Ferenc Fricsay was seen as an exponent of modern, detailed and precise music-making, and as a leading Mozart conductor alongside Bruno Walter and Karl Böhm. Two live recordings and one studio production from the early Fifties document the collaboration between Fricsay and “his” RIAS Symphony Orchestra which, after becoming its chief conductor in 1948, he had made into an elite ensemble. These recordings also document his esteem for Mozart’s music which was characterised by a deep seriousness.

Fricsay’s devotion to sculpting the melodic line finds a precise and supple medium in the meticulous and stylish RIAS Symphony Orchestra who display an astonishing quality, particularly in the live recordings.