A decade separates the recordings of Symphonies Nos. 33 & 39 (1963) from Symphony No. 40 (1974), but the passage of time does not affect István Kertész’s interpretive approach, as his Mozart is consistently lively and stylish throughout. All three works benefit from the conductor’s fine-tuned Mozartean sensitivity, which lends his performances both vibrancy and grace. In No. 33 the Vienna Philharmonic’s gorgeous string tone conveys the music with a soothing elegance, while the players make a harder yet no less refined sound for No. 40’s stern declamations. Although Kertész doesn’t match Bernstein’s freewheeling Beethovenian spirit in Symphony No. 39 (also with Vienna), his own performance nonetheless brims with an engaging buoyancy, propelled by sharped-edged rhythms and punctuated by assertive brass and winds. The Decca recordings sound remarkably consistent, taking full advantage of the Sofiensaal’s warmly spacious acoustic. This, plus the low Eloquence price, makes this release eminently desirable.
