# Which complete Mozart symphony cycle would you get?



## Kjetil Heggelund

Hey! My favorite composer is Mozart forever but I don't have a complete symphony box. I think I decided that Mackerras and Prague orch. are my favorite, and can get it by pressing a button. My father has it and I've heard it a lot. Now I see that Adam Fischer/Danish Chamber Orch. has a delicious set. I can hear them all on spotify. I would like to steer away from Karl Böhm and his mighty and thunderous version


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## Enthusiast

Pinnock's set works best for me as a survey of all the symphonies. But I confess to being lukewarm about Mackerras in Mozart as I find him a little lacking in sparkle and joyousness and a little mechanical. You could also try Harnoncourt who I like in the earlier symphonies but find a little perverse in the late great works. I don't know the Fischer set but expect it is good.


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## Judith

I have a lovely set by Jeffrey Tate and English Chamber Orchestra. Bought it cheaply in local record store but they are really nice recordings


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## Manxfeeder

Enthusiast said:


> Pinnock's set works best for me as a survey of all the symphonies.


Me too. I have individual recordings of my favorites, but overall, Pinnock keeps things interesting, for me at least.


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## Merl

As a complete set Pinnock takes some beating for pure consistency.


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## CnC Bartok

Unconvinced of Mozart as a symphonist with Pinnock, sorry.

I'd strongly recommend Jeffrey Tate. Karl Bohm is very good too.

However, unlike Haydn, I am not sure there's such a thing as a proper set out there. As super duper as Mozart was, I don't find that much of interest in the early Symphonies, and they do take up a lot of CDs. There are a lot of surveys of the more mature works (maybe 29 onwards?) that are excellent.


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## starthrower

I like the sound of the London Mozart Players/ Glover 5 disc set. Used copies are available with cheaper shp on the European side of the pond. Comparing the sound of this recording to the Pinnock, I think it sounds better and more balanced.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Gre...mphonies+glover&qid=1572231593&s=music&sr=1-4


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## Merl

Also a massive shout out for Adam Fisher's Danish set. The more I listen to it the more highly I rate it.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

For me, it's Pinnock for a set recorded with what used to be called "original instruments", and Adam Fischer for a "modern instruments" equivalent, albeit still historically informed. I first owned, and fell in love with, Böhm's set, but - good as it is - I now prefer a lighter orchestral texture in this repertoire.


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## DavidA

I have got the brilliant classics set which came with the complete Mozart edition. It’s pretty good but I certainly wouldn’t go out and buy the complete Mozart Symphony is as the early ones are really very juvenile works. Remarkable for a kid but they do not bear too much repeated listening


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## DarkAngel

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> For me, it's Pinnock for a set recorded with what used to be called "original instruments", and Adam Fischer for a "modern instruments" equivalent, albeit still historically informed. I first owned, and fell in love with, Böhm's set, but - good as it is - I now prefer a lighter orchestral texture in this repertoire.


Pinnock and Fischer - yes yes

Eventually if you are getting multiple sets the 19 CD Hogwood is the most complete (Pinnock only 11 CD) and has every symphony and orchestral fragment to at least hear once......even DavidA


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## starthrower

I read some pretty harsh reviews about the Fischer set. Great sound and ensemble but poor interpretations. The Glover set mentioned by Dark Angel sounds the best to my ears although it's not complete.


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## Merl

starthrower said:


> I read some pretty harsh reviews about the Fischer set. Great sound and ensemble but poor interpretations. The Glover set mentioned by Dark Angel sounds the best to my ears although it's not complete.


Most of the reviews of Fisher's set are positive (check out Music Web and Classics Today for their often very positive reviews of individual discs). A few sites were less enthusiastic but even these weren't wholy dismissive. As with any Adam Fischer recording I would say listen first though. These are brisk, urgent and crisp readings that not everyone will love but I think they're rather good. Big band Mozart it ain't but its not the worse for it. The sound is superb throughout. I have most of the Glover recordings (and actually played one as part of the Saturday Symphony at Weekend) but they're merely good and not outstanding.


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## Bwv 1080

The Brilliant set (not sure if this is the same recordings as their complete Mozart box)


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## Kjetil Heggelund

I already spent some money on a box set but I'll probably find some of these on spotify. Thank-you all for recommendations! For some reason I've mostly listened to no. 39 to make my choice. Guess which one I got!?!


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## Granate

Even if I've listened to samples, I like the approach, but just a superficial appreciation. What do you think about this set? I generally trust in Eloquence AMSI issues for their Price-PQ-SQ.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

Granate said:


> Even if I've listened to samples, I like the approach, but just a superficial appreciation. What do you think about this set? I generally trust in Eloquence AMSI issues for their Price-PQ-SQ.


I probably didn't search long enough for it, but is this a remaster of recordings from the 80's? Didn't find it on spotify. I'm confused. The St. Martin I'm listening to now sound great. Different label...


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## Granate

^^
No. All analogue recordings. The complete set isn't on spotify but there are many mature symphonies.


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## Guest

Merl said:


> Also a massive shout out for Adam Fisher's Danish set. The more I listen to it the more highly I rate it.
> 
> View attachment 125898


...except they skip #32. I like the performances a lot, but I'm peeved that the very attractive #32 is omitted.


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## Guest

For a traditional set I like Krips.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61VnphN4JeL.jpg

My favorite by far is Harnoncourt/Concertgebouw. There have been numerous releases, I don't know if any are still in print. I also like Fischer.

For "complete" I'd go with Mackerras.


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## starthrower

Merl said:


> Most of the reviews of Fisher's set are positive (check out Music Web and Classics Today for their often very positive reviews of individual discs). A few sites were less enthusiastic but even these weren't wholy dismissive. As with any Adam Fischer recording I would say listen first though. These are brisk, urgent and crisp readings that not everyone will love but I think they're rather good. Big band Mozart it ain't but its not the worse for it. The sound is superb throughout. I have most of the Glover recordings (and actually played one as part of the Saturday Symphony at Weekend) but they're merely good and not outstanding.


I'll see if I can listen to some of it. I think the lean approach is probably more accurate. Everytime I've been out to hear live music and they are playing Mozart, Mendelssohn, and a number of Beethoven Symphonies, I never see a big orchestra.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

DarkAngel said:


> Eventually if you are getting multiple sets the 19 CD Hogwood is the most complete


I'd overlooked that one, which I bought perhaps 20 years ago in a box set with a different cover. I almost exclusively listen to downloads these days, so perhaps I need to give my Hogwood CDs another try!


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## starthrower

I have just one Hogwood CD in the Bach Orchestral Suites. I hated it right of the bat. Rushing through at a ridiculous tempo on the first piece. It destroyed the character and charm of the music.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

starthrower said:


> I have just one Hogwood CD in the Bach Orchestral Suites. I hated it right of the bat. Rushing through at a ridiculous tempo on the first piece.


I don't own that recording, but having previewed it just now I see what you mean - it's probably the fastest Overture to the First Suite that I've heard. The rest seemed fine to me, though.


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## starthrower

I much prefer Freiburger, and Ensemble Sonnerie.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

HEY! I ended up ordering Adam Fischer and the Danes. It's actually correct that they omit no. 32...Found out too late. I'm a little surprised not many people have recommended Mackerras/Prague. I wanted to confirm my fantastic taste in music  The ones I listened to with Fischer sounded fresh and adventurous. Don't think I have any recordings with mr. Fischer.


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## Enthusiast

starthrower said:


> I much prefer Freiburger, and Ensemble Sonnerie.


Both of those sets (of the Back suites) are exceptional - the Freiburgers because of their interest in dance rhythms and Ensemble Sonnerie because they use different instrumentation in 2 and 3. Other exceptional recordings include Harnoncourt's (he transforms the 3rd suite into something that seems more profound to me) and Goebel offers an excellent survey that doesn't do anything unusual. There are probably quite few more excellent sets.


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## Oldhoosierdude

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H9D6EU6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have had this one over two years. The download cost a few dollars less at that time but it is still reasonably priced. I guess this is one of those historical informed things, but I don't know for sure. Doesn't matter to me, these do the job for me as far as complete sets go. I have individual symphonies from other recordings also.


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## Oldhoosierdude

DavidA said:


> I have got the brilliant classics set which came with the complete Mozart edition. It's pretty good but I certainly wouldn't go out and buy the complete Mozart Symphony is as the early ones are really very juvenile works. Remarkable for a kid but they do not bear too much repeated listening


Agree on the early symphonies. They are simply OK. The first symphony stands out as above the others and I have often wondered if daddy dear didn't help out on that one.


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## Phil in Magnolia

One of my very first purchases was the complete set of Mozart symphonies by Hogwood and the AAM. I generally have found the performances a bit harsh, not sure how to best describe my impressions from years ago, but perhaps the recordings were made in the early days of the 'authentic' performances movement, which gave them a sound less pleasing to my ear than 'big band' symphony performances.

I've listened to many different performances and most recently picked up the set of symphonies performed by Mackerras and the Prague Chamber Orchestra, which I have enjoyed:


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## Olias

I enjoy the Mackerras/Prague set very much. HOWEVER, I would "supplement" that with Mackerras' more recent recordings with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. It's not a complete set but it covers 29, 31, 32, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, and 41. The sound quality on these CDs is wonderful and the performances are equally good.

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Symph...d=1575258918&sprefix=Mackerras,aps,143&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Symph...749P4QC917B&psc=1&refRID=Q6JKXXKT3749P4QC917B


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## Rogerx

As mentioned above and .....the incomplete but good one Jeffery Tate .


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## hammeredklavier

If you dislike *repeats* and *fast tempos,*-








Alessandro Arigoni


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## RobertJTh

Surprised that Marriner hasn't been mentioned yet.
I'm not always a fan of his polished style, but I think it works well in Mozart, much more so than in Haydn or the early romantics.
This set has served me very well over the years..





















Kjetil Heggelund said:


> I would like to steer away from Karl Böhm and his mighty and thunderous version


Big Band Mozart isn't necessarily a bad thing. Bruno Walter did some wonderful Mozart symphonies, and I've good memories of Josef Krips and the Concertgebouw, don't remember if he did them all.


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## Monsalvat

There's also James Levine and the Wiener Philharmoniker for a complete set.


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## Kreisler jr

I am pretty sure Tate/EMI is complete. IIRC, Tate, Pinnock/Archiv, Graf/Capriccio/Delta Music and Levine/DG (and maybe another one I forgot) were all done in the mid-late 1980s to be ready for the 1991 anniversary. (Hogwood/Schröder, the first on old instruments was begun in the late 70s but of course also available for the anniversary, but I doubt it was started especially for the anniversary.)

Whereas the biggest anniversary project, Philips "Complete Mozart edition" used the Marriner recordings at least some of which were older; I think they had to fill some gaps because in the LP age Marriner had first done a bunch of symphonies for Decca/Argo, then only the "early ones" (up to 20 or 22) for Philips to complement the Krips/Concertgebouw.


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## Merl

I last commented on this thread almost 3 years ago, when I was working my way through the Adam Fischer cycle. I've had that set on my car USB ever since and now endorse it with even more enthusiasm. The later symphonies are superb. Others may do a few individual symphonies slightly better but as a whole set this is a really fine one and my current go-to cycle. Lovely, crisp, fresh, nippy cycle.


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## Wigmar

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> Hey! My favorite composer is Mozart forever but I don't have a complete symphony box. I think I decided that Mackerras and Prague orch. are my favorite, and can get it by pressing a button. My father has it and I've heard it a lot. Now I see that Adam Fischer/Danish Chamber Orch. has a delicious set. I can hear them all on spotify. I would like to steer away from Karl Böhm and his mighty and thunderous version


I have a complete set with Concertgebouw / Krips & Academy of St Martin in-the-fields / Marriner, Philips 6747374 (16 lp). 
I remember having listened with great pleasure to the last symphonies. They are very well recorded.


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