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| Decca digital (Full price) (LP) SXDL7588 (Cassette) KSXDC7588. |
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| Concertgebouw, Harnoncourt (10/82) AZ6 42805. |
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| DSO, C. Davis (7/83) 6514 205 |
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| BPO, Karajan (1/79) (4/79R) 2531 137. |
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This is big-orchestral Mozart and the full-bodied textures, with the recording giving an almost excessively bright sheen to the upper strings, will not appeal to the 'authentic' lobby in the least. Yet it is impossible not to respond to the sheer vigour and spirit of the first movement of Solti's Prague; and both slow movements are supple in phrasing with the orchestral playing polished and sensitive. There is a sense of serious purpose and Solti, who can sound over-intense in Classical music, finds breadth here as well as brilliance. In many ways the E flat Symphony is the more successful of the two, apart perhaps from the third movement which sounds a bit heavy. Yet the energy of the outer movements brings an undoubted sense of exhilaration. This will not be everyone's idea of Mozart, but then neither is Karajan's (DG), with spic-and-span playing and bright, clear sound. There is a touch more resilience in Berlin, and warmth too, and the Philharmonic can never fail to give pleasure in this repertoire. Harnoncourt is rather more relaxed and proves it by including every repeat. The Telefunken digital recording is first class with outstanding detail, but to recommend a premium-price disc containing only one Mozart symphony is perverse. Davis's account of No. 39 is coupled with Symphony No. 29. The E flat Symphony has striking gravitas, a full, natural recording, and yet again offers superb playing, from the Dresden orchestra. The first movement is warmer and more spacious with less surface brilliance than Solti or Karajan; the slow movement has striking delicacy of feeling. The overall impression is more symphonic, a shade less buoyant, and the digital recording has a very agreeable bloom.
IM