Track Listing

1. Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543: 1. Adagio - Allegro
2. Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543: 2. Andante con moto
3. Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543: 3. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
4. Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543: 4. Finale. Allegro
5. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: 1. Molto Allegro
6. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: 2. Andante
7. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: 3. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
8. Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: 4. Allegro assai
9. Symphony No. 41 in C major ('Jupiter'), K. 551: 1. Allegro vivace
10. Symphony No. 41 in C major ('Jupiter'), K. 551: 2. Andante cantabile
11. Symphony No. 41 in C major ('Jupiter'), K. 551: 3. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
12. Symphony No. 41 in C major ('Jupiter'), K. 551: 4. Molto Allegro

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #207444 in Music
• Released on: 1995-10-31
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Bruno Walter rerecorded these symphonies in stereo, and they are also available on Sony as part of their Great Mozart Interpreters series. Many music lovers, however, will prefer these mono versions for the playing of the New York Philharmonic, as well as for Walter's slightly more energetic way with the music. One way or another, you should sample this legendary conductor's interpretations of works that he conducted peerlessly for over 60 years. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews

Great Artistry of the Past
To those of us who remember Bruno Walter, Otto Klemperer, Toscanini, etc., and start to doubt our memories of the great beauty brought into our lives through the art of music, I suggest this disc. After hearing it, I had to buy more discs to share this joy.

The more we hear the recordings by artists of the first fifty years of the twentieth century, the more we are reminded of their greatness and that which is not present in popular performers today.

Use this disc as a standard to expect more from present day musicians.

A WARNING TO ALL WHO LISTEN!
If you buy this CD, please be aware that you will never hear Mozart symphonies like this performed as well in a live performance. You will only remember wistfully that no matter if the orchestra is your local university ensemble or the Vienna Philarmonic, the conductor you see IS NOT Bruno Walter. Even Stravinsky, who loved to steal from Mozart as much as Rickey Henderson steals bases in baseball, thought Walter conducted Mozart like no other. Some conductors, like Karl Bohm, thought Walter was too sentimental in Mozart, but all I hear is perfect balance, perfect tempi, perfect performance. Forget the sonic limitations here from the 1950s. Mozart is THE MAN, and Walter's conducting is as good as it gets. That's all, folks!

Don't let the MONO sound put you off...
Don't let Sony's Mono sound put you off this recording: these are wonderful performances, the sound clear and balanced in these early-mid 1950s recordings. Bruno Walter (1876-1962) was one of the 20th century's great Mozart conductors, along with Otto Klemperer, George Szell, Thomas Beecham, and Karl Bohm. He performed Mozart frequently in concert throughout his career, and recorded Symphonies 25,28,29,35,36,38,39,40,and 41 with the New York Philharmonic in the early 1950s (Mono sound) and Symphonies 35-41 with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic + some studio musicians) in the late 1950s in stereo. Both sets are excellent in sound and performance: the earlier set has slightly faster tempos and a "Leaner" sound; the later set slower tempos and a richer, fuller sound, due to stereo technology.

I recommend these highly, along with Walter's recordings of Mozart Symphonies 36+38; and 25,28,29,35:also in the "Bruno Walter Edition" if you can find them. Sony is to be commended for releasing these recordings. I also recommend Walter's later Columbia Symphony cycle of Mozart Symphonies 35,36,38,39,40,41 if you can find it. For a differing point of view, there's George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra Mozart Symphonies 35,39,40,41 (35,40,41 are in a Sony "Essential Classics" budget issue).