Mozart Symphony No. 19

40 CD box set featuring concerts, quartets, divertimenti, symphonies, arias, opera scenes, famous overtures, sonatas and so much more.

This set restores to circulation Bruno Walter's New York Philharmonic versions of the mature Mozart symphonies (35-41). These were recorded in decent mono during the early LP era (1953-1956). Listeners familiar with his stereo versions of these works with the Columbia Symphony (an ad hoc ensemble formed largely for the sake of Walter's Indian Summer recording projects) will note some marked interpretative differences in the earlier recordings. The NYPO provides leaner textures and more alert playing, and Walter's conducting conveys greater vitality, than in the plusher and sometimes too languid Columbia Symphony recordings.

This set restores to circulation Bruno Walter's New York Philharmonic versions of the mature Mozart symphonies (35-41). These were recorded in decent mono during the early LP era (1953-1956). Listeners familiar with his stereo versions of these works with the Columbia Symphony (an ad hoc ensemble formed largely for the sake of Walter's Indian Summer recording projects) will note some marked interpretative differences in the earlier recordings. The NYPO provides leaner textures and more alert playing, and Walter's conducting conveys greater vitality, than in the plusher and sometimes too languid Columbia Symphony recordings.

The first 14 of the 16 symphonies chosen span the years 1771, when Mozart was 15, through to 1773, when he produced in the G minor No. 26, his first out-and-out masterpiece among the symphonies. In addition to the regularly numbered works Tate includes the so-called Symphonies Nos. 48 (adapted from the overture to Ascanio in Alba) and 50 (adapted from the overture to Il sogno di Scipione). Then, almost as an appendix to the rest, come two more adaptations from opera overtures, dating from 1775-6, No. 51 (from La finta giardiniera) and No. 52 (from Il re pastore, with an adaptation of an aria inserted).

The 7th installment of the live concert series "Belle ame'', a project of the Spectrum Sound label and using sound sources provided by the French National Audiovisual Institute, is a 1959 concert performed by the Orchester National Radio de France, conducted by Constantin Silvestri. From the live performance in February, Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 19 with Clara Haskil as soloist, Debussy's "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun", and Ravel This is "Bolero''.

This boxed set, according to the jacket were recorded between 1964 and 1978 by the SWF Sinfonierorchester Baden-Baden [ & Freiburg] under the baton of Ernest Bour, its Music Director (1964-78). No specific dates are given for any of these individual recordings. Many of the current generation may not be familiar with Mr. Bour, or his orchestra, which is unfortunate.