Four symphonies, one conductor, zero ego — Böhm makes Mozart breathe.
Almost any recording of a Mozart symphony by Austrian conductor Karl Bohm (1894-1981) is a sure thing: excellent sound, and sensible, solid, non-sentimental interpretation. This DVD has 3 Mozart Symphonies, all conducted by Bohm: Nos. 33 and 39 with the Vienna Symphony, recorded in Studio-Wien in 1969, and a live 1970 performance of Symphony 28 with the Vienna Philharmonic, filmed in the Musikvereinsalle in Vienna. All 3 symphonies have excellent film quality and sound, although some viewers may prefer Symphony 28, as the presence of a live audience really brings out the best in the Vienna Philharmonic.
Direction
Invisible filmmaking lets the music speak.
Sound
Musikverein's acoustics captured in 1970—still unmatched.
Acting
Böhm's face: total concentration, zero showmanship.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Böhm conducted at Bayreuth until 1964 despite his Nazi party membership—a tension this 1978 release quietly sidesteps.
Symphony 39 was recorded in Studio-Wien, the same space where the Vienna New Year's Concert films until 2009.
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