Tempting, especially at the sale price. I already have MacKerras's previous cycle--are these SCO discs significantly better/different? How do these HIPer but still modern instrument performances compare with the better period instrument ones, like Jacobs or Minkowski?
I have both, have listened to the Telarc cycle extensively and only to parts of the new one. Compared to the cycle on Telarc, I'd say the new Mackerras set lets the brass play more exuberantly and is more extroverted in general. I prefer the new Mackerras to the old. Probably it is similar in spirit to the Minkowski on DG, and the Rene Jacobs on HM, which I liked a bit more than Minkowski.
But for me the greatest ever to come down the pike is the Harnoncourt, Concertgebouw (
not the Harnoncourt Chamber Orchestra of Europe). I vividly remember first hearing them and being stunned to hear horns and trumpets barking and timpani whacking in
Mozart. I seem to recall notes written for the recordings by Harnoncourt himself in which he expressed the opinion that Mozart was a brilliant orchestrator who loved the sound of the orchestra, and who was poorly served by the polite style of performance of his music. It sometimes irks me to see Minkowski's admittedly excellent recordings described as revolutionary, when Harnoncourt was doing the same back in the 80's. (Well, I'm sure it is revolutionary to the producers at DG, who considered it obligatory to record Karajan's sissified Mozart.)
At this point it is not to expensive to hear Harnoncourt's recordings. For 25 pounds you can get 8 cds that go back to Symphony No 17
Or for 12 pounds, a smaller set of 4 cds, which unfortunately omits #33 and 34, which are wonderful little works.
