Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm - Mozart: 46 Symphonies (1996)

Karl Böhm's recording of the Mozart symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is among the most respected and beloved sets of this important body of work. Böhm's set was the first complete recording of the symphonies (including several that subsequent scholarship has shown to be written by other composers and misattributed to Mozart) and it remains a substantial achievement because of the conductor's stature as a Mozartian and because of the enthusiastic and refined playing of the Berlin Philharmonic. The performances reflect the aesthetic of the mid-20th century; the orchestra is large, with a fuller, more Romantic sound than had become standard by the end of the century, when historically informed performance practice produced leaner, more limber performances of Mozart, with more scrupulous attention to the repeats in some movements. The sound quality of the performances recorded by Deutsche Grammophon between 1958 and 1968 is not entirely consistent, but it is never less than adequate and is often excellent. Listeners who prefer their Mozart performed on period instruments may want to look elsewhere, but for general listeners, it would be hard to go wrong with these performances.