Search - Mozart, Kempe, Philharmonia Orchestra :: Symphonies 34 39 & 41

Kempe conducts Mozart very well indeed!

Doug - Haydn Fan | California | 02/01/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My experience with performances led by Kempe has been mixed. I enjoy his opera performances, especially the Wagner, and like everyone else I'm annoyed the Meistersinger is apparently not currently available. His Strauss always is good, and repays a second and third listen - Kempe finds more to Strauss than practically any other conductor. However, a Quad issue of Beethoven symphonies under Kempe with the Munich orchestra leaves me cold.

These Mozart symphonies are quite good, and Kempe manages to caress the seemingly infinite unfolding of new beautiful melodies without dropping the momentum. The 34th is quite brisk and recalls Jochum's fine account leading the Concertgebouw. Kempe seems most at home in the 39th, a very charming old world rendering.

Should you like your Mozart very brisk there is always Szell and Cleveland. If a more romantic and large-scaled approach is to your taste you might consider Bruno Walter. Other conductors who had a flair for Mozart were Busch, Casals, Beecham, and the now forgotten Max Rudolph at Cincinnati. These names mean fifty year old performance sound and practices. Toscanini should be given a pass on Mozart as a general rule. Among the contemporary conductors there are innumerable good performances, but few outstanding ones. Jacobs certainly gets much right -but he also can sometimes be too precious in the Classical repetoire - his Haydn drives me to drink with its endless trivialities and minor interests and discursions. Perhaps Mackerras is the best choice these days.

But still, far too many moderns are without any memorable or special qualities to their music-making.

There is also a powerful 40 led by the composer Britten."