Mozart Symphonies

Started by Mandryka, September 26, 2011, 09:49:57 AM

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Mandryka

#20
Quote from: DieNacht on October 09, 2011, 01:15:11 AM
The combination of Mozart´s 40th and Scherchen sounds intriguing ... Own the 29th and 35th with the VPO on a poorly transferred German budget CD (rec. 1950 ?; TIM The 20th Century Maestros 204563-308, together with some Rosbaud etc.).

The 29th I didn´t find anything interesting in, perhaps excluding the finale - very slow and rather dull playing.

The 35th has Scherchen in a slightly weird, funny if sometimes imprecise mood generally, especially in the 1st and 4th movements, and is more interesting ...

Overall I prefer either markedly gracious or a Romantically coloured, Beethoven-like Mozart symphonies.
Don´t own that many recordings; but exemplified in Britten/decca or Harnoncourt/CtGeb in no.29, Karajan/EMI and Harnoncourt/CtGeb in no.35, and Karajan/EMI, Britten/decca and Harnoncourt/CtGeb in no.40.
Walter cbs-sony are good also, of course.

I'll send it to you. There's a very good Haydn 48 on the same CD I think.

One quite interesting 40 is Kocsis with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra on BMC. Another good recent one is Brueggen with the two orchestras.  Furtwangler and Casals and Klemperer are good in it also, especially Klemperer (this is one of his greatest achievements I would say -- an amazing interpretation.)  I like Harnoncourt too: try to hear his 39 with the CGB -- it's very powerful and unique, as distinctive in its own way as Jacobs' 41. No slapstick though. His Prague on DVD with VCM  is one of my favourite performances of that symphony for sure.



Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Josquin des Prez

#21
Quote from: eyeresist on September 29, 2011, 05:33:02 PM
I didn't much take to Kertesz in the symphonies for some reason

Kertesz takes a more relaxed approach on the symphonies, that might be it. They are still magnificently interpreted. He also recorded a very good Clemenza.

Bogey

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Roberto

Quote from: Mandryka on October 09, 2011, 02:23:55 AM
One quite interesting 40 is Kocsis with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra on BMC.
And there is an exciting Symphony No. 25 in G minor on it too!

alkan

I am very happy with the Barenboim/ECO recodings.     Despite their age (recorded in the late 60's I think), the sound is excellent, and the music is beautifully played and recorded.   I find the young Barenboim's interpretations to be lively and sensitive.   An excellent collection IMHO.
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Geo Dude

I'll throw my lot in behind Mackerras, but be warned, if you're used to classic recordings the second movement may seem to drag a bit due to him not omitting the repeats.

Leon

I have found that the Hogwood is my go-to set, but for the last six I also like MacKerras - and the hopefully soon to be completed Rene Jacobs recordings.  I have been accumulating Pinnock's traversal piecemeal, very slowly, and have not actually heard any of it - but expect that one to be a fair contender.

As far as MI performance, Böhm and Jaap Ter Linden are what I have, and a very old recording from Marlboro of Casals leading a student band of the last six, which is interesting but a transfer from LPs that were not in the greatest shape due to too much playing when I was younger and that box was my only set.

:)

Mandryka

#27
Quote from: Roberto on October 24, 2011, 11:32:41 PM
And there is an exciting Symphony No. 25 in G minor on it too!

You sound as though you're enjoying that CD! Great.

There's another wonderful 25/41 combo which I love -- a live one from Norrington and the Stuttgart RSO on Haenssler

http://www.haenssler-classic.de/detailansicht/titel/essential-symphonies-vol-i/120779/120779/120779.html

I've not listened to the one with 40 yet but I will do. all on spotify.


Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Roberto

#28
Quote from: Mandryka on October 26, 2011, 01:15:41 AM
You sound as though you're enjoying that CD! Great.
Yes in spite of I am rather a HIPster. But Kocsis is great Mozart-conductor (I've shown him the day before yesterday conducting a great Requiem with Hungarian Philharmonic).
But I am thinking about these 2 complete sets: Mackerras/PCO (which is not HIP but sounds great) and Pinnock/EC (which is great HIP but sometimes not so impressive than Mackerras). I've downloaded both but I can't decide which to buy.  ???

I've listened samples you suggested. These are good also.

Mandryka

#29
Quote from: Roberto on October 27, 2011, 11:59:00 PM
Yes in spite of I am rather a HIPster. But Kocsis is great Mozart-conductor (I've shown him the day before yesterday conducting a great Requiem with Hungarian Philharmonic).
But I am thinking about these 2 complete sets: Mackerras/PCO (which is not HIP but sounds great) and Pinnock/EC (which is great HIP but sometimes not so impressive than Mackerras). I've downloaded both but I can't decide which to buy.  ???

I've listened samples you suggested. These are good also.

Yes, for what it's worth I very much enjoyed the early symphonies in the first Mackerras cycle. I say "for what it's worth" because I'm no connoisseur of early Mozart recordings.

Have you seen the Martin Scorsese film called After Hours? That was what  first got me interested in early Mozart symphonies.

By the way, the Piano Concertos with Kocsis recorded for Hungaraton with Rolla  at are well worth hearing too. Kocsis is a great musician I think.


I'm very tempted to by some of Norrington's Mozart with the SW German Radio Orchestra -- I've been so impressed by the one I heard on spotify with 41, and by the Haydn he recorded with them in fact.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Willoughby earl of Itacarius

The Pinnock set is great is many respects, at times a bit mechanical but that's a small issue. I still am in the race for Hogwood's take on them, and as said before I wait until the price is right.

Roberto

Quote from: Mandryka on October 28, 2011, 01:30:24 AM
Yes, for what it's worth I very much enjoyed the early symphonies in the first Mackerras cycle. I say "for what it's worth" because I'm no connoisseur of early Mozart recordings.
For me the early symphonies is better with Pinnock but in the later symphonies (like the "Haffner" and "Linz") Mackerras was fresher and little bit more exciting. (I'm no connoisseur of early Mozart recordings also.) But speaking of early Mozart: Harnoncourt made recordings also from these wich CMW. But the reviews are very different on Amazon.
Quote from: Mandryka on October 28, 2011, 01:30:24 AM
Have you seen the Martin Scorsese film called After Hours? That was what  first got me interested in early Mozart symphonies.

By the way, the Piano Concertos with Kocsis recorded for Hungaraton with Rolla  at are well worth hearing too. Kocsis is a great musician I think.
I haven't seen that film yet unfortunately. There is a good video on Youtube where Kocsis playing the K 488 but unfortunately the orchestra (and the audience) seems a little bit uninterested. I had LPs years ago with Rolla/LFCO playing Mozart concertos with Dezső Ránki but these was very boring to me that time. The performance which turns me Mozart was Harnoncurt's Figaro at Salzburg, 2006. I've seen 2 fragment from it on a blog and I've shocked: wow, this can be Mozart also? After it I love Mozart's music (and that Figaro is my one and only opera-DVD).

Roberto

Quote from: Harry on October 28, 2011, 01:46:06 AM
The Pinnock set is great is many respects, at times a bit mechanical but that's a small issue. I still am in the race for Hogwood's take on them, and as said before I wait until the price is right.
I am a great admirer of Hogwood/Levin (unfortunately unfinished) concerto-series but I've downloaded some of Hogwood other Mozart recordings (including symphonies) and strings seems a little bit shrill sometimes (on my poor earphones).

Willoughby earl of Itacarius

Quote from: Roberto on October 28, 2011, 02:10:16 AM
I am a great admirer of Hogwood/Levin (unfortunately unfinished) concerto-series but I've downloaded some of Hogwood other Mozart recordings (including symphonies) and strings seems a little bit shrill sometimes (on my poor earphones).

Yes that's explaining it my friend, the recordings are fine, even the Violins. Those earphones must be of a very good quality to produce a decent sound.

Mandryka

I haven't heard those early Harnoncourt symphonies (as I say I'm no connoisseur), and I too have really enjoyed that 2006 Figaro.

By the way there's a Symphony 38 from Harnoncourt on DVD with VCM which I really love. And I like some his CGBW records too -- the 39 for example, is very unique. 
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mandryka

#35
Tremendous recording of symphony 29 here by Toscanini in 1936 with the New York Philharmonic. This is at a different level of musicianship than the other 29s I like-- by comparison Maag or Mackerras or Klemperer are fine but mundane. Very good transfer:



the CD, from Pristine  comes with a pretty fine Mozart PC27 with Serkin.
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Karl Henning

The mind reels . . . I feel that I do not want Toscanini anywhere near the K.201 . . . .
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Mandryka

Can I ask a favour?  Toscanini recorded 38, the Prague, too. Does anyone have it? Can someone let me have a download? It's extremely expensive -- 100s of dollars now.

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

George

Quote from: Mandryka on November 30, 2011, 10:10:59 AM
Tremendous recording of symphony 29 here by Toscanini in 1936 with the New York Philharmonic. This is at a different level of musicianship than the other 29s I like-- by comparison Maag or Mackerras or Klemperer are fine but mundane. Very good transfer:



the CD, from Pristine  comes with a pretty fine Mozart PC27 with Serkin.

I don't doubt that the performances are good, but every Pristine release I have heard has sounded way too processed.
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

Sergeant Rock

#39
Quote from: Mandryka on October 28, 2011, 01:30:24 AM
I'm very tempted to by some of Norrington's Mozart with the SW German Radio Orchestra -- I've been so impressed by the one I heard on spotify with 41, and by the Haydn he recorded with them in fact.

I'm tempted too. I like the Norrington/Stuttgart "London" Symphonies almost as much as Szell's...and that's damn near heretical ;D  Would like to own Norrington's Mozart also.

Sarge
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he was as f*cked-up as you are."
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