Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 41 & 39

Album review

There is a new recording of Mozart K. 551 and K. 543! Some reviewers shake their heads. "Yet another one!". Fortunately, these two are so devilishly good that centuries after their creation they still knock people who have an antenna for it off their feet. Wait a minute, antennas, did they exist back then? Silly? Yeah, silly. Who would say that Mozart wasn't occasionally silly? And bold, cheeky! The way he throws down the last movement of the "Jupiter" Symphony like a gauntlet at the feet of his contemporaries is inimitable. Unfortunately, you can't see it on this album when the bassoons and cellos laugh up their sleeves, but you can hear it all the better. What contrasts! After the bright beginning with timpani and trumpets, the second movement comes from a completely different world. "Con sordino", seductively and gently Gordan Nikolic and the girls and guys of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra caress the ears. And so it goes on and on. Same with the E-flat major Symphony. Yes, but aren't there already many wonderful recordings of these works? Yes there are. But as is the case with Mozart, the most famous interpreters can fail and the least known can hit the mark. Decide yourself. © Tacet