Together with the Vienna Philharmonics Riccardo Muti created a true masterpiece of Mozart‘s symphonies No. 25, 35 and 39. Both are within the most respected artists of classical music of the modern era and this vinyl record combines outstanding interpretation and unrivalled sound experience that preserves the soft warm ambience of Wiener Musikverein.
This very rare audiophile recording has been remastered with care and love by non other than Georg Burdicek, the heart and soul behind Tonzauber. His references include recordings with world renowned artists such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Milan Horvat, Elina Garancia, Joe Zawinul and many others.
The very opening of the slow introduction to No. 39 makes it abundantly clear that Muti has no thought of being influenced by latterday ideas of period performance. Just how many strings he is using one cannot tell, but the result on the first chord is big, bold and weighty. So the surprising discords in the introduction come out sharply and, despite the smooth manner, the textures of the tuttis in the main Allegro are commendably clean. In No. 25, the ‘little’ G minor, Muti is fast and fierce in the first movement, with no sense that this is an early work, and in the second movement Andante, he keeps the violins unmuted, bringing out more sharply the tonal contrasts with the woodwind in alternate phrases. The varied wind solos from piccolo to trumpet are wittily characterised. But the knockout here is the “Haffner” Symphony, a totally exuberant account which is cinematic in its focus and intensity, racing to a finale which is wild beyond belief.
