Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - The Mozart Recordings (Herbert von Karajan)

Information

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622
• Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550
• Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525
• Symphony No. 36 in C Major, K. 425 "Linz"
• 3 German Dances, K. 605: No. 3 in C Major "Die Schlittenfahrt"
• Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K. 551 "Jupiter"
• 6 German Dances, K. 600: No. 5 in G Major "Der Kanarienvogel"
• Concerto for Flute and Harp in C Major, K. 299
• Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504 "Prague"
• 4 German Dances, K. 602: No. 3 in C Major
• Symphony No. 35 in D Major, K. 385 "Haffner"
• Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major, K. 313
• Symphony No. 39 in E-Flat Major, K. 543
• Bassoon Concerto in B-Flat Major, K. 191
• Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201
• Sinfonia concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon in E-Flat Major, K. 297b
• Oboe Concerto in C Major, K. 314

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Compilation: 2026

Label: Warner Classics

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In the 1960s, Herbert von Karajan developed a distinctive interpretation of Mozart characterized by refined precision and structural grandeur, deliberately avoiding lighter, decorative styles. Instead, he approached the symphonies with a sense of Beethovenian depth, supported by the Berlin Philharmonic’s rich legato and luxuriant sound. This expansive vision also shaped his concerto recordings, where he collaborated closely with leading orchestral principals such as Karl Leister, Lothar Koch, and James Galway. These performances reflect a unique synthesis of orchestral excellence and artistic unity, capturing a period often regarded as a golden era in which each musician demonstrated exceptional soloistic mastery.

Herbert von Karajan was born in Salzburg on 5 April 1908. Initially a gifted pianist, he turned to conducting at the encouragement of Bernard Paumgartner and studied with Franz Schalk in Vienna. He began his professional career in 1929 at the Ulm Opera, later becoming music director in Aachen and joining the Berlin State Opera in 1938. After the war, he recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic under producer Walter Legge and led London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1955 he succeeded Wilhelm Furtwängler as director of the Berlin Philharmonic and later directed the Vienna State Opera. Internationally renowned for his recordings and technological innovation, Karajan died in 1989.