This set of
Mozart's symphonies is not the last word on authentic interpretations, nor even the most aesthetically or emotionally compelling, but it has enough polish to please the casual listener and sufficient scholarship to intrigue the connoisseur. Performed according to Classical practices on original instruments by
Jaap ter Linden and the Mozart Akademie Amsterdam, the symphonies are rendered with intelligence, steady energy, and technical finesse, but without the inspiration or magical, expressive touches that would have earned these recordings a higher rating. As admirable as their efforts are,
ter Linden and the orchestra seem more intent on delivering accurate accounts than on making the symphonies expressive or nuanced. Under the constraints of a tight recording schedule, their efficient, business-like approach may be understandable; but anyone who likes his/her
Mozart warm and affecting may find the emotional temperature of these performances quite cool. The recording quality is generally fine, and virtually every detail is audible, but the orchestra only occasionally shimmers with the glow of period instruments. Note: because of discoveries in the manuscripts and historians' reassessments of dates, the ordering of the symphonies is a little confusing; but the thorough liner notes give detailed explanations of any anomalies.