# Advice for W.A. Mozart Symphony recordings - Full sets / Late symphonies



## Granate

Old threads I found:

How many full cycles are for Mozart Symphonies + debate on Karajan's style
Getting started with Mozart Symphonies 
Mozart 46 symphonies

Struggling to find a nice thread to make a list of Mozart symphonies recordings. I've noted the full sets that are available on CD, but not recordings of the Late Symphonies. Which are your favourites? Mine are the Gardiner HIP (Late Symphonies).

*Full Sets*
Levine WPO
Linden MozAA
Mackerras PrSO
Marriner ASMF
Pinnock TEC
Tate EnCO
Hogwood/Schroder AAM
Böhm BPO
Fischer DNChO

What would you suggest me to challenge, especially late symph recordings?


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## Josquin13

I think the "Prague" (no. 38) and "Paris" (no. 31) Symphonies would make interesting challenges & comparisons, especially between modern and period instrument groups (where the contrasts are so pronounced). I particularly like Hogwood & the Academy of Ancient Music in those two symphonies.

Overall, my favorite Mozart Symphony recordings are, on period instruments--those from Hogwood, Bruggen, Koopman, Pinnock, and Harnoncourt (& generally in that order), but less so by Gardiner--who I liked at first, but over time his Mozart recordings haven't aged well with me (except for his Archiv PC cycle with Bilson, & some of the operas), Jacobs, and Minkowski. (I've yet to hear Immerseel.) While on modern instruments, I tend to enjoy recordings from the Camerata Academica des Mozarteum Salzburg or Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, or simply the Camerata Salzburg (who have so much experience playing Mozart)--as conducted by Hans Graf (a full cycle) & Sandor Vegh, & the Staatskapelle Dresden (my favorite orchestra)--as conducted by Sir Colin Davis, Herbert Blomstedt, Otmar Suitner, Nikolas Harnoncourt (& Peter Schreier in the choral works), and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, as conducted by Nikolas Harnoncourt, and maybe to a lesser extent, Josef Krips (who I've not listened to in a long time)--all first rate Mozart orchestras, in my estimation. I also like Jeffrey Tate's cycle with the English Chamber Orchestra, who are likewise excellent in Mozart (and in the concertos with De Larrocha too) & some of Sir Neville Marriner's recordings with the Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields. Finally, historically, I think very highly of Bruno Walter's Mozart too, who had some real insights into the late symphonies, IMO.

I've yet to get to Mackerras' recordings with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (though wasn't overly enthusiastic about his Prague cycle on Telarc), or much of Adam Fischer's cycle in Copenhagen. I'd like to hear John Nelson's Paris recordings of the late Symphonies at some point too, as I've recently been enjoying Nelson's HIP Beethoven cycle (on modern instruments). Yes, Mozart is a favorite composer of mine...

I hope that gives you some more ideas & options to explore.


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## Pugg

Give me big orchestra like V.P or Mackerras with te Scottish chamber orchestra and Marriner with the Academy, any day of the week.


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## david johnson

The set I have is Jeffrey Tate/Eng. Chamber Orch/EMI, and plenty of other recordings with Szell, Fricsay, etc. I enjoy them all.


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## Biffo

Even since LP days I have tended to favour chamber orchestra performances of the symphonies and concertos. I do have Szell's complete Mozart symphony recordings and a scattering of other 'big band' performances.

The only complete cycle I have is from Jaap ter Linden and the Mozart Akademie, Amsterdam (Brilliant). I bought it to fill in the gaps of the early symphonies though they rarely get listened to; I would describe the performances as serviceable. The rest of my sets are of the late or later symphonies - Tate/ECO, Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Glover/London Mozart Players. The excellent Glover set has No 25 onwards, including the Mozart/Haydn No 37; I am not sure if it is available anymore.


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## Mal

Britten ECO 25,29,38,... Decca 2 CD set of late symphonies


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## Merl

Anyone else got any love for Suitner's excellent accounts of symphonies 28-41 or is it just me who rates them? The last few symphonies still sound particularly good, IMO.


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## Guest

I like this one:


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## Heck148

Reiner syms 35 -PittsSO
36,39,40,41 with CSO
Walter - #35,36 - COLSO
38,39,40,42 -NYPO


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## Oldhoosierdude

I find that only about a dozen Mozart symphonies stand above the others. I have the Linden set on cheap mp3 download. And a few others by different conductor/orchestra. That works for me.


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## bigshot

Bohm first, then Marriner.


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## WildThing

Böhm is great in Mozart. You also need to hear Bruno Walter's recordings with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. And Beecham's recording of the 41st. Fantastic.


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## jegreenwood

I have a number of sets (one complete, a half dozen or so incomplete) that I like, but Szell remains my favorite.


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## Ras

I only listen to Hip/period recordings of Mozart's symphonies.
So my favorite complete cycles have already been mentioned: Hogwood --- Pinnock --- Adam Fischer.

My favorite recording of the last three symphonies is the one with Phillipe Herreweghe on PHI:









I also like the late symphonies recorded by Charles McKerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra - the Prague cycle does nothing for me - probably because of sound problems rather than performance problems.

Joos van Immerseel with Anima Eterna on ZigZag is good too in the last three symphonies:


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## Merl

I'm listening to the Adam Fisher recordings a lot recently and they are quite lovely. Stunning set that gets better and better towards the end of the cycle.


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## bigshot

That actually seems to be a consistent aspect of Fisher's style. The further he gets into a project, the better he gets. I guess it takes him time to warm up.


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## Josquin13

In my previous post I forgot to mention a digital Mozart Symphony cycle from conductor Emmanuel Krivine and Sinfonia Varsovia & the Philharmonia Orchestra, released by Denon. I don't recall whether Krivine ever finished the set, as Denon stopped selling CDs around that time and I never saw the complete cycle boxed, but Krivine did get close to a full cycle, if he didn't finish it entirely. While it's been a while since I've heard those Denon recordings, I do remember the performances being of a high quality, & especially the discs with Sinfonia Varsovia, which is a fine ensemble.

Two other conductors that can be excellent in Mozart, who I likewise neglected to mention in my previous post, are Claudio Abbado and Rafael Kubelik. I tend to think of Abbado's peak years as having come during his tenure with the London Symphony Orchestra, where he recorded Mozart's Symphonies 40 & 41, and an unfinished Piano Concerto cycle with Rudolf Serkin for DG (late in the pianist's career), but his Mozart in Vienna & Berlin could be good too (such as his Mass in C minor in Berlin). However, I haven't heard Abbado's final set of Mozart's Late Symphonies 38-41 with Orchestra Mozart on DG (which is available on You Tube):





https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/classical/products/8431035--claudio-abbado-conducts-mozart

While Rafael Kubelik recorded a cycle of the Late Symphonies 35, 36, 38-41 for CBS (now Sony) with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. These were excellent performances, as I recall, and very well played. (Kubelik also made some excellent Mozart recordings with the Vienna and Czech Philharmonics too, as well as an old Mercury LP with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.)

https://www.amazon.com/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart-Symphonies-Classical/dp/B003VKW13A
https://www.amazon.com/Rafael-Kubelik-Conducts-Great-Sympho/dp/B0056K4VZO
https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Symph...360278&sr=1-26&keywords=rafael+kubelik+mozart

In addition, others I know think highly Leonard Bernstein's 'big band' Vienna Philharmonic recordings of Mozart's Late Symphonies on DG, though I tend to prefer Bernstein in Haydn myself.

Yet, as mentioned, among modern instrument ensembles, I think it's hard to beat the Staatskapelle Dresden and Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra in Mozart, & especially the latter, who have such vast experience playing this music--it shows, in my view.

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Early...=1522361450&sr=1-48&keywords=graf+mozart+hans


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## JSBach85

Ras said:


> My favorite recording of the last three symphonies is the one with Phillipe Herreweghe on PHI:
> 
> View attachment 102280


I didn't know Herreweghe recorded the last three symphonies. Thank you for your suggestion.


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## Kieran

My complaint about Bohm is one I made elsewhere - he doesn’t observe the repeats on the Jupiter’s first movement, in my box set of the complete synths. This is unforgivable for me, it means I never listen to his version, which is a pity because I love him for all the other works.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

I'd like to follow you on your Mozart challenge! Lately I've listened to Abbado in the late symphonies and for a long time Mackerras. I kind of grew away from Böhm. Why not pick recordings that can shed some light on different times and styles of conducting?


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## Josquin13

"I kind of grew away from Böhm."

Me too. Bohm conducts Mozart Symphonies as if they were by Brahms, & the 18th century Mozart shouldn't sound like Brahms.


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## bigshot

I think the Bohm stuff is gorgeous. I have dozens and dozens of versions of these symphonies, but I get the most enjoyment out of Bohm.


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## realdealblues

For complete sets: Sir Neville Marriner and Karl Bohm can't be beat in my opinion. Berlin plays gorgeously for Bohm and while a few might take issue with some of the tempos being slower than what might be the norm, the beauty of the playing and sound far outweighs any issue in my opinion. Marriner and the Academy adopt more the period style performance and they succeed without going overboard and still allow for a nice full sound with full bloom.

For just the late Symphonies: George Szell is tops. Fritz Reiner is great as well. I wouldn't want to be without Bruno Walter or Otto Klemperer's recordings though.


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## jegreenwood

realdealblues said:


> For complete sets: Sir Neville Marriner and Karl Bohm can't be beat in my opinion. Berlin plays gorgeously for Bohm and while a few might take issue with some of the tempos being slower than what might be the norm, the beauty of the playing and sound far outweighs any issue in my opinion. Marriner and the Academy adopt more the period style performance and they succeed without going overboard and still allow for a nice full sound with full bloom.
> 
> For just the late Symphonies: George Szell is tops. Fritz Reiner is great as well. I wouldn't want to be without Bruno Walter or Otto Klemperer's recordings though.


I have all of those conductors performing the late symphonies. My Marriner set is actually 21-41. Both the mono and stereo recordings by Walter. All good.


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## Oldhoosierdude

I have been listening side by side, symphonies 38-41. Solti, Klemperer, ter Linden.

I'll stick with ter Linden. Better overall sound. More lively interpretation. Interesting thing with ter Lindens box set, two different versions of #40.


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## Parsifal62

I find von Karajan too brute a force in the. Symphonies. I haven't found one totally satisfactory set of mozart symphonies, but I like Hip or period performances just sound better to my ear than the big band recordings of Bohm, Bernstein, HvK.


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## joen_cph

For sets of the symphonies, Harnoncourt/CtGebouw, and Karajan/EMI. 

Harnoncourt´s is very unusual in its Beethovenian weightiness. I much prefer Karajan´s EMI to his DG.

I´ve got Böhm, Walter, Linden and many further individual ones too. Skipped a few sets as well. 
If I see the Fischer set very cheaply one day, I might supplement with that one too.


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## Star

Try Pinnock for period performance. Don't care for Harnoncourt's exaggerations.

Must confess I find Bohm funerial. Marriner much better.


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## joen_cph

There´s certainly a huge contrast between Pinnock and Harnoncourt/CtGeb in these works.

Btw., Harnoncourt´s recording of the _Posthorn Serenade_ in Dresden makes that work another great, late-symphony-like piece. Whereas his other recordings of the late symphonies are less monumental. 
His set of the earliest symphonies is HIP, but a case of being delightfully so, IMO.


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## Don Camillo

Josquin13 said:


> In my previous post I forgot to mention a digital Mozart Symphony cycle from conductor Emmanuel Krivine and Sinfonia Varsovia & the Philharmonia Orchestra, released by Denon. I don't recall whether Krivine ever finished the set, as Denon stopped selling CDs around that time and I never saw the complete cycle boxed, but Krivine did get close to a full cycle, if he didn't finish it entirely. While it's been a while since I've heard those Denon recordings, I do remember the performances being of a high quality, & especially the discs with Sinfonia Varsovia, which is a fine ensemble.


I have four CD's from the mentioned cycle. The first one I bought from a Salvation army thriftstore, knowing nothing about either the conductor or the orchestra. The plan was to keep it in my car. But when I first listened to it, I was knocked off my feet. The recording was fantastic, pure gold! Since then, I have found the other three. Together they cover the symphonies no. 23, 25, 28, 32, 33, 35, 36, 38, 40, and 41. I wouldn't try to rate them, or compare them to other cycles, but I like them a lot.

There are two more recordings in the same cycle, both with Sinfonia Varsovia; "Overtures" and "Eine kleine nachtmusic". I have bought them both, but haven't received them yet.


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