The Berlin Classics label's Greatest Works series recycles old recordings from eastern Germany, many of them dating back to the Communist era. This one, with several of the recordings from the early '90s, is among the more contemporary of the group. The two older recordings date from 1975 (the Dresden Staatskapelle's rendering of the Concerto in C major for flute, harp, and orchestra, K. 299) and 1973 (Annerose Schmidt and the Dresden Philharmonic under the durable Kurt Masur in the Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467) ...
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The Berlin Classics label's Greatest Works series recycles old recordings from eastern Germany, many of them dating back to the Communist era. This one, with several of the recordings from the early '90s, is among the more contemporary of the group. The two older recordings date from 1975 (the Dresden Staatskapelle's rendering of the Concerto in C major for flute, harp, and orchestra, K. 299) and 1973 (Annerose Schmidt and the Dresden Philharmonic under the durable Kurt Masur in the Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467). These two are no worse sonically than the rest, which is not saying much, but consistency is a virtue in this case. The good news is that the traditions of Mozart playing were a jealously guarded joy within the dreary confinement of East German life, and the ensembles here embodied those traditions. The opening Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525, from the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, is brisk, lively, and free of cuteness. There isn't a ponderous note to be found, in spite of the...
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