Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Szell, Cleveland Orchestra :: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 28, 33, & 35

Simply the finest examples of Mozart orchestral playing...ev

David Bernard | New York, NY USA | 09/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I find it curious how Szell's critics point to the precision of his performances and lack of rubato as an indication that they are devoid of emotion, as though emotion, sloppy playing and excess rubato must come hand in hand. Performing Mozart well means expressing the essence of the work through a careful combination of style, phrasing, pacing and **some** rubato, which Szell does perfectly.



Those who are looking for examples of how Mozart should be played by an orchestra, MUST listen to these recordings. Szell's Mozart has consistenly been considered some of the best, but these performances are the absolute top.



Phrasing, balance, pacing are all not only perfectly executed, but expertly thought through by Szell. And yes, the performances are very precise.



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Mozart comes full circle--these are almost period performanc

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 08/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Szell aimed for an uucanny precision in orhcestral execution that will either thrill you in Mozart or make you think something's gone totally wrong. As with modern period readings, Szell's Mozart symphonies are fast, crisp, and rubbed clean of any rubato or emotional expression. At times this leads to amazing results, as in the Presto finale of Sym. #28, which doesn't drop a stitch at whirling velocity. Just as often, howeer, everything sounds tightly wound, as in the first movement of Sym. #33--Szell barely slows down for the lyrical second subject to let it breathe.



At his height in the Sixties, Szell was revered by the American press, which adored all things Toscanini, and this is Mozart in the Toscanini style, though more elegant and less fierce than the old man would have done. Sony has been generous in filling out the three symphonies with Eine Kleine Machtmusik, which is made to look smart at attention yet sounds a little more relaxed than the symphonies--I'd call it the best thing here. The last movement made me smile--I suddenly remembered how fond I was of the original LP issue. The Figaro Over. also manages to be swift without sounding hectic; it's the next best thing on a CD that Szell's admirers will treeasure."

Szell Creates The Cleveland Sound: Openess, Transparency, &

Michael Bohinc | Cleveland Ohio | 10/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After reading reviews here, and elsewhere, people still do not understand the greatness of Szell. He, alone, among all prior conductors discovered the magic sound of 'precision'. He took "practice makes perfect" to beyond normal human endurance. And achieved 'The Cleveland Sound': An Openness and Transparency of the the entire orchestral sound field... based on clarity of music through precision. Szell's notes and chords ring out, in tremendous dynamic range, due to transparency. His 'speed playing' is always totally clear, for every note and chord. Everyone else 'blurs' a bit in high speed playing....just not enough practice.



Szell is the Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Paul Brown, and Bill Bellichick of classical music...precision, practice, again, again, Get it right! You want to be the greatest ever? It's not free, Gentlemen, Again! Dammit!



There's a reason National Public Radio chose for the "Best of the Millenium" CD series, the Beethoven 9th by Szell, with Robert Shaw on chorus. Who else to play the greatest symphony ever, but the best ever? Mozart? Szell was called "the next Mozart" as a child prodigy in Europe. Thrilling? Szell invented that...or better yet, perfected it.



Just this January 2006, as a private tribute to Szell, the Vienna Philharmonic began 'The official Mozart 250th Birthday Concert', broadcast live worldwide, with Szell's own personal Mozart Discovery: The Piano Concerto 25. Szell re-introduced the 25 to Vienna, in Vienna, with The Vienna, in 1934 after 150 years of dormant silence. Now, it's one of Mozart's best loved.



Please buy Szell! ...especially the new DSD releases, the latest digital remastering. And enjoy the transparent openness of the ride."