Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, James Levine, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41

Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, James Levine, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (8) - Disc #1

James Levine recorded these symphonies for RCA with the Chicago Symphony, but these recordings are quite a bit better--superior in sound, and in the conductor's more circumspect use of repeats in the slow movements. Unfor...  more »

     
   
?

Larger Image

CD Details

All Artists: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, James Levine, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Title: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 2
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Original Release Date: 1/1/1991
Re-Release Date: 1/18/1991
Genre: Classical
Styles: Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830), Symphonies
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 028942973121

Synopsis

Amazon.com
James Levine recorded these symphonies for RCA with the Chicago Symphony, but these recordings are quite a bit better--superior in sound, and in the conductor's more circumspect use of repeats in the slow movements. Unfortunately, there are equally fine, if not better, recordings of this same music by Bernstein, Böhm, and Fricsay--and that's just on DG. Unless you're irrevocably committed to this conductor, try one of those. --David Hurwitz

Similar CDs


Similarly Requested CDs

 

CD Reviews

Very good execution, but Levine's ideas feel too ordinary
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 02/18/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not dogging David Hurwitz to negate his opinions, but to my ears these 1989 recordings of Mozart's Sym. 40 and 41 sound a bit like run thorughs--very talented run throughs, naturally. DG's sound is constricted compared to what RCA gave Levine when he first recorded this pairing with a vigorous, alert Chicago Sym. who, believe it or not, outplay the Vienna Phil. The only drawback to RCA's big, open sound is some shrillness in the strings that could be eliminated with a new remastering. In any event, Levine gives the same lean, fast readings on both CDs, though a bit more affectionately on RCA. And since the timings are mostly identical (a bit slower on DG) I don't get what Hurwitz means by saying that Levine takes more repeats here. Oh well."