Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble :: Mozart: Horn Concertos; Oboe Concerto

WITHOUT MOTHS

Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 06/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mozart performances as perfect as these truly deserve to rank amongst Philips' "50 Great Recordings" legacy series. The horn concertos, sprightly and deliciously joyful when first released in the early 70s, seem now to possess an even more contagious zest for life. Civil's playing is brilliantly free of pretense, openly fresh, spontaneous, and his balance of humor and poignancy is exceptional. Marriner offers lively support, always on the mark, and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is equally flush with the thrill of such dedicatedly humane music making. The Oboe Concerto, too, is a treat. Neil Black plays trippingly along, tickling the ears with new delights, and his cadenza is particularly clever. The analogue sound belies its age with considerable deftness. Those fond of these Mozart concertos will find wonders here, unheard before--- with the Horn Rondo, K. 371, thrown in for good measure--- and much illumination. The CD timing as well is astounding in and of itself. Decidedly and strongly recommended.



[Running time: 81:08]"

Mozart Horn Concertos Alan Civil, Oboe Concerto Neil Black

Robert S. Gelfand | Pittsburgh, PA USA | 01/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Considering that I won't buy anything conducted by Karajan (Dennis Brain with Karajan conducting}, I believe

this was the best recording of the Mozart Horn Concertos ever done. Plus the bonus of the excellent work by

Neil Black in the Oboe concerto. The sound quality on this Philips CD which is a transfer from the original

recording done in the early 70's is very clean and better than the digital recordings presently done. Alan Civil

was one of the finest french horn players in the past fifty years and this recording with Marriner and the

Academy of St.Martin in the Fields belongs in your collection."

At last! I have found this recording again!

Carol Mello | San Jose,CA USA | 06/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the first classical recordings I ever bought, on cassette tape.



Didn't know much about classical music since my father was a CW fan.



I was entranced by the playing of Alan Civil. I knew nothing about Mr. Civil, nothing about the qualities that make a horn player good or outstanding. All I knew was that I fell in love with Alan Civil's playing. I guess the best way I would describe his playing, from a novice classical music fan who does not know music terminology (I am still a novice) was it smoothness (like silk), and the purity of the sound emanating from his horn. It was exquisite. I played this cassette at home and in my car so often that I wore it out.



I tried to find a replacement. The recording with Alan Civil was no longer available. Every other available recording at that time (and since), each with various horn soloist, I found disappointing. There seemed something harsh about all the other soloist, as if the sound was being dragged out of the horn, being scraped along the inner metal of the horn. None of the other soloist were Alan Civil.



Now it is back. Do NOT buy any other version of these horn concertos. Once you have heard this one, all the others seem second best.



Highly recommended for the novice classical music fan!



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