Karl Böhm Conducts Mozart and Strauss (8 CD box set, APE)

Performer: Kurt Böhme, Teresa Stich-Randall, Lisa della Casa, Waldemar Kmentt, Michel Schwalbé
Orchestra: Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle
Conductor: Karl Böhm
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Strauss
Audio CD
SPARS Code: AAD
Number of Discs: 8 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Size: 1.49 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

# Requiem for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, K. 626
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Kurt Bohme, Teresa Stich-Randall, Waldemar Kmentt, Ira Malaniuk
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 26 in E flat major, K. 184 (K. 161a)
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 32 in G major, K. 318
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 34 in C major, K. 338 1. Allegro vivace
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 34 in C major, K. 338 2. Andante di molto più tosto allegretto
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 34 in C major, K. 338 3. Menuett (K. 409)
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 34 in C major, K. 338 4. Finale: Allegro vivace
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 36 in C major (“Linz”), K. 425
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 38 in D major (“Prague”), K. 504
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Symphony No. 41 in C major (“Jupiter”), K. 551
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major (“Eine kleine Nachtmusik”), K. 525
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Serenade No. 6 for orchestra in D major (“Serenata Notturna”), K. 239
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Euryanthe, opera, J. 291, (Op. 81)
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Oberon, overture to the opera
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Preciosa, incidental music for soloist, chorus & orchestra, J. 279 ( Op. 78 )
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn, opera, J. 8 ( Op. 8 ) (dialogue lost)
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Don Juan, tone poem for orchestra, Op. 20 (TrV 156)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Dresden Staatskapelle
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 28 (TrV 171)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Dresden Staatskapelle
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 40 (TrV 190)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Dresden Staatskapelle
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) for orchestra, Op. 64 (TrV 233)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Dresden Staatskapelle
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 24 (TrV 158)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zoroaster), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 30 (TrV 176)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
with Michel Schwalbe
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs), for soprano & orchestra, o.Op. 150 (TrV 296, AV 150)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
with Lisa della Casa
Conducted by Karl Bohm

# Karl Böhm: A Life Retold
Composed by Spoken Word
Conducted by Karl Bohm

An Outstanding Böhm Retrospective

Few conductors have enjoyed as prolific and as distinguished a recording career as Karl Böhm. His first recordings–revealing fully mature interpretations of Mozart, Bruckner and Brahms– appeared in the 1930’s, and his final efforts date from the dawn of the digital era. During this long span Böhm went from strength to strength as he explored a broad swath of orchestral repertoire from Haydn through Richard Strauss and a less expansive but formidable series of operas by Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Strauss and Berg. Why, then, is Böhm less appreciated today than his younger contemporary, Herbert von Karajan? The reason may well hinge on Böhm’s charcteristic reluctance to create a glamorous, charismatic image or to court publicity in narcissistic fashion. His temperament was reserved, serious, and his attentions were almost always focused on the music he was performing, not on his own talents or public persona.

These virtues (which can also on occasion grade into liabilities) are amply in evidence in this outstanding anthology of Böhm’s work with no fewer than five orchestras (the BPO, the Concertgebouw, the VPO, the VSO, and the Dresden Staatskapelle) during the early LP era. That Böhm was at the height of his powers when these recordings were made is evident from the fact that where later versions of the same repertoire exist (e.g., Mozart’s *Requiem* and final symphonic trilogy),the ones contained in this set are more consistently satisfying (usually tauter in conception and crisper in execution).

The set commences with a Mozart *Requiem* of extraordinary intensity and grandeur, with disciplined, if overly vibrato-laden singing from a large choir and an outstanding team of soloists that includes the shimmering, silvery soprano of Teresa Stich-Randall. Authentic performance practice this is not, but hugely enjoyable nonetheless. The *Requiem* is followed, somewhat incongruously, with two of Mozart’s fluffiest early symphonies (26 & 32) in ebullient performances by the Royal Concertgebouw (lighter and more energetic than his re-recordings of these works with the BPO).

The second and third CDs house a cache of mature Mozart symphonies: 34, 36 and 38 with the VPO (lithe, elegant and vivacious, despite bone-dry sound); 39-41 with the Concertgebouw (magnificent in every respect, and pretty well recorded). The fourth CD combines some delightful Mozart party music, in which Böhm (with the BPO in fine fettle) characteristically brings out the earthy good humor as much as the suave elegance, with a stirring group of Weber Overtures (with the VPO), two of which are rarely heard (but definitely worth getting to know).

Discs 5, 6 & 7 feature works of Richard Struass, another Böhm specialty (he was a personal friend of the ocmposer, who dedicated a number of works to him). Surprisingly, given the conductor’s pedigree, these performances are less consistently impressive than the Mozart and Weber. The Four Last Songs with Della Casa are memorable for their unfussy musicianship and unsentimental lyricism–those who find Schwarzkopf’s Strauss insufferably arch (not me) will probably appreciate Dela Casa’s salutary restraint. *Don Juan*, *Till Eulenspiegel* and *Heldenleben* are treated to splendidly colorful and exuberant performances by that most opulent of German orchestras, the Staatskapelle Dresden. *Alpensinfonie*, *Tod und Verklärung* and *Also Sprach Zarathustra*, however, disappoint in different ways. The Alpine Symphony (with Dresden forces) needs more sharply delineated dramatic contrasts and, at the summit, exaltation, than Böhm’s brusque and underplayed account provides (not helped by the thin-sounding recording); Death and Transfiguration (with the Concertgebouw) is also curiously uninspiring–what one can hear of it through the miasma of a cloudy recording; the narrative of Zarathustra (with BPO), too, needs to unfold more vividly, and with a better sense of dramatic timing than Böhm supplies (though in this work at least the sound is pretty good).

My reservations about some of these Strauss recordings, however, should not deter prospective purchasers from what is overall a splendid retrospective of a conductor who managed to integrate head and heart more successfully than many of his contemporaries. As a bonus, you will also get an eighth CD containing some very interesting autobiographical reminiscences by the conductor (interlarded with excerpts from other Böhm recordings). and a well-written, informative booklet (minus texts and translations). Strongly recommended, then, to collectors of historically significant recordings and to Böhm enthusiasts.