A Fine Way To Bow out

Right up to the very end of his long and distinguished career, Sir Charles Mackerras was making music of the very highest quality. One of his last recordings was this much lauded double cd set of Mozart symphonies with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The symphonies featured are numbers 38 to 41 which include the named symphonies Prague ( 38 ) and Jupiter ( 41 ) It is not necessary to place these works in any historical context regarding the development of the symphony, they are just works that stand up completely on their own as supreme pieces of music. The approach of Mackerras and the SCO is not hard core period instrument but it is tinged with historically informed articulation. The music definitely responds to the clarity of a chamber orchestra and the state of the art Linn recording quality brings out all the different lines within the music with the stellar contributions of the woodwind section being most notable. In the booklet notes, Mackerras refers to the Master ( Mozart ) saying goodbye to the symphonic form with the Jupiter. In fact, Sir Charles made one further foray himself with a second recording of earlier Mozart symphonies but for me, this set is a very appropriate farewell from him as a tailpiece to an estimable recorded legacy.