Search - Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Karl Böhm :: Mozart: The Symphonies [Box Set]

Bohm/Berlin are the BEST complete Mozart Symphony collection

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 11/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Karl Bohm (1894-1981) is considered by many to be among the best Mozart conductors of the 2nd half of the 20th century, along with Otto Klemperer, Sir Thomas Beecham, Bruno Walter, and George Szell. Bohm uses the Berlin Philharmonic here: a large orchestra - in Mozart, yet the sound is always lean when needed and textures are always clear. The Berlin Philharmonic sounds better here under Bohm's direction: more precise, rich, and full, than under many other conductors, including their own Herbert von Karajan (dir. 1955-1989) in his 1970s ADD and 1980s DDD Mozart Symphony recordings for DG.



These are my favorite recordings of Mozart's Symphonies. The earlier symphonies are given a dignity and grace which often slips by in newer recordings. If Symphony 33 and 39 aren't as good as some - there is some scrappy playing in 39: III and IV, overall the level of playing and style is very high. I supplement this set with other Mozart Symphony recordings of Klemperer/Philharmonia (EMI), Bohm/Vienna Philharmonic (DG - late 1970s), Beecham/Royal Philharmonic (BBC Classics, EMI, Sony UK), Walter/Columbia Symphony (CBS) and New York Philharmonic (Sony "Bruno Walter Edition" - good mono mid-1950s sound), and Szell/Cleveland (Sony: Numbers 28, 33, 35; and on another disc: 35, 40, 41).



Recording dates are from 1960-1968, and are warm analog, ADD Stereo sound.

The earlier symphonies were recorded in 1968, the last 3 Symphonies about 1962. Sound is very consistent from disc to disc.



Very highly recommended!"

Hands down the best Complete Symphonies package out there

Joey Joe Joe Jr. Shabadoo | Boston, MA USA | 04/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For a while I liked Neville Marriner's set, but I ended up growing tired of it. His performances tend to be missing an element of Viennese stateliness that is so important when performing these works. Conversely, this set has Karl Bohm, one of the 20th century's greatest Mozart conductors, conducting the Berlin Philharmonic. Here, we have that stateliness in spades. Bohm coaxes lush string sonorities out of the BPO, conducts with clarity and precision (thus leaving Mozart's dense counterpoint exposed for the listener), and really does an excellent job with tempi. Bohm is often criticized for his sometimes slower pace, however I don't see that problem here. His tempo choices for Mozart tend to fall somewhere in the middle, and oftentimes they sound just right. His 39th is my all-time favorite rendition, with a grandly symphonic tilt on the slow introduction and a lively, aristocratic allegro following; in general he is amongst my top choices for all of Mozart's most important symphonies (25, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35-41). Keep in mind, this is old-school "big-band" Mozart, not the lean, quick style used by many modern conductors of these works...so if your taste falls towards period performances, you may want to look elsewhere. For my taste, Mozart is even more enjoyable when given some time to breathe, and these performances certainly do that (the best example of this would be his unhurried, gorgeous rendition of No. 29). Bohm does omit exposition repeats, for those that care.



The sound is absolutely fantastic, as DG applied its Original Image Bit-Processing technique to all of these symphonies. The result is a resurrected sound, with great definition and presence, if slightly distantly recorded. It's hard to believe these were recorded 40+ years ago, as the recordings really sound almost brand-new.



Really, for the money, this is probably the best value out there. I also enjoyed Mackerras' readings with the Prague Chamber Orchestra, and the aforementioned Marriner set. Still, this is a set I will definitely be coming back to over and over again. Bohm fans should keep an eye out, as DG has been releasing re-mastered editions of a lot of Bohm's Mozart, including the Sinfonia Concertante (with VPO principals as soloists), the Concerto for 2 pianos & Concerto No. 27 (with Gilels and his daughter), his readings of concertos for flute, bassoon and the great clarinet concerto, and his 2fer package with Eine Kleine Nachmusik, divertimenti, and assorted Serenades (notturna, haffner, posthorn). Fans of this style of Mozart ought to snap all of this up, as his Mozart readings are always worthwhile."

Böhm's Mozart Symphonies--4th Edition

John P. Mckelvey | Dunedin FL USA | 05/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I agree wholehartedly about the musical and sonic quality of this new edition of Mozart's symphonies. I would only add thai this is it's fourth updating. It first appeared on LPs in 1969, then around 1988 as a CD issue, follwed about 12 years later by a sonically improved edition. This one is even further improved, sonically best of all, and a lot cheaper also. It should also be noted that it offers not only the 40 numbered symphonies, but a total of 47 symphonies that includes several unnumbered but authentic works, one of which has been attributed to W.A.'s father, Leopold Mozart."