Mozart: Symphony No. 26 in E flat major, K184

“The playing indeed is a joy” Gramophone Magazine (Nos. 13-16)

“These symphonies may be short in length but they are full of sizable things; they are never less than engaging and they sometimes go into Mozart's heart-felt vein. Marriner appreciates all this and gives every passage its own character, both in the vivacious fast movements and in those that go deeper into emotion […] these are extremely perceptive and utterly delightful performances […] I remember, not only no better performances of these symphonies but none nearly as vital in lively movements or as sensitive in slow” Gramophone Magazine (Nos. 23, 24, 26, 27)

“The performances have splendid life and polish … the disc can be warmly recommended to all Mozartians” Penguin Guide (Nos. 25, 29)

“These are, in the main, finely-judged performances, and there are certain moments, such as the snarling crescendo on all four horns that catapults the recapitulation in the opening movement of the turbulent Symphony No. 25, that sound particularly effective.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2009 ****

“…there is a lot of controlled energy in these performances, immediately apparent in the first movement of Symphony No 25, which is driven but not forced, effectively opposing vigorously scrubbed violins and urgently pressed horn-blasts with a touchingly plaintive solo oboe in its second theme. ...plenty of neat and imaginative articulation and phrasing reach their collective zenith in the richly unfolding delights of the slow movement of No 29.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2009

“However well you know these symphonies, the zest, detail and exuberance of these performances will blow your head off. Mozart was 17, fired up by months in Italy, when he went to work at the archbishop's court in Salzburg. These symphonies, here recorded in a converted Limousin barn, date from that period. Young French conductor Jérémie Rhorer, and the agile period instrument band Le Cercle de l'Harmonie take risks but not liberties. Speeds are break-neck, colours brilliant.” The Observer, 15th March 2009

“Here are three symphonies from Mozart's late teens, written in Salzburg, in crisply articulated performances. The first of them is a Sturm undDrang piece in G minor, a key that the composer reserved for moods of agitation. Mackerras takes the orchestra through the big opening Allegro conbrio of No 25 with drive and passion, although it's unlikely that Mozart would have expected a Salzburg orchestra in the 1770s to play as fast as this skilful body of Czech players. The gentle Andante comes therefore as a relief, though here too Mackerras keeps a firm rhythmic grasp on the music, and indeed a taut metrical aspect is a feature of all three symphonies as played here, so that minuets dance briskly and purposefully and finales bustle. However, the sunlit warmth of the beautiful A major Symphony, No 29, comes through and the bracing view of the other two symphonies is a legitimate one, though giving little or nothing in the direction of expressive lingering, much less towards sentimental indulgence.
The Prague Chamber Orchestra is an expert ensemble, not overlarge for this style of music, and the recording is without doubt admirably clear although a little reverberant.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“The complete musical satisfaction provided by the four Italian-overture symphonies... is due to the intrinsic fullness and vigour of the orchestration, and to the NCO's lively performances.” Gramophone Magazine

"Simply the best ever recorded" Los Angeles reader