Charles Mackerras

Sir Charles Mackerras has a reputation for providing exciting and full-blooded interpretations in Janáček and baroque music and this thrilling collection of Handel recordings dating from almost 50 years ago is a case in point.

Recorded for Telarc between 1986 and 1990, Charles Mackerras and the Prague Chamber Orchestra's recordings of Mozart's complete symphonies have always been admired for their style, strength, and sensitivity. Reissued here in 2008 as a 10-disc set, those qualities are still obvious. Mackerras, surely one of the most versatile of contemporary conductors, clearly has a thoroughgoing understanding of Mozart's manner. From the first to the last symphonies (and this set contains not only the 40 numbered but also the 7 un-numbered symphonies), Mackerras stresses the score's elegance, wit, charm, and clarity. And the Prague Chamber Orchestra likewise wholly grasps Mozart's matter…

Recorded for Telarc between 1986 and 1990, Charles Mackerras and the Prague Chamber Orchestra's recordings of Mozart's complete symphonies have always been admired for their style, strength, and sensitivity. Reissued here in 2008 as a 10-disc set, those qualities are still obvious. Mackerras, surely one of the most versatile of contemporary conductors, clearly has a thoroughgoing understanding of Mozart's manner. From the first to the last symphonies (and this set contains not only the 40 numbered but also the 7 un-numbered symphonies), Mackerras stresses the score's elegance, wit, charm, and clarity. And the Prague Chamber Orchestra likewise wholly grasps Mozart's matter…

Recorded for Telarc between 1986 and 1990, Charles Mackerras and the Prague Chamber Orchestra's recordings of Mozart's complete symphonies have always been admired for their style, strength, and sensitivity. Reissued here in 2008 as a 10-disc set, those qualities are still obvious. Mackerras, surely one of the most versatile of contemporary conductors, clearly has a thoroughgoing understanding of Mozart's manner. From the first to the last symphonies (and this set contains not only the 40 numbered but also the 7 un-numbered symphonies), Mackerras stresses the score's elegance, wit, charm, and clarity. And the Prague Chamber Orchestra likewise wholly grasps Mozart's matter…

This is the second fine Don Giovanni we have had within the past year. Like Gardiner (Archiv), Mackerras includes every note Mozart wrote for both the original Prague version and the Viennese revival. Moreover, it is easier than ever for listeners to ‘programme in’ their preferred version: all Prague die-hards have to do is to bypass Don Ottavio’s ‘Dalla sua pace’ in Act I – a beautiful aria, in all conscience, though it holds up the dramatic action at a crucial stage. By coaxing a modern orchestra into a real awareness of period style, Mackerras seems to have the best of both worlds: the playing has admirable liveliness and intensity, and there are none of the intonation problems that so often plague actual period instruments.

Josef Suk began writing the funeral symphony Asrael to commemorate his teacher and father-in-law Antonín Dvořák. During the course of work, however, Fate dealt him another crushing blow: Asrael, the Angel of Death, took away Suk’s wife and Dvořák’s daughter, Otilie. The symphony is a story of a suffering whose strength seems simply unendurable, yet also a story of its overcoming, seeking solace and hope.

He was an amazing musician. There can be very few conductors who can manage stylistically the breadth that he did. But I think my favourite contribution from him was bringing Czech music to the West." This is the opera star Renée Fleming's glowing description of Sir Charles Mackerras, whose long and incredibly fruitful conducting career and life ended at the age of 84 this July. Indeed, over the past few decades Czech music has not had a more vigorous advocate and champion in the world, nor a greater fan and connoisseur. "I am a great fan of Dvořák's music because it always seemed to me that, apart from Mozart, Dvořák is the greatest composer…

This is a wonderful work, more like an opera than an oratorio (which it is called) with its fine psychological portrait of Saul, the egocentric leader with a tragic flaw, and the trouble his histrionics bring about. We also get to know the friends Jonathan and David–one gentle and rational, the other moody and flamboyant–and the scene with the Witch of Endor is a real creepfest. This 1973 performance serves the work very well, and while we might argue with Charles Mackerras’ slowish tempos (it takes 20 minutes longer than Gardiner’s), the manner in which he allows his cast to act with their words is only to be admired.

Musical scholar that he is, Charles Mackerras adopts period performance practice, but opts for modern instruments. The Prague Chamber Orchestra is one of the world's best small ensembles. They play this music with impeccable wit, sophistication, and style. Of course, Mackerras himself studied in Prague–Mozart's musical home away from home–and has long enjoyed an excellent relationship with the city's orchestras and musicians. With swift tempos, employment of a harpsichord accompaniment, and all the repeats taken in each work, these finely honed interpretations offer a uniquely consistent view of Mozart's symphonic achievement. Telarc's superb sound allows the music to fall very gratefully on the ear.