Mozart Symphonies Box Set

[MomsMobley]

Bohm was a very good opera conductor but there aren't many of his symphonic recordings that you'd choose first, including Mozart. Classical "newbies" don't always recognize this in the age of Budget Box Ubiquity but their cheapness is the usually legacy of Branding, Publicity and Marketing much moreso than personal / inspired "music making." There are exceptions too but... FWIW, the Mackerras KILLS the Bohm on every level except Tuetonic "plushness." Pinnock scores over Hogwood who is too often wan; he got frisky in his later Haydn & vigorous with his Martinu but far too often good intentions don't play out well. (See much of his Handel also.) About the wotrst thing you can say about Mackerras is he abetted later Alfred Brendel's lame Mozart PCs and even there-- principals with combined age of 170-- they make a mockery of young Perahia's folly, not to mention another "Yellow Label" Mozart snooze, Geza Anda. (I'll pay you not to listen to Uchida, concerto or solo.)

Scherchen Haydn >>>>>>>

Per LK, Britten's Mozart is excellent, as are most recordings under Ben's "wand".

Jacobs / Freiburger / Prague

Bruggen 

For old style not yet ancient pre-slow motion Klemperer is very interesting--

Ah, here's Scherchen straight from vinyl-- so let's not pretend that Ponderous (or Prissy) Mozart was a given of the age; it wasn't-- and never should have been. 

 

Edited May 30, 2017 by MomsMobley

[crisp]

I like to buy budget "complete works" boxes to get an overview of the repertoire before exploring other versions. For me they are the basis of a collection rather than its entirety. So I'm happy with the Bohm in that sense but it's by no means the end of the journey for me. Recommendations like those above are very useful (and please keep them coming if you have the time and the inclination) but so are those cheap boxes.

[T.D.]

I own many Mozart opera and chamber music recordings, but am less interested in the symphonies and unlikely to get a complete set thereof.

That said, FWIW (which may not be much), I'd go for the Mackerras. Based on the recordings I've heard and a couple of Mackerras-conducted operas I attended, he's a fantastic Mozartian (and has a reputation as such). I doubt you could go badly wrong with him.

[Added] I own a double CD of Bohm conducting late symphonies (35-41), and it's good, but I'll look for other interpretations if I add more recordings.

Edited May 31, 2017 by T.D.

[Bigshot]

I would choose Bohm's Beethoven 6th and Mozart's late symphonies as first choices.