Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Symphony No. 39 in E Flat Major, K. 543; Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 (1985) Cover Front Album Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Conductor Leonard Bernstein Orchestra / Ensemble I Wiener Philharmoniker Length 63:50 Format CD Genre Orchestral; Symphony Index 364 Out of Print Yes Credits Producer Hanno Rinke Label Deutsche Grammophon Track List 01 Symphony No. 29 in E Flat Major, K. 543: I. Adagio - Allegro 11:24 02 Symphony No. 29 in E Flat Major, K. 543: II. Andante con moto 09:21 03 Symphony No. 29 in E Flat Major, K. 543: III. Menuetto: Allegretto 04:05 04 Symphony No. 29 in E Flat Major, K. 543: IV. Finale: Allegro 08:08 05 Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550: I. Molto allegro 08:32 06 Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550: II. Andante 08:17 07 Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550: III. Menuetto: Allegretto 04:50 08 Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550: IV. Allegro assai 09:13 Personal Purchase Date 11/27/2002 Value $18.98 Store Hear Again, Gainesville Condition 100% Nationality Austrian Period Classical Details Studio Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Vienna Catalog Number 413 776-2 Live Yes Recording Date 1/31/1984 Spars DDD Reissue No Sound Stereo Notes Notes and illustrations Essay: Horst-Peter Hesse Gramopone review: When Bernstein has long been one of the most consistently stylish and lively Haydn interpreters on record, repeatedly winning the plaudits of H. C. Robbins Landon among others, it is surprising that he has not recorded more Mozart. These performances, recorded live and edited together afterwards in the way that Bernstein now prefers, help to fill the gap, yet the pity is that the achievement is inconsistent between the two symphonies. Happily, I listened to No. 40 first, for the playing of the VPO in Bernstein's 1984 performances far outshines that of the orchestra in 1981 for No. 39, where after the sweetness, purity and superlative ensemble in the G minor the relative slackness is disconcerting. so the start of the slow movement of No. 39 sounds careless, and Bernstein appears to be compounding the unaccustomed waywardness of the players by injecting expressive slowings and hesitations in a way that souns self-conscious, drawing attention to itself. The style of performance in the slow movement of No. 40 may be little different, but with total understanding and sympathy between conductor and orchestra the result is spontaneous-sounding and naturally lyrical, sweet and elegant as well as refined. In the first movement of No. 39 too the heaviness of the slow introduction is excessive with the timpani superbly caught but distractingly loud. It is a highly dramatic reading of that opening, with Mozart's clashing seconds biting hard, but then the ensemble in the main Allegro - seeming very slow when it starts - is again relatively slack. The first movement of No. 40 is surprisingly gentle and relaxed - even there I prefer the version of Jeffrey Tate and the ECO which I reviewed recently (HMV EL270154-1, 2/85) - but the ease and purity are very winning, and so is the whole performance, making one glad that both halves of the finale are repeated, as well of course as the exposition repeat in the first movement. But where the finale of No. 40 is airy and fresh, that of No. 39 (also with both repeats observed) is not helped by the recording balance which clouds the articulation of semiquavers by the Vienna strings. The clarinet and bassoon are notably less well defined than the flute, and Bernstein has an unusual reading of the grace notes in the second subject at bar 45. Where normally they are given as acciaccature, with the accent on the main note, Bernstein accents them as straight demisemiquavers. The CD version is virtually identical with the LP, a shade better defined and atmospheric, giving a believable impression of a medium-size Mozart orchestra. It is sad about the shortcomings in No. 39 - made the more apparent by being set against the excellence of No. 40 - for this is a far rarer coupling than the usual one of Nos. 40 and 41, yet just as apt.