Mozart: The Last Symphonies: Instrumental Oratorium

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Notwithstanding Harnoncourt's idiosyncrasies, this is a singularly compelling journey through some of the finest symphonies of the era, less mannered than his 1980s recordings with the Concertgebouw. — Gramophone Magazine, September 2014 More…

Release Date: 21st Jul 2014
Catalogue No: 88843026352
Label: Sony
Length: 1 hour 44 minutes

Mozart: Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K543

Work length30:27

Album only

Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

I. Adagio - Allegro

Track length10:42

Album only

II. Andante con moto

Track length7:35

$1.30

$1.70

III. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio

Track length3:50

$1.30

$1.70

IV. Finale. Allegro

Track length8:20

$1.30

$1.70

Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K550

Work length34:30

Album only

Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

I. Molto allegro

Track length7:27

$1.30

$1.70

II. Andante

Track length12:08

Album only

III. Menuetto. Allegretto

Track length4:19

$1.30

$1.70

IV. Finale. Allegro assai

Track length10:36

Album only

Mozart: Symphony No. 41 in C major, K551 'Jupiter'

Work length39:21

Album only

Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

I. Allegro vivace

Track length12:59

Album only

II. Andante cantabile

Track length9:29

$1.30

$1.70

III. Menuetto. Allegretto

Track length5:14

$1.30

$1.70

IV. Molto allegro

Track length11:39

Album only

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Harnoncourt regards the last three symphonies as one whole work, which he calls Mozart’s ‘Instrumental Oratorium’. Sony Classical present Harnoncourt’s final recording of these works, with a fascinating new interpretation. In terms of structure, he argues that the first movement of the Symphony No. 39 is the Prelude of the ‘Instrumental Oratorium’, whilst the last movement of the Symphony No. 41 is the Finale. He points out that the Symphony No. 39 has no real ending, whilst the Symphony No. 40 has no real beginning, and only the Symphony No. 41 has a Finale. There are a number of factors which Harnoncourt points to as further proof of his new interpretation – musical themes which are evident throughout all three symphonies, Mozart’s intense knowledge of the oratorios of Bach and Handel, the fact that Mozart wrote the works without a commission (which he didn’t do for any other works) all in one summer, and that he didn’t write any more symphonies during the following 3 years of his life, until his death – this was his last statement. Recorded for the first time with Harnoncourt’s own ensemble Concentus Musicus Wien, which he founded in 1953.

Reviews

September 2014

Notwithstanding Harnoncourt's idiosyncrasies, this is a singularly compelling journey through some of the finest symphonies of the era, less mannered than his 1980s recordings with the Concertgebouw.

20th October 2014

Harnoncourt is quite the provocateur here, start to finish. His Concentus Musicus Wien is a longstanding, well-known period instrument ensemble, but if we’re being honest, it rather resembles the anti-period-performance critics’ caricatures of the movement...Maybe we should be blaming the engineers for Harnoncourt’s piercing trumpets, backseat winds and slightly blurry violins. Double basses, however, are a welcome and loud presence throughout.

23rd July 2014

Harnoncourt is convinced that Mozart intended the three symphonies, famously composed in just two months in the summer of 1788, as a unity...The recordings, thrillingly well played by Concentus Musicus, put these ideas to the test...Whatever you think of the performances and the theories behind them, they are never ever dull.

Mozart: The Last Symphonies

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