Bruno Walter The Edition ~ Mozart - Symphonies Nos. 39, 40 & 41 "Jupiter"

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Bruno Walter rerecorded these symphonies in stereo, and they are also available on Sony as part of their Great Mozart Interpreters series. Many music lovers, however, will prefer these mono versions for the playing of the New York Philharmonic, as well as for Walter's slightly more energetic way with the music. One way or another, you should sample this legendary conductor's interpretations of works that he conducted peerlessly for over 60 years. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Symphony No. 39 In E-Flat Major, K. 543: I Adagio - Allegro
Symphony No. 39 In E-Flat Major, K. 543: II Andante con moto
Symphony No. 39 In E-Flat Major, K. 543: III Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
Symphony No. 39 In E-Flat Major, K. 543: IV Finale. Allegro
Symphony No. 40 In G Minor, K. 550: I Molto Allegro
Symphony No. 40 In G Minor, K. 550: II Andante
Symphony No. 40 In G Minor, K. 550: III Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
Symphony No. 40 In G Minor, K. 550: IV Allegro assai
Symphony No. 41 In C Major, K. 551 'Jupiter': I Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 41 In C Major, K. 551 'Jupiter': II Andante cantabile
Symphony No. 41 In C Major, K. 551 'Jupiter': III Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
Symphony No. 41 In C Major, K. 551 'Jupiter': IV Molto Allegro

Amazon.com

Bruno Walter rerecorded these symphonies in stereo, and they are also available on Sony as part of their Great Mozart Interpreters series. Many music lovers, however, will prefer these mono versions for the playing of the New York Philharmonic, as well as for Walter's slightly more energetic way with the music. One way or another, you should sample this legendary conductor's interpretations of works that he conducted peerlessly for over 60 years. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

This is with the New York PO.......2006-04-16

Its not on the same level as Walter with the Columbia.
I wish the eventual new owner of the Sony catelogue(M Jackson is selling his Sony holdings) will re-release the complete Columbia SO in the last 6.

See my recviews on Mozart, Bohm, Walter, Mackerras

At times I give the nod to Walter, times to Bohm.
I guess overall I prefer the Bohm/Berlin set. This conclusion based on todays comapre of the sym 40. April 15,2006.

Paul

EDIT: I recall as I listen to the clips, its not on the level as with the Columbia. I had this walter/New York on vinyl yrs ago.
Sony for some reason will not rerelease the Columbia in the last 3 syms.

Wow, all these other reviewers may be smart people, but they have probably never heard mozart performed well.......2006-03-16

I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. Mozart is really difficult. I've probably heard 50 versions of these symphonies, and most are not very inspiring. Neither is this one. These are for my taste sluggish, plodding performances, but more importantly they are clearly under-rehearsed, unrefined, and extremely un-clean. Good mozart symphony recordings are difficult to come by, but believe me, you can do better.

A beloved Mozart conductor at his peak.......2006-03-15

These classic mono recordings from 1953 and 1956 are easy to evaluate--they have been mainstrays of the Mozart catalog for fifty years and show no sign of decline. Walter was at his most vigorous here, showing more inner life and alertness than in his stereo remakes with the Columbia Sym. We are fortunate that two great Mozarteans, Walter and Klemperer, left us both their mono and stereo versions of the same works, for even in decline these towering musicians are commadning in their interpretations.

Having said that, I was still surprised on revisiting Walter's Sym. 39 at how forwardly aggressive it really is compared to late Walter, and how much better the NY Phil. plays than I had remembered. The G minor and Jupiter are equally muscular and diect. This is often edge-of-your-seat musicmaking, caught in very warm mono sound. The slow movements are without repeats, and period-performance fanciers will be impatient with the weighty minuets and romaticized slow movements. To me, neither is much of a limitation. Walter's Mozart is as timeless as his Mahler, and this CD is a treasure. I'm grateful that Sony didn't stick with the stereo versions, which were already bestsellers in their catalog.

Definition of perfection.......2006-02-23

I too have made the musical journey from Mahler to Mozart, from darkness to light, and it is this CD that is responsible for my conversion. I have never heard Mozart performed so beautifully anywhere, anytime. This is pure delight. And as for the sound, unless you are listening through headphones, you'll hardly notice that it's mono, the NYPO sounds absolutely lovely.

Don't let the MONO sound put you off..........2005-08-20

Don't let Sony's Mono sound put you off this recording: these are wonderful performances, the sound clear and balanced in these early-mid 1950s recordings. Bruno Walter (1876-1962) was one of the 20th century's great Mozart conductors, along with Otto Klemperer, George Szell, Thomas Beecham, and Karl Bohm. He performed Mozart frequently in concert throughout his career, and recorded Symphonies 25,28,29,35,36,38,39,40,and 41 with the New York Philharmonic in the early 1950s (Mono sound) and Symphonies 35-41 with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic + some studio musicians) in the late 1950s in stereo. Both sets are excellent in sound and performance: the earlier set has slightly faster tempos and a "Leaner" sound; the later set slower tempos and a richer, fuller sound, due to stereo technology.

I recommend these highly, along with Walter's recordings of Mozart Symphonies 36+38; and 25,28,29,35:also in the "Bruno Walter Edition" if you can find them. Sony is to be commended for releasing these recordings. I also recommend Walter's later Columbia Symphony cycle of Mozart Symphonies 35,36,38,39,40,41 if you can find it. For a differing point of view, there's George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra Mozart Symphonies 35,39,40,41 (35,40,41 are in a Sony "Essential Classics" budget issue).

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