oddities. Even so, there is a 'hard rocky core' of magic in this work, and if Mozart did not compose the original conception then someone of like-talent did.

Listen to the opening of the slow movement - God gave us ears to hear such things. Bohm, the Berlin Phil and their soloists are superlative.

Get it.

this is repetoire we know Bohm is best in...for some reason he has the right tempi and balances always...this is among one of the finest ever done...it beats the old Ormandy by a mile.

If you want arguably the best recording of one of his best pieces- this is it.