Mozart's Last Symphonies

Karl Bohm is one conductor I met first in reviews and talks but I listened to his work pretty late, in my listening 'carier'. The very first thing I've listened to was Beethoven's 9th he recorded for Deutsche Grammophon. Very impressive work, yet I kept hearing that he is the Mozartian of the century and so on that finally I've gotten the 2 cd box with the last six symphonies of Mozart recorded with Berliner Philharmoniker for the same german recording house. And I am telling you only this: as much appraisal they get it is still not enough.

I will start with the Berliners. At the time of the recording they were already in Karajan era and they were already at the peak of their form in terms of tone, execution and overall enssemble performance. These recordings surprise them in their full splendor. The strong teutonic tone, the extraordinary discipline and precision in execution, the wonderfull blending of all orchestral compartments, the perfection of every detail, and the incisive crystal clear sound are all there captured beautifully by DG's engineers with enough room tho let this big, powerful body to breathe. It is not the first orchestra you'd think when it comes to Mozart (unlike Vienna Philharmonic for example) yet they form the ideal instrument in the masterful hands of Karl Bohm.

To him we owe what is probably the single greatest Mozart recording there is. It is hard to find words to describe perfection, because this is what Bohm and the Berliners achieve. The conception in the first place is flawless, both in the understanding of the musical structure, the human content that it sustains and last but not least the style of Vienna's wunderkind. The execution just makes absolute justice to so fully understood works. Everything makes sense. Everything is beautifully played, there is no error in execution or expression, an entire world just opens in front of your eyes and the whole universe of Mozart's inner-life just steps into the light with every detail clearly and beautifully shaped. The strings recite poems, the winds make declarations of all sorts, the timpani just make sure that at the right time the right point gets enough attention. It puts you in a state of wonder and immerses you in something that is more than a life experience.

These recordings received a lot of prises yet none could tell you what a musical treasure this is. Meeting Mozart so close and so real with such a superb company is just something you can't miss.