Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphonies Nos.40 & 41 – Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer (1963/2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 56:52  minutes | 1,16 GB  | Genre: Classical
Studio Master, Official Digital Download  | Source:HDTracks | @ EMI Classics
Recorded: March 1962 at Kingsway Hall, London

On this masterfully engineered audiophile download, Otto Klemperer, a master of Mozart’s works, leads the Philharmonia Orchestra through engaging interpretations of his most cherished symphonies. Arguably one of the greatest conductors in the world, Klemperer brings excitement and technical control to these familiar compositions. Exuding with brilliance, the performances heard on this album are full and balanced.

(more…)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphonies Nos.38 & 39 – Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer (1956/62/2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 54:23 minutes | 1,08 GB  | Genre: Classical
Studio Master, Official Digital Download  | Source: HDTracks | @ EMI Classics
Recorded: No. 38 – March 1962, No. 39 – July 1956 at Kingsway Hall, London

Otto Klemperer, one of the world’s leading conductors, guides the Philharmonia Orchestra through masterworks by Mozart. These definitive readings are refined and thrilling, an absolute vital addition to any music lover’s collection.

(more…)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphonies Nos.35 & 36 – Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer (1956/60/2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 51:12minutes | 1,01 GB  | Genre: Classical
Studio Master, Official Digital Download  | Source: e-onkyo | @ EMI Classics
Recorded: No.35 – 22-23 October 1960 at Studio 1, Abbey Road, London; No.35 – 19 July 1956 at Kingsway Hall, London; K384 – 29 September 1960 at Kingsway Hall, London

…In his Haffner Symphony (No 35), Mozart deleted two movements of a previously written piece, made further minor emendations and produced this little masterpiece. The opening Allegro points the way to Klemperer’s approach to each of the three later works here which is as one would expect – serious, weighty and pointing towards Beethoven. The real skill comes from being weighty without being ponderous or losing the lightness inherent in Mozart. The delightful Andante – yet again one blesses the value of splitting the violins – the Minuet and Trio (wonderful balance), and a marvellously shaded Finale complete the opening symphony.
The Linz Symphony (No 36) was one of Mozart’s “written against the clock” pieces -there were so many in his short life – but the listener would never know. A slow introduction prefaces a steadily paced opening Allegro. The gently rocking Adagio that follows shows the quality of the original recording with its clarity in the inner parts. The Minuet and Trio point to rustic revelries rather than an elegant drawing room (lovely playing from the wind section) and in the Finale – played with tremendous dash – the trumpet parts add interesting variety. The exquisitely shaded contrasts between sections yet again show what a superb orchestra the Philharmonia was in its prime… Harry Downey, MusicWeb International

(more…)

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 ‘Italian’ / Schumann: Symphony No. 4 – Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer (1960/2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 55:44  minutes | 1,09 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks | @Warner Classics/Erato

Renowned conductor Otto Klemperer leads the Philharmonia Orchestra through magnificent readings of works by Mendelssohn and Schumann. The rich orchestration is mind-blowing, producing a quintessential recording for any music lover’s collection. This is the definitive reading of these historic pieces.

(more…)

Jean Sibelius – Violin Concerto & Tapiola – Tossy Spivakovsky, London Symphony Orchestra, Tauno Hannikainen (1959/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 46:21 minutes | 1,55 GB | Genre: Classical
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks.com | Digital Booklet | @ Everest

From the included liner notes:

Of few twentieth century composers can it be said with any degree of certainty, “His music will last.” We are still too close to many of these men to judge objectively the quality of their work. But Jean Sibelius seems to be a creative artist whose compositions will survive. His Violin Concerto is one of the most difficult works of its kind ever written, but, it is also one of the most exciting. Performed here by one of the most exciting violinists of our day, assisted by a Finnish conductor who really knows the music of Sibelius, it has been reproduced with equally exciting fidelity for all to enjoy. (more…)

Sommernachtskonzert 2015 / Summer Night Concert 2015 – Wiener Philharmoniker, Zubin Mehta (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:09:57 minutes | 694 MB | Genre: Classical
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | Digital Booklet | @ Sony Classical

Perhaps in search of further profits from the lode provided by its popular New Year’s events, the Vienna Philharmonic established its Sommernachtskonzert or Summer Night Concert series in 2004. The series attracted six-digit crowds, sponsorship from Rolex, and U.S. broadcasts on the Public Broadcasting Service. The Philharmonic has aimed for something in between the party atmosphere of the New Year’s concerts and the sobriety of a regular concert event, with star conductors trotted out for not-too-strenuous fun. Here you get Zubin Mehta, leading an almost all-Scandinavian program, with the much-honored Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder in the headline work the Grieg Piano Concert in A minor, Op. 16. You wouldn’t pick him as a likely candidate for Grieg (his specialties run toward Beethoven and Mozart), and the concerto is straightforward, but no more. But you do get a nice tone poem, Frühlingsrauschen, Op. 32, No. 3, by Norwegian composer Christian Sinding, whose Wagnerian orchestral music has been increasing in performance frequency since arguments surfaced that he was senile and unaware of what he was doing when his name was added to the rolls of Norway’s fascist party early in World War II. Mehta and the Philharmonic are lively in the Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, of Grieg, and the finale, Sibelius’ evergreen Finlandia, Op. 26, gives an idea of why crowds turn out for this thing. Even the semi-popular encore, a Galop by Lumbye, is Scandinavian. An enjoyable entry in the series, with reasonable sound for something recorded en plein air. Recorded in May of 2015 (that’s summer in mild Vienna), this album was on sale by early August.

(more…)