Mozart: Symphony In E Flat Major K543 / Symphony In D Major Prague K504

Starring: David Zinman, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Dvd Release: 2nd August, 2004 Number Of Discs: 1 Format: Colour, PAL, Region 0 Encoding Subtitled In: English, French, German, Spanish

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most significant & influential of all composers of Western classical music. His works are loved by many & are frequently performed. Mozart was born in Salzburg, now in Austria but at the time the capital of a small independent Archbishopric within the Holy Roman Empire. He was baptized on the day after his birth at St. Ruperts Cathedral as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. The full version of Mozarts name fluctuated considerably during his lifetime; for details, see Mozarts name. Mozarts musical ability started to become apparent when he was a toddler. He was the son of Leopold Mozart, one of Europes leading musical pedagogues, whose textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule was published the year of Mozarts birth & became influential. Mozart received intensive musical training from his father, including instruction in playing both the piano & the violin. He developed very rapidly & began to compose his own works at the age of five. Posters Of Mozart

This DVD of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie features not only two different conductors leading two different Mozart symphonies in two different halls, it also features two virtually different orchestras of that name. Although both were recorded in 1991, it is clear from even a cursory look that the personnel of the orchestra had changed dramatically between the two recording dates. Perhaps this is because the Kammerphilharmonie is a young orchestra--most of the players look to be in their twenties--that grew out of the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie , or rather changed its name in 1987 to the current title. And it may indeed be that drastically changing personnel is part of the tradition with the group, I simply dont know. But I do know that the orchestra that plays under Zinman is the better sounding of the two. It doesnt help that the acoustic of the hall for the first of these two symphonies, the Prague Symphony, K. 504, recorded in the Christian Zaiss Saal in Wiesbaden under Gerd Albrecht has a too-bright sound. It is further not helped that the winds, brass & hard-sticked timpani seem to be at the sonic forefront. Thus, the overall impression is of a group playing too all-out, too crudely. Difficulties in ensemble & blend are too often obvious. Still, Albrechts approach is crisp & alert, although his extremely vigorous arm-waving is distracting & sometimes he seems to just be beating time. Things are much better in the second movement with its tacet trumpets & timps.

When Zinman takes over things are better. First, the sound is rounder, fuller and, I suspect, truer. The string blend is more homogeneous, the oboes are distinct without being harsh, & the timps are a good bit less jarring. Zinman also uses no baton, but he shapes the sound more subtly & with a good deal less arm-flapping. And one can hear the difference; phrasing is more nuanced, ensemble is better. He seems in better control of his forces & seems to have more definite ideas of what he wants; for instance, he manages the tricky tempo transition from the slow introduction of the first movement into its main allegro section with seamless grace. The Andante con moto second movement is serenely beautiful; the allegretto Minuet with its bumptious wind chords calls up dancing peasants in ones minds eye . The allegro Finale shows both finesse & energy. This is an inspiriting traversal of the E flat symphony, one of the three last great symphonies that Mozart composed in that miracle summer of 1788. TT=60 mins; subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish; PCM stereo Scott Morrison

David Zinman is an American conductor. After early violin studies at the Oberlin Conservatory, he studied theory & composition at the University of Minnesota & took up conducting at Tanglewood. He then worked in Maine with Monteux, serving as his assistant from 1961 to 1964. Zinman was principal conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra from 1965 to 1977, music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1974 to 1985 & chief conductor of the Rotterdam PO from 1979 to 1982. After two years as principal guest conductor, Zinman was appointed music director of the Baltimore Symphonic Orchestra in 1985, a position he held until 1998. With that orchestra he made important recordings & transformed a regional ensemble into a leading American institution, his musical strengths complemented by an engaging manner, a deep commitment to music education & community relations, deft use of the media & self-deprecating humour. He has also appeared with leading orchestras & festivals in the USA, Canada & Europe.

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