Zubin Mehta was one of Decca’s stars in the 1960s and 1970s, known more for his recordings of 19th and 20th-century repertoire than of the 18th. Yet, he has long had an abiding love for Mozart and conducts his symphonic and operatic music on a regular basis. Issued to coincide with his 80th birthday year, this 2CD set includes all the Decca recordings of Mozart’s music made by Mehta of which the three symphonies receive their first release on CD.
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZARTCD 1
Le nozze di Figaro, KV 492: Overture
Symphony No. 34 in C major, KV 338+*
Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, KV 543+*
CD 2
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, KV 550+
Serenade in G major, KV 525 ‘Eine kleine Nachtmusik’+
Le nozze di Figaro, KV 492: Voi che sapete**
Mass in C minor, KV 427 ‘Groβe Messe’: Laudamus te (Gloria)**
Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano (CD2: **)
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (CD1: 1)
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (CD1: +, CD2: +)
London Philharmonic Orchestra (CD2: **)
Zubin Mehta
ZUBIN MEHTA’S MOZART RECORDINGS FOR DECCA
*FIRST INTERNATIONAL RELEASE ON DECCA CD
Recording Producers: Ray Minshull (Symphonies Nos. 34, 39, 40, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Le nozze di Figaro: Overture); Michael Haas (Voi che sapete, Laudamus te)
Recording Engineers: James Lock, Gordon Parry (Symphonies Nos. 34, 39, Le nozze di Figaro: Overture); James Lock, Simon Eadon, Michael Mailes (Symphony No. 40, Eine kleine Nachtmusik); James Lock (Voi che sapete, Laudamus te)
Recording Locations: Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv, Israel, 7–11 April 1976 (Symphonies Nos. 34, 39), 28 January–4 February 1977 (Symphony No. 40, Eine kleine Nachtmusik); Royce Hall, Los Angeles, California, USA, 30 March 1973 (Le nozze di Figaro: Overture); Royal Albert Hall, London, UK, 18 October 1998 (Voi che sapete, Laudamus te)
Remastering Engineer: Paschal Byrne (Audio Archiving Company)
‘The finale [of Symphony No. 34] is impressive in its crispness of articulation with the tarantella triplets sharply enunciated’ Gramophone, March 1977
‘Zubin Mehta’s balanced and musicianly performance of Mozart’s great G minor Symphony has many good points … The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra plays splendidly for him and is given a mellow but well detailed recording’ Gramophone, May 1978