Not quite....
kv581 | Durham, NC United States | 01/03/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This CD, like a number of others, couples the two Mozart Sinfonie concertanti with the bonus of the Rondo for Violin and Orchestra. The Amazon review by David Hurwitz praises the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola. This performance is by far the better of the two Sinfonia concertante on the CD. While the two soloists were not big-name virtuosos, they certainly proved that they didn't sit concertmaster and first chair viola in the world famous Cleveland Orchestra by sheer luck. However, the balance of the recording is perhaps a bit heavy toward the orchestra; the orchestra seemed to overpower the soloists in certain passages, particularly in the 3rd movement (Track 3). Still, under the direction of Szell, the Cleveland Orchestra supported the soloists well. Unfortunately, the other Sinfonia concertante was not nearly as impressive. The four musicians did not sound like principal players of the Philadelphia Orchestra that they were. The clarinet sounded stuffy and hoarse, and the horn sounded a little weak and thin. The tempo seemed a little too slow in the 1st and 3rd movements, though I admit this is merely a matter of interpretation. Lastly, the Rondo for Violin and Orchestra was played nicely. Zukerman played strongly throughout the piece, and the English Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Barenboim provided adequate support.In all, I would not strongly recommend this CD. For a better recording of the Sinfonia Concertante for 4 Winds, try the Staatskapelle Dresden (conducted by Haas Vonk) version with Sabine Meyer on the clarinet. This piece is paired with the Mozart clarinet concerto K622, also performed by Sabine Meyer. However, this CD may no longer be available. Another alternative would be the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra recording (this CD pairs the two Sinfonie concertanti, but without the added Rondo for Violin and Orchestra). Both of these recordings are great, though unfortunately more expensive than the present recording."
Five Stars for K364, Less for its Companion
02/07/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Too many recordings of the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola in E-flat approach the work as if it were a late Romantic piece: the soloists, basically, turning it into a Nineteenth Century display piece. This recording, with soloists drawn from George Szell's magnificent Cleveland Orchestra, lets Mozart speak for himself. Some have quibbled that the orchestra overpowered the soloists at times; but the structure of this piece is not that of later concerti-- there are clear cut "tutti" and clear cut "solo" sections. Technically the soloists are flawless; and expressively they are perfectly attuned to the Mozartian temperament-- they can play with emotion without wallowing in sentimentality. They are especially brilliant in the opening movement, one of Mozart's earliest mature masterpieces. And Szell's command of the orchestra is second to none-- at times one is amazed to recall that the orchestra is simply strings augmented by two oboes and two horns, because Mozart's deployment of them is such that one never notices the lack of other instruments. All praise then to Skernick, Druian and Szell for what is, for my money, the most perfect rendering of this great work to be had. The disappointment is its coupling with a work both intrinsically inferior and, as a performance and recording, of unremarkable quality. When issued under Columbia (CBS Masterworks), the coupling was much more appropriate: Szell again conducting a wonderful version of the Clarinet Concerto-- which gave the disc the appealing balance of having one of Mozart's earliest masterpieces coupled with one of his last. This disc-- buy it for the Violin-Viola work; or wait and hope that Sony re-release this performance with a more attractive coupling."
Maybe the best
IronCladOpinions | Lawrenceville, GA United States | 09/08/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Pay no attention to those who disparage this music (Mozart Wind concertante)--they simply haven't taken the time to learn and love it. The Philadelphia Orchestra had the greatest collection of wind players of any U.S. orchestra, ever, and here they are in a big band reading that soars. Coupled with the classic Szell makes it all the more attractive. Sure, the sound is Columbia, but the CD opens up and sounds very good indeed. A bargain!"
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1