Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Colin Davis, Dresden Staatskapelle :: Mozart: Overtures

More than Wallpaper

Brett A. Kniess | Madison, WI | 04/24/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Mozart overture collection contains 12 of Mozarts overtures, some quite familiar and others not as well known, but still full of charm. This collection contains overtures of a young Mozart to an older Mozart; lesser known to infamous. For die-hard Mozart fans, a definite must-have.



Mozart's younger and less-known operas, and subsequently the overtures, lack a little in inventiveness. However, even at a young age, Mozart's ability to construct a tuneful melody, as well as engaging orchestrations are unbelieveable. His earlier overtures really resemble Baroque overtures; usually in three sections, fast/slow/fast, the music didn't nessecarily have anything to do with the action. It is his more mature overtures, beginning with Idomaneo, that Mozart is more creative in melding the music of the overture with the theme of the opera. Also, his melodies and orchestrations exhibit some forward-looking composition shared in his piano concertos. He also makes the overture into one contiunous movement with little to no development. Of particular note, the bubbling opening melody from the Marriage of Figaro to the compex, but dramatic fugal opening to the Masonic-based Singspiel The Magic Flute. The music is captivating and fresh.



Sir Colin Davis and the Dresden Staatskapelle are crisp and clean, much like a chamber ensemble. Davis does not use a heavy hand, and the execution is terrific. The hall adds to the dry sound, still giving the ensemble a full, modern sound, but with the technique that a classical era composition needs. Twelve overtures on a digital, sonically pleasing disk is a must have; this one works perfectly well."

Outstanding listening pleasure!

Heinz Bohusch | Berndorf near Vienna, Austria | 06/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"top sound quality (20-bit-recording; one can hear the difference versus a conventional recording!) plus an enrapturing drive bringing about the ambience of the respective operas... one of the pearls in my CD-collection!"

Top marks for Sir Colin's RCA Mozart Overtures

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 09/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had read in the November/December 1999 issue of AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE that Colin Davis's Dresden Staatskapelle recording of Mozart Overtures was excellent, but didn't realize how fine these were until listening to them (a recent acquisition via Amazon.com) today. These are so fine: sound, playing, acoustic sound stage: I do not know where to begin. Sir Colin's phrasing and tempos are excellent, serving Mozart at the highest level.



The Dresden State Orchestra is no stranger to Mozart, having recorded IDOMENEO, THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO, LA CLEMENZA DI TITO, AND DER SCHAUSPIELDIREKTOR (The Impressario) with Karl Bohm for DG in the 1970s, and a disc of Mozart Overtures with Hans Vonk for Capriccio in 1985. They are also not strangers to Sir Colin Davis, having recorded Beethoven's 4th and 5th Piano Concertos under his direction with pianist Claudio Arrau (Philips); the Brahms Symphonies (RCA); Beethoven Symphonies (Philips); and Berlioz Overtures (RCA). There are other recordings of the Davis/Dresden Staatskapelle partnership, but these are the ones I could think of at the moment.



This disc lasts 61 minutes, and it seems to go by in about 10, giving rise to the saying of Albert Einstein that something pleasurable goes by very quickly, yet something miserable (i.e. touching a hot burner with your bare hand) seems to be an eternity. I can't recall the exact quote, but you get my point.

This is a very fine album, and will bring delight to anyone who loves Mozart as I do."