Mozart Symphonies favorite recordings

[Abouna]

Just picked up a pair of 501s for my dad. His preference these days is for classical. Just wondering if we could start a thread on Mozart. I'd like to get him a good reference recording.

[Tyson]

This set is pretty good, Menuhin conducting several of the later symphonies:

http://www.amazon.com/Yehudi-Menuhin...e=UTF8&s=music

[Bunnyears]

Reference recording of what: Le Nozze di Figaro, the Requiem, late symphonies, early symphonies, string trios, Serenades (Eine Kleine Nachtsmusik), Sinfonia Concertante, Gran Partita, Don Juan, Die Zauberberg, concertos for piano and orchestra, violin concertos, et al.? Mozart may have only live about 35 years but he was nothing if not prolific.

Pictured below is an attractively priced set of Mozart's symphonies from Warner Classical that includes the early Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra recordings under Nikolaus Harnoncourt and also some symphonies by The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under Ton Koopman. Sir Charles MacKerras also has a very good set of the symphonies as well with the Prague Chamber Orchestra (Telarc).

René Jacobs really has the reference for Le Nozze di Figaro as well as some other Mozart Operas.

I could go on, but it would be more helpful if you could at least tell us whether your father prefers opera or symphonic or chamber music.

[Abouna]

Thanks for the replies.

First, I was kind of hoping for a hodge podge of everyones personal favorites.

That said, I think he prefers symphony pieces but has mentioned Figaro quite a lot lately.

[Bunnyears]

Originally Posted by Fr. John

Thanks for the replies.

First, I was kind of hoping for a hodge podge of everyones personal favorites.

That said, I think he prefers symphony pieces but has mentioned Figaro quite a lot lately.

Here's the best Figaro I've ever heard. I'm only sorry that it's not a dvd. The Second picture is the SACD/hybrid of the same. For headphones, stereo is really sufficient.

[BAwig05]

I own most of the Mackerras set, its very good.

Naxos also has a "White Box" of the complete symphonies at budget price.

Karl Bohm (who seems to be controversial at this typing) recorded the "Orignal" 41 symphonies with a decidedly old world approch, which sounds very different than the swift Telarc set. (Think Dorati's Haydn vs. Bruggen's Haydn). This set is on DG.

For individual recordings with symphonies bunched together, there's Szell (Two sony discs now, but both have 35), Sir Neville Marriner (Philips Duo, and in the US at least Marriner has his own Mozart discs now), Sir Colin Davis (A very expensive Philips duo, but supposedly excellent), Bernstein (DG Trio, very good deal, very old world again), and of course countless others
---

As for Figaro, Erich Kleiber's (Decca) is my favorite.

Hope this helps,
Brian

[Masolino]

Originally Posted by Bunnyears

Here's the best Figaro I've ever heard. I'm only sorry that it's not a dvd.

A DVD version of Jacobs conducting Figaro (with a largely new cast) has already come out in Europe and will be in market here soon. Already released: Cavalli's Calisto and Monteverdi's L'Orfeo. These are supposedly Harmonia mundi's first DVD's.

Originally Posted by fnac

Interprète: Pietro Spagnoli, Annette Dasch, Rosemary Joshua, Luca Pisaroni, Angelika Kirchschlager, Sophie Pondjicklis, Choeur du Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

[JayG]

Originally Posted by Bunnyears

Die Zauberberg

Yikes! I turn away for a second and people start turning flutes into mountains!

-Jay

[ProzacMessiah]

Karl Bohm is a great introduction to Mozart. If you don't want to trouble with the entire cycle, I'd recommend his two disc set of Mozart's better known 'late' symphonies.



While you don't get as many pieces for the money (both are included on the Bohm disc, above), these are especially good performances of two of the late symphonies.

[Bunnyears]

Originally Posted by JayG

Yikes! I turn away for a second and people start turning flutes into mountains!

-Jay

Oops! It's Die Zauberflöte! Serves me right for wathching Death in Venice again.

[Schalldämpfer]

Originally Posted by JayG

Yikes! I turn away for a second and people start turning flutes into mountains!

-Jay

Haha, I actually chuckled at that one.

[Bunnyears]

Originally Posted by Masolino

A DVD version of Jacobs conducting Figaro (with a largely new cast) has already come out in Europe and will be in market here soon. Already released: Cavalli's Calisto and Monteverdi's L'Orfeo. These are supposedly Harmonia mundi's first DVD's.

Hi Masolino,

You are so good at finding ways to separate me from my money! Next time you post, I'll look for the obligatory apology to my wallet.

Oops, new cast? No Veronique Gens? Quelle tragédie! Hopefully the new one will sound as good as the older one.

[Triskozko]

Thirded for Mackerras' recordings of the symphonies. Very energetic and great DDD sound quality.

[sTisTi]

My favourite so far are Gardiner's period instrument performances of Symphonies 38-41 with the English Baroque Soloists, which can be had on two mid-priced Philips discs. Very clear, transparent readings, yet full of energy.

[Masolino]

Originally Posted by sTisTi

My favourite so far are Gardiner's period instrument performances of Symphonies 38-41 with the English Baroque Soloists, which can be had on two mid-priced Philips discs. Very clear, transparent readings, yet full of energy.

Sir Gardiner's recent live recordings of 39/41, now available on his own label, are said to be even better both in sound and interpretation. I will try to get them when I get to England next year.